The Savannah morning news., 1901-07-23
SHERIFF MERRILL PRAISED.
SUPREME COURT PASSES ENCoMI-
I'M UPON HIM.

officer Who stood on Carroll County
Mob Highly Landed by Chief Jus.
tice-Mrs. Sarah IL. Dixon Granted
New TriaI-COurt Lets Down the
Bars to SwindIers and Confidence
Men--Deeisions Rendered in Cases
From This Section.
Atlanta, July 22.-The Supreme
Court to-day handed down the opinion
in the case of Ike Williams, the Car
roll county negro, who was sentenced
to death for murder, and who came
near being lynched by a mob. The de-
cision of the court giving Williams a
new trial, was handed down two or
three days ago, but the opinion is re-
marksble for the expression it con-
tains with regards to Sheriff Joseph L.
Merrill Chief Justice Simmons, who
wrote the opinion, says:
From the reports in the public
prints, we know that the people of the
county in which this trial was held
have a grand example of a law-abiding
citizen in their midst Their own sher-
if may have been of their opinion as
10 the guilt Of this accused, yet when
the trial judge after refusing a new
trial, granted a supersedeas in order
that this writ OF error might be sued
out the sheriff protected his prisoner
at the hazard of his own life against
an infatuated mob. He taught the
mob that the law would shoot as well
as hang. In our opinion, il other sher-
ifs in the state would exercise the
same courage and fidelity TO duty as
did this noble man, many lynchings
would be prevented and mobs grow
much less frequent. All honor to this
sheriff and his little posse.
A New Trial for Mrs. Dixon.
The Supreme Court to-day granted
a new trial to Sarah f. Dixon of John
son county, who with Jerry Walden,
was indicted for the murder of her
husband. convicted and sentenced to
life imprisonment. Walden is now
serving life sentence, and the same
punishment was given Mrs. Dixon. The
court holds, however that her confess
sion was vitiated on account of the
advice given her by one of the officers
with regard to making it, The con-
fession. it appears, will have to be
thrown out on the new trial.
Negro Swindler Let Out.
The Supreme Court also granted a
new trial to I. H. Dickerson, convict
ed in Fulton county of cheating and
swindling and sentenced to pay a fine
of $1,000 or serve twelve months on
the changing. Dickerson was agent
for one of the ex-slaves pension and
bounty associations and was getting
money out of former slaves right along
when arrestsed. According to the Su-
preme Court his scheme did not con-
sutute cheating and swindling. The
court says in the brief head-note hand
ed down with the decision:
False representations to be the basis
of a prosecution for cheating and
swindling must relate either to the past
or the present, No promise or state
ment as to what may occur in the flu
ture, however false will serve as a
basis for such a prosecution"
This, 1t appears will let Dickerson
out. He has been in Jail five months
pending an application for new trial.
Cases From Chatham Decided
The following cases from Chatham
and other South Georgia counties were
decided by the Supreme Court to-day:
Ross VS.. Coley, City Court of Savan-
nah. Judge Norwood affirmed.
Domestic Coal and Wood Company
VS.. Hadden & Bro, before Judge Nor.
wood. City Court of Savannah, af-
firmed.
Simkins VS.. Cordele Compress Com
pany, before Judge Norwood, City
Court of Savannah, affirmed.
Clark VS.. Fox, before Judge Sea-
brook Mcintosh Superior Court, af-
flrmed.
Luffburrow VS.. Everett, before Judge
Seabrook, Effingham Superior Court,
reversed.
Central of Georgia Railway VS..
Grady damages. before Judge Evans,
Washington Superior Court, affirmed.
Heery ct. al, VS.. Burkhalter and vice
versa, before Judge Evans, Tattnall
Superior court. Judgment on main
bill affirmed, cross bill dismissed.
AS RETURNED BY THE COMPANY.