The Savannah morning news., 1900-11-22
JOHN ]. HART A FREE MAN.
GRAND jury POUND no INDICTMENT
AGAINST MN.

ned. the Grand jury could Not
atnd That Hart was Blamnhte for
the Kuiing 81 Detective Jerrs
Shen-what some 81 the Witnesses
Satd aud the Facts Win which
the Jurymen We're Impressed.
Hart's statement OF the Homicide.
Jobn Hart y free man to-day
The grand H1 - the superior court.
nfter Ie1rt s. .nvesugauon yesterday.
made retarn ~ "ro bll ou the
inairtmert charging him with the muir
Ger o. Detective jerry shea. ana be was
released from the county jaii within a
fsW minutes after the aczion o. he
grsnd jury was announced
There were tvreuty-one members ~ the
Grand Jury who answered rho call ~ thrIr
uamss n tha Superior Court The grand
5urs ren were dismissed by Judge Fa.-
l4rtut 90 their room. with instructions 70
cake up such cuisines a. was pre- erte'i
Cor their cons Iteration. Thouah there
were TWO other cases D. had been pcr-
fe-ty understood that tle case ~ Hart
was the one ~ prime interest and o.
greatest importauce
solicitor General Osborne assisted
the members 81 the eraud jury o.
the examination % enc witncsses who
were brought before 30. with tle desire
a. make tie luyesueatiau as thorough aui
complete as possible ana t0 bring out u
this could b. aoae rho whole truth con-
A. p..orrs s.t
'ei"At '+
not conisHi hlihatt "i.'
the evidence " those wi'nes-es
c,t, vrbo.. teat.rnsuv was most strongly
. 49,. .-.,,..t b,t totroBue.d all
$500. -.t.,.
'i me WIN '
Tie fatal shot wae aret
TIE examination was "a careful and
49,. .-tl-t,o~ General ~,
fa'"''
aiming closely on1 iho gran" JN'''
riauneutInz rs quest iouH.r Besides inc
-. 49,, t,.tts.d ~ the coroner
.., o,r.r. -rne
Inquest '''
additional witness dld not serve !" y
Gle the conflicting testimony That tho
previously been gwen but rather Z" i"-
rr.os. the CONFLICT
Throughout the evidence ~ al Of mem.
however. three faa-h stool prominently
ouf-fact@ trat caught ana bod tne att
teution Of the grant jurors and doAntirs7
served 10 account Tor tne return 81 10
BIN"
These were first. chat Hart was 80 HE
own place Of business. when the quarrel
BEGAN ana that enea had come there WIN
the evident purpose 81 provoking ver-
bal n nor physical conflict. second.
that Hart had declined. apparently. ."
prolong the quarrel and had called upon
PatroFnan sheehan 60 arrest shea fhirl'
rbaf shea was advancing upon Hart. in
threatening ettitude ard win hosu.e
intent before any shot had been hrei
on other points the witnesses disagreed
completely. They varied on the question
Of which OF the parties 20 The homi ide
had fred first. they told different stories
80 20 the quarrel between them.
they assigned different positions 10 Hart
and shea and shey estimated the time ne-
tween the two shots at from one second "a
one minute ON none OF these questions
scarcely did two Of the witnesses agree.
Possibly the antecodent facts 81
the tragedy. which have becom'
public property within tho pas
few DAYS the relations between th'
two men known generally 90 have cxi~t
cd and the discrepancy IN their physlcn
proportions and powers. Shea being much
che larger and stronger. helped the grand
jury in reaching It's decision. - any rate
the grand jurors came 90 the conclusion
thar when Hart fired bee was inspired
with the fears Of a reasonable man that
hia life was IN danger. or that mir oppo
uent medstatcd the commission 81 some
serious bodily injury upon HIM.
There were few spectators ia the court
room when tho grand jury entered
The foreman handed tho indictment
"a the solicitor general. who read
the names OF the accused and the nndinr
OF the grand jury rapidly Slate against
John J Hart. no bin read the sole,
ror rencral
There was q suppressed stir IN the court
room Mr. Francis Hart. the father "a
the hoy from whom the stigma OF gull
had been removed. had been sitting IN a.,
room with a long sigh 90 thank
fulness and relief he heard what the gran,
jury had found IN a moment he Wa.
surrounded hy his frlends who hassenet
to congratulate him uud 10 whom he r.
turned his thanks for their kindness
Mr. Osborne" said Judge FailiEaut. 81
suppose there r. no further reason fol
the detention OF Mr.. Hart"
None at adj SIR" the collector genera
answered.
Mr.. Walter g. Hariridge. Of counsel fol
the accused. had been present IN the cour
room when the grand jury reported .t.
findings Immediately drew NJ AN or
der for ilartn release from custody
which WAS signed hy Judge Falneaut
The order. after stating the caec. read.
as foluWF