Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1900-11-29
ROTTEN IN DENMARK What Helena Thinks of Jefferson
 COunty's Officials.

A stubborn fight is being made to keep John Brann0n out of the peni- tentiary, where he rightly belongs if his past reputation is to count for anything, and ia the process of the fight in Justice Folks court this morning the spectators were more than once led to believe that a sensa- tioa was about to be sprung.
 Why was John Branaon relea sed from custody at Pine Bluff? This is the question that came near bring ing out the dark shade of the tricks of some of the Pine Bluff authorities, and it may possibly come to light yet It probably will not be allow ed to come out, but vague hints have been given to the outside pubic that there is something rotten in Den- mark" and that Pine Bluff is the Der mark in this instance.
 In December 1899 the store of c. Voss < Bro. was burglariaed and number Of pistols and razors were stolen. Will Smith, alias Slick, and John Branhon were arrested for the crime In Helena. where tLey had come and disposed of the goods. but Brannon got out on some technicali ty, and never was brought to trial. Smith. however. was carried back to Pine Bluff. and though he had made a confession of his guilt here in Hele- na, the case against him was nolle prosequied.
 This is where the r0ttenness is supposed to be, although no express charges to this effect have been made. At any rate it is whispered that it cost Smith $50 and no more. This may also explain why John Bran non could not be convicted by the Pine Bluff authorities; there may have been something like an indispo- sition to go back into the case in Jefferson county. Hence the prison CT was turned over to Phillips eoun- ty without demuf.
 In the progfess of the trial thls morning in Justice Folks court, Judge Nichols, who with Ger. J. c. Tappan, in defending the prisoner, Brannpn, stated that as citizen and an officer of Phillips county he wanted to go on record as being op- posed to the making of Phillips county as the dragnet to catch aud punish the criminals of other coun- ties in the State of Arkansas. He thought that Jefferson county ought l to be able to take care of her own flaw. breakers, and did not like the idea of this county being c 1lled upon to stand the expense of trying and eonyIcting the criminals 0; any ot her part of the state.
 Brannon is known to be bad ne gro, and is reputed to be one or the worst thieves in the state of Arkan- sas. This is the reason the Helena authorities went to Pine Bluff and brought him here to stand trial on the charge of bringing stolen prop erty into the county. Brannon reached here yesterday and this morning was put on trial before Jus tice Polk. Constable Stewart oI Pine Bluff. and E. Yoss, member of the firm from whom the pistols were stolen, were 10th in the city as witnesses at the trial, and there were q great number of others. h fact, the crowd was too large for Judge Folks courtroom, and he case was tried in the City Hall. Prosecuting Attorney Macon represented the county of Phillips.
 Brannon tried several different dodges but the evidence was plain enough for Justice Polk, and he | |, 5 t,;r, ovar to the circuit court