The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-19
WILL LESSEN THE JAIL CRUSH.
L. 5. CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT COURTS
TO MEET NEXT WEEK.

Judge speer Has Notified the Clerk
of His Coming and Directed That
the Jury Boxes BE Sent to Macon,
So That Juries Might BE Drawn
and summOned-Primary Business
of the Session Clearing the County
Jail of the Federal Prisoners Now
Under Counnement-Th Last SEES
sion Held ia the Custom House
Building.
The United States Circuit and District
Courts will convene for the May term in
Savannah Monday morning. Clerk King
was advised by telegram from Judge
Speer, yesterday morning, of his coming
to Savannah, and directed to send the
boxes containing the names of the jurors
to Macon so that juries for the two courts
could be drawn and summoned in time for
their appearance when the courts con-
Yenes.
The purpose of holding the sessions of
the courts at this time is, primarily. to
clear the county Jail of federal prisoners,
who are held there in quite a large num-
per- 1t is thought, however that some
criminal cases, in which the defendants
nave not yet been indicted, will also be
tried, and that civil business will receive
10 some extent that attention Of the court
There are a number of cases in bank
ruptcy and admiralty that will doubtless
come before Judge Speer during his stay
in Savannah.
a IN ~
principally with Illicit disulling. though
there are some against whom indictments
Tor eounterfeiting have been found and an
occasional postmaster, who has strayed
from the strict path of rectitude and car
Iled away in his wanderings some of the
iuhds OF the office. Some of these latter
nave not yet been indicted.
Among the defaulting postmasters.
against whom indictments have not been
round is W. f. Carter of Meldrim. The
particulars of the crime with which Car
Ter is charged and his effort to embroll
IN MS trouble the members of the Popu-
nst state executive committee, are famll-
TAR to the readers Of the Morning News.
carter admitted the defalcatlon, and stated
IA eXtenuation that the money which had
peen aostracted from the receipts of the
posfotice, about $3.50, had been turned
over Immediately to The campaign fund
OF the Populists, and used in the last cam
paign. This statement the members of the
committee have ali strenuously and indig-
nauCly denied.
1t is expected that the trial will bring
out ZONE salty developments. as Carrier
promises TO prove that the money was
taken with the assent of every member
or the committee and used by him In The
campa'Sn with their full knowledge and
consent, and in reliance upon their statc-
ment that they would make up the amount
of the shortage. The committee has pub
Hshed statement denying in toto every
thing that Carrier has said that charges
its members with completely in the crimt
number of Savannah attorneys have
cases in the United States courts that
will come up before Judge Speer during
the coming term. There are several i'm
portant cases in admiralty, among them
the libel of the Portuguese bark Oliviera,
which are to be tried. There remains also
some of the later phases of the celebrated
Adula case. which are yet 70 be settled.
springing from her partial destruction by
fire while lying at the dock in New York
and her ultimate rescue from the devour-
ing wrath of the flames by the tugs of the
White Star Towing Company The own
ers of the Aduia charge that the govern
rnent is responsible fer whatever salvage
may be awarded. on account of the fact
thai the vessel was in charge of the Unit
ed States marshal at the time the fire
occurred They have filed an Intervention
In the libel case, asking that the court de-
cree that the government is responsible
for the salvage, and that the owners of
the vessel be relieved of responsibility or
expense in the matter.
with the criminal and civil dockets there
are many cases 10 be tried, sufficient, it is
probable, to occupy the attention and time
OF the court for two weeks at least Dis
trict Attorney Marion Erwin will doubt
less be on hand TO look after the interests
of the government in the criminal cases
that are TO be heard and determined.
The session of the court will be interest
ing from the fact that 1t viii be the last
to be held in the present building Before
the next term convenes, the courts will be
located in more elegant and commodious
quarters in the new government building
and the old court room, that has resounded
with the e,oquence of some of the most
noted lawyers in the state, and the South
will be given over to ire commercial uses
of the custom house or, worse fate than
that, TO no use whatever. Its historic as
sociations will be things of the past and
of assistance only to the old lawyer who
uses them as Illustrations of the great
things that have happened in his time and
to light the fire OF enthusiasm in the
breast of some young sprtg of the law