The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-09
HELD FOR CONTEMPT
- IT. McEvOY SENT TO JAIL FoR
TEN DAYS.
WANTED JURORS
HELP.
CESSATION IN JOHNSON MURDER
TRIAL.

NcEvoy Approached Juror b. r.
winters and Asked Him TO Do
What He COuId for JOhnsOn-COurt
om.ers Heard Him and Informed
soIicitor GencraI-McEvO Arrested
and Taken Before Judge FalIigant
nv Mr.. aforementioned of At
tempting to Corrupt and Pervert
Iustice-Admitted Talking to Juror
hut Thought He Was on the Panel.
mis- Remarks Were misunderstood,
He CIaimed-Was Trying to Collect
uoney-Contempt Hearing Causes
ADother Tilt Between Solicitor and
MIR. Twisgs.
T r. McEvoy, a we'll known young
man and particularly conspicuous during
local political campaigns, was committed
70 ia for ten days by Judge Fanigant
Yesterday for contempt. McEvoy had APP
nroa ched a possible juror in the Johnson
murder case, and asked him to do what
he could for the prisoner.
BEFORE the case against w. w. johnson,
his father-in-law, had been called Solicit
tor General Osborne was informed that
NIcEvoy had approached a member of the
nanel and talked 40 him in no unmeaning
way The prospective juror was Mr.. B.
F. Winter. The prosecuting officer asked
him about the matter. He admitted,
without hesitancy, that MciEvoy had APP
preached him.
The Solicitor General instructed one of
the court officers to place McEvoy under
arrest and hold him until the attention
of Judge Falligant could be called to the
case The young man was still in the
court house and was taken in the sheriffs
office, where he was held during the
morning, in charge of a bailiff When the
recess for the dinner hour was taken the
matter was officially called to the atten-
ton of Judge Faligant, in open court, and
the prisoner was arraigned.
The Solicitor General stated that he had
been told by officers of the court, and
jurors, that the prisoner had approached
and solicited juror to do all that he
could for johnson, because he was his
friend. The juror, the solicitor said, was
Mr.. Winters a young man of integrity,
and juror in whom the solicitor has the
utmost confidence. The solicitor consider
ed the act a very grave contempt.
Mr. Winters testified that he had been
approached by McEvoy before the panel
was called. At first he thought McEvoy
wanted to speak to him on a business
matter. McEvoy had stated that he was
a friend of Johnson and had asked the
Juror to do all that he could for him.
The witness said that he has been on the
panel since June 6, and that McEvoy
knew it.
The Solicitor General said that in his
opinion, a very grave offense had been
committed against the court. Such efforts
TO corrupt and pervert, Justice should be
stopped he said. and men must not be
permitted to invade the sanctity of the
court room and thus talk to jurors
Judge TWiggs. representing johnson,
said that he thought it a strange sort
OF performance and that there was moth
Ing in history, or the courts, to equal it.
While he did not represent the young
man, and had no interest in the case, he
tailed to see where any contempt had
been shown, and he proposed to argue
with the solicitor in the interest of fair
ness and justice.
attorneys which was interesting for "a
moment or two. The solicitor objected 10
Judge Twiggs asking Mr.. Winters any
questions, or arguing the case, if he did
not represent him. The counsel for the
alleged murderer talked to the solicitor
ana the solicitor talked back The court
permitted Judge Twiggs to take a hand
III tne case, and the side argument was
cohcIuded. Mr.. Winters said that he had
MCElWONr hat L.. 49,.
serve on the case. This was, however,
after he had been asked to do what he
could "
MchVoy made statement under OATH
"a winch he said that he didn't know
.Hat winters was a juror. He had been
toiu last Friday that he had been dis
O'dlseo from the panel. The accused
sU'ed that he had not intended TO inhu-
euce the juror. although he admitted maxi
. s 'He remark credited to him. He said
,uat ne mad been collecting money to pay
1ohnsons counsel, and that when he
esAed Mr.. Winters to do what he could,
e was asking for contribution. He ex-
s'eu 10 get few dollars from the
JUROR although Mr.. Winters had not look
81 al the matter in that light.
OH me cross-exaUnlnation conducted by
t'le solicitnr, McEvoy admitted that ne
~" mat Mr.. Winters had been a Juror
lOO, That ne was deeply IN
seieSled IN the johnson case, and that the
prisoner is his friend. He had seen two
.ne witnesses and talked 10 them, and
Io Deen actively engaged in helping
Sa"soh. MeEvoy said that while he did
Az V' ask the juror directly for money. he
'r ~, not mean to appeal to him as juror
me solicitor general thought that the
1se was too plain to need argument He
eSSntehded that the accused had made an
' Slolt TO corrupt justice. Judge Twiggs
nv MOI think that this had been the case
any means, but the court took the
.He view as the prosecuting attorney.
-, oioer committing McEvoy to Jail for
Jays was drawn up and signed by
suEe Falligant and the young man was
r e to the county Jail 1t is the first
80 Oh It's kind in the history of the
Judge Twiggs stated after SEN
'e had been pronounced that he does
o, Iepresent McEvoy. or he would GER
'''"'y take the matter 10 higher court
Hit with "a Brick.
george siocum and John scuny. both
"Hlle, became inyolya1 IN a 49,, N,