The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-04
JAMES H. WRIGHT ACQUITTED.
JURY REACHED 4 VERDICT IN
SEVEN MINUTES.

Accused Was the Last Man Seen
with Alfred Brown, COIored, Who
Was Found Dead in His House in
ON april -, ana on This Fact the
Charge Was Bascd-BrOwn Had
Iurpcntinc Tools Belonging to
Wrisht's Father, and the Latter
Ilnd Gone After Them.
James H. Wright who was charged
with The killing of Alfred Brown, colored,
at Black Ankle, in the western part of the
county, on April %. and who has since
been in jail IN Savannah, was tried yester-
day in the Superior Court on the charge
Of murder and was acquitted
The trial occupied the greater part OF
the day in th.. Superior Court, but it only
took the jury seven minutes to bring in
a verdict of not guilty. The evidence for
The state was only that which was brought
out a the time Of the inquest on the day
after the killing. As stated in the Morn
ing News at the time the evidence was en-
tirely cireumstanual and there was moth
ing pointing positively towards him as the
guilty party. The verdict was no surprise
to those who heard the case. Wright was
represented by NIessrs. FIG. duBignon and
A, A. Lawrence. Their able arguments
to the jury, however. were hardly needed
to obtain the verdict rendered.
The chief witness against Wright was
Julia Sutherland colored woman who
had been living with the dead man. She
testified to leaving the house in company
with Brown about O'Clock on the morn
N e L r,afrv J. I,r.tf
house about half a mile away. where she
expected to do some work. She STOPPED
there and Brown went on down the road.
About half an hour later he came back
accompanying Mr.. j. III. Wright who was
riding in buggy. Brown had been work
ing for Mr.. Wrights father, but had quit
work and Mr. Wright had come after the
turpenune tools. Robert Williams, at
whose house the woman had stopped, was
ploughing IN a field. He also had one Of
the turpcuune tools which Mr.. Wright
wanted. The tools were in the woods and
he volunteered TO so and get it if Brown
would plow for him. which the latter
agreed to do. After Williams had brought
the tool Brown and 4Ir. Wright went on
down the road to Browns house, Brown
walking in front and Mr.. Wright riding in
his buggy. This was the last time any of
the Witnesses saw Brown alive. About
half an hour later, the witness said, she
walked back TO the house, and on opening
the door, found Brown on the floor. At
first she thought he was asleep. but soon
found that he was dead with bullet hole
in his breast The body was still warm
when she found it. She Immediately gave
the alarm, notifying several of the neigh
bors.
Jessie Lee. a small colored girl, who ac-
companied the Sutherland woman to the
house, was placed on the stand, but was
too young to be a competent witness
Robert Williams testified 10 Wright and
Brown stopping at the field where he was
blowing, to his getting the tool and plac-
ing it in the buggy, and to Wright and
Brown gong down the road together,
Some time later the Sutherland woman
came to his house and reported that
Brown had been killed. In cross-exam-
ming the witness Mr.. duBignon inquired
very particularly if there had not been
a strange negro known as Irwin Shelton
who had been chopping turpentine trees
in that neighbOrhood, and who had not
been seen since the killing. The witness
said he had heard of the negro but did
not know his name.
Other witnesses testified to seeing Brown
and Wright together, but nothing material
was added to the states case. When So
llcitor General Osborne announced at 30
o clock that the state closed the attorneys
for the defense manifested their surprise.
AANN 4AiN tN 'tAl Ntl ~ ~ UP d. dtLlSl SOtllS-
thing stronger. No witnesses were intro
duced by the defense Wright being put
upon the stand TO make his statement
Wright said that on the day before the
killing of Brown he was informed that
the latter had quit work and was ready
to give up his tools. He went after the
tools the following morning and met
Brown He got all the tools except one
that was in the woods. Robert Williams
went after this, while Brown plowed for
him. There was a Whether at Browns
house which he desired to get, and he
drove on toward the house, following
Brown, who had already preceded him
They passed a white man named Cook,
who spoke to Brown. 'and also a man
named Neil. with whom Wright talked for
a while, Brown went on to his house in
the pasture. where Wright followed him
few minutes later.
He gave me the Whether" said Wright.
land | went home, arriving there at 10
o'clock in the morning. This Mr.. Brigham
tune to be with Brown at that time This
is all l know of his death. God knows
l did moi XIII him. I don't know who killed
him. ] had nothing TO do with it, and
don't know anything about IT, l had had
no difference with him and had no reason
to Kill him. All l wanted with him was
TO get the tools which he had. and these
l got without any trouble. I saw him
talking that morning TO a negro named
Irwin, who had a pistol strapped to his
side. l don't say Irwin killed him. I have
never been up ON such charge before.
l leave it al to YOU gentlemen"
Wright was cool and collected and made
his statement in a clear concise manner.
He showed throughout the trial that he
had little fear of the result His aged
father sat with him in the rear of his at
torneys, ana there were number Of his