The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-06-12
HIS FoNDNESs FOR JEWELS.
LED WILLIE PORTER TO TROUBLE
AND THE CHANGING.

Eis Employment at a Pressing Club
Gave Him Opportunities to Enter
the Rooms of Its Patrons, of Which
lie Took AdVantage-He Annexed
All the Ornaments of Value Upon.
which lie Could Ley His Hands.
Found Guilty on Two Charges and
Sent to the Gang for Two Years.
other Criminals Tried and Con-
Victed-MOtions for New Trials on
Saturday.
Judge Faliigant began the trial Of
criminal cases in the Superior Court yes
terday morning. The trial of these cases
Will be continued, very probably, during
the remainder of the month and pos
sibly will exetnd into July.
Willie Porter was found guilty of lar.
ceny from TIE house on two charges and
was sentenced to pay fine OF 500 and
costs or to serve twelve months on the
county chain gang for each offense. 1t
appeared from the evidence that Porter
was an employee Of one of the numerous
pressing clubs THAI are maintained in the
city and his employment gave him op-
portunity to s cure possession Of articles
TO which he had no other title than that
he took by force and his wits.
From the various charges against him
It seemed that Porter had taken full adj
vantage of all of his opport unities and
that he had made theft his real occupa-
lion and employment He had entered
the house of Mr. +. c. Harrison, on one
occasion and stolen ring of the value
or $50 and other pieces of valuable jew
elry. Porter seems to have had a good
eye fer values for all the articles he is
charged w.th having sto.en are among
she best of their kind. He went about
the work deXterously, TOO, and seems 10
have been able to continue it for quite
A length of time without exciting more
than the most casual suspicion.
From Mr.. T. Grmshaw Porter obtained
a diamond stud of the value of $15 and
other articles of jewelry, among them
being a scarfpin Of price. 1t was for this
offense that the defendant received his
second sentence of twelve months on the
changing.
Aeck Jones was found guilty of break
ing and entering the store of J. 7. Co
hens Sons, with the intent 10 commit a
larceny therein. and was sent 20 the gang
for twelve months for this offcnse Jones
seemed not to have been very successful
in his attempted burglary, about the only
thing that he did succeed n accomplish
ing was 70 have himself arrested.
Charles Washington was found guilty
of assault with intent to murder Clarence
Howard and sent to the gang for a year.
The assault was committed with piece
of scantl;ng. and it appeared from the
evidence that it came very near accom-
plishing its purpose. Another negro. who
had been indicted With Washington for
the same onense, had nolla Droseqm
entered as TO him i'm open court. the eVi-
dence against him failing to justify the
further prosecution If the case.
Lewis Fraser and William Gordon were
placed on trial for the oifenSe of robbery
by force and were found not guilty BY the
jury that investigated their case. The
men were charged with making feloaious
assault upon J. h. Thomas and taking
from him a watch revolver. about 81 in
money and a hat. The robbery occurred
March II.
Thomas identification of his alleged as
sailants was not very convincing and the
other evidence against Fraser and Gordon
did not serve 10 assure the jury that they
were guilty of the ofrcuse with which they
were charged. Thomas was assaulted and
robbed at night and il was difficulty for
him to tell just The men who weg& re-
sponsible for the crime. At any rate he
could net remove from the minds Of the
jury the reasonable doubT that Fraser ana
Gordon We're not the guilty parties and a
verditt Of acquittal was brought in.
The case gainst ". II. Davis charged
with assault and battery. was dismissed
AZ the request of the prosecutor. Davis
shot at the prosecuting witness with .
revolver. but the offense seemed to have
been committed in the heat Of passion,
ANA ready excuse FOR It was found y.
any rate. the man who was so nearN
shot. did NOT care Dlp<h the case aga mss