The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-11
REMARKABLE CASE IN FLORIDA.
Man Escapes After Many Trials and
FOrfeits a Big bond.

a. BOnNs
Tallahassee, Fla, Feb. lott is the opin-
ion of the Oldest and ablest jurists in the
state that Middle Florida has furnished
one of the most remarkable criminal cases
10 De found in the court records of Flor
ida. 1t is remarkable for the high Off
cial and social standing of the parties TO
the suit; for the exciting incidents con-
nected with the case for a period of seven
years; for the array of legal talent en-
ployed on both sides, and for the number
OF eminent jurists who have presided in
courts.
The interesting details of the case are
told as follows:
Samuel Edwards Sheriff of Liberty
county, on July Is, 1880, shot and mortally
wounded Jerry NJ. Forehand, a commits
siener for said county
AT the fall term of the Circuit Court for
Iloer.y county, of the same year, Judge
David ). Walker presided and the grand
jury returned a true bill against Ed
wards for murder in the first degree
lnally the case came to trial at Ouin-
cy. Upon this trial the jury stood to
for conviction
When the case came up for trial again
IL resulted IN a mistrial, the jury being
IL to for conviction
On the third trial Edwards was con-
vieted of the murder in the first degree.
and recommended to the mercy of the
court, which mean a life sentence in the
penitentiary
Counsel for Edwards took an appeal to
the Supreme Cuort and the Judgment of
the lower court was affirmed
The testimony in this case is said TO
have been about as follows:
On the afternoon of Iulv tx 1901 larry,
M. Forehand left Graham's commissary a
snort time before dark on horseback
going in the direction Of his home. Short
ly after he departed four shots were heard
Two were supposed to be pistol reports
and two gun reports In a little while
Forehand came riding back towards the
commissary leaning forward on his horse.
Parties present assisted him to alight. To
these persons he said:
Il am a dead man. Rice and Edwards
killed me. AS I was going home 1 met
Samuel Edwards and o. T. Rice in the
swamp. We engaged in civil conversa-
ton for a while, when Edwards walked
around the head of my animal and shot
me in the side. My horse wheeled and
ran toward the commissary, Edwards fir
ing again, hitting me on the top of my
head. Edwards then called to Rice to
shoot. He fired his gun twice, but did
not hit me-"
Shortly after the Killing Edwards and
Rice were arrested and placed in jail at
Quincy, from which they were liberated
by well-known parties at night.
Rice has never been seen by the officers
since, and by many it is thought that he
was put out of the way, for fear that he
might turn states evidence" in the case
Others, who are presumed to know, assert
that Rice still lives, but do not give his
whereabouts.
Having been sentenced to state prison for
life Edwards was soon thereafter taken
to the camps
While the appeal was still pending in
the Supreme Court Edwards made another
and successful attempt to regain his liber-
ty. He sued~eut writ of error from the
sentence and conviction of the circuit court
to the Supreme Court, and a suDersedeas
bond, Ia the sum of 5000, was ordered to
be given.
When the bond was approved Edwards
was released from state prison, and it is
said that, while en- route home, he said
that he would never again appear before
any court or in the penitentiary.
This vow Edwards has kept up to this
date and Geo. w. Walker state attorney,
has instituted civil proceedings in the cir
cult court of Gadsden county, against
each of his ten bondsmen.
During the seven years litigation in this
case, no motive for the killing was develop
ed