The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-16
C0MAS FOUND NOT GUILTY.
JURY HAS RELEASED CHRIS WE'D
NCAMP's SLAYER.

They QuarreIed in the Woods and
COmas Shot Him DOwn-Claimed
Wedincamp Drew "A Pistol and
Fired at Him-State Held IL Was a
Dark Night and COmas Could Not
Have Seen Such Action on the Part
of Wedincamp.
BaxIey, Ga, March 15.-John w. Comas
was acquitted in the Superior Court here
to-day Of the charge of numbering Chris
TOPPER Wedincamp.
When the court convened this morning
one of the jurors was TOO sick to appear
By consent of counsel on both sides 1t
was submitted to eleven jurors, and after
eleven hours deliberadon they brought in
a verdict OF not guilty.
Judge Benefits charge was highly COM
plimented as clear, able and impartial.
The case against Comas was called
for trial on Tuesday morning in Appling
Superior Court. fun account of the
causes leading up to the arrest OF the de
PENDANT appeared in the Morning News
several weeks ago, just after the homi-
eide. Comas and Chris Wedncamp, the
deceased, were related. Young Wedincamp
had been for several years a resident of
Rochelle, Ga, and had only on that day
returned to Apping county on a visit to
his fathers family. He was in a vehicle
on his way TO his fathers country home
when overtaken by Comas, who insisted
on Wedincamp's accompanying him 20 Lip
pens mill, promising 90 bring him back
to his fathers home that night. Finally
Wedncamp went with him.
The next morning Wedincamp was
found dead, with pistol wounds In his
head, body and arm. Comas was arrest
ed, but remained silent as to why he
had killed the young man until he made
ms statement during the trial, in which
he said that he and young Wedlncamp,
after leaving the father of Wedincamp.
frequently INDUCED in potations OF whisky
until they both became intoxicated: that
in this condition they came to where the
road forked Wedincamp wanted to take
the right-hand road, and he wanted to
travel the left-hand road. In the arsu-
ment Wedfncamp cursed him, and finally
struck HIM. That he told Wedincamp to
get out OF the buggy and finally he pushed
MIN OUT and started to drive on. A limb
or an unrooted tree got caught in the bug
gy wheel He got out to disentangle it.
AS he did so, Wedincamp started to draw
a pistol and threatened to shoot him.
Ihereupon he drew his own pistol and
killed deceased
he said he continued to drink and final
~ went to sleep in his buggy, and did no,
wake up until the next morning. He told
TRENDS OF this and sought their advice.
Inc state shows that when Wedincamn
was found next morning he had ON n
heavy long overcoat, which was down IT'S
fun length. His right arm was doubled
up under him, and on the outside of the
coat. Wedincamp had pistol, which was
found in the hip picket This was A dark
night, rainy and cloudy, and the state con-
tended il was impossible to have seen
Wedincamp, even if he had endeavored 10
draw his pistol.
The prominence of these people makes
this case of much interest in this county.
People for many miles around congresated
here, and the court house was filled to
Overlooking. There were many ladies' in
the audience. The lawyers engaged in the
case are among the most prominent in the
state.
Hon. John w. Bennett, the solicitor gen.
eral of the Brunswick circuit, was assisted
in the prosecution by Hon d. B. Nichol-
son of Rochelle, prominent criminal law
yer, and Judge ]. l. Carter of Baxley. ex-
solicitor general of this circuit The de-
PENDANT was represented by Hon E. D.
Graham of McRae and Mr.. w w. Ben
nett and Judge T. A. Parker of Baxley
This is the first court held in this county
by Judge Bennett since his qualification
He presides like an old veteran, and many
are the compliments passed upon the able
and impartial manner in which he pre-
sides