The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-19
BILLS BY THE DOZEN
UNITED STATES GRAND JURY RE-
TURNED MANY INDICTMENTS.
DISCHARGED FOR THE TERM,
OATS AND sASsAFRAs BITTERs
CAUSED FOUR INDICTMENTS.

Grand Jury of the United States Dis
trict Court, After Having Been in
Session Since Monday, Completed
Its acknowledgements Charg-
ed with Violating Pension Laws.
the Old Counterfeit Confidence
Game Tried Once Asain-POstOmce
EmbezzIers.
After being in session since Monday,
the grand jury of the United States Dis
trict Court returned about three dozen in
dictments shortly before o'clock yester-
day afternoon. 1t was then discharged
for the term. with the thanks of the
court and the district attorney.
The grand jury broke a record estab-
lished by the grand juries of the last
three or four terms of the court, when
it failed to spring a single sensation.
There were a few cases of little more
than common interest, but the great mass
of the business transacted by the grand
jury was of the stereotyped and routine
character
-Four Savannah grocers were indicted for
violating the one hundred and fourth
chapter of the act to regulate commerce.
The special offense charged is the ship
ping of "Sassafras Bitters," marked
oats" from Savannah to Junction City,
Fla. The gist of the offense lies in the
fact that oats are given a lower freight
rate than is "Sassafras Bitters" and the
Indictment charges that the "bitters,"
which was packed in oats. was shipped
and marked In that way in order to get
ahead of the railroads.
1t is probable that this was not at ali
the purpose of the grocers, if they had
any purpose in the matter a. all or any
connection with the shipment. The true
explanation lies IN the fact that Junction
City is situated in dry county, and thai
'Sassafras Bitters,' which the directions
say is to be taken "a wineglassfui every
hour until relieved" looks and tastes re-
markedly like whisky.
NJ. Z. Smith, alias Martha E. Smith
of Waycross, was indicted for violating
the pension and postal laws. 1t is charg
ed that the defendant impersonated Mar
tina p. Smith, a pensioner of the United
States, indorsed the pensioners name 70
a pension check which she got out OF
the postoffice and collected the money on
the check.
John w. Harrell, formerly connected
with the postoffice at Cumberland in Cam
den county, is charged by the grand jury
with the embezzlement of $695.03, of the
money order funds of that office.
Herschel V. Johnson, at one time post
master at Claxton, is said to have embez-
zied money order and postal funds, aggre-
eating $2S1.72. and the grand jury indicted
him for this offense.
W. d. Sater of Berrien county has got
himself into trouble through an alleged
effort to work an old trick. The indict-
ment says the idea was to induce John
Boatwright of Greenville to enter upon a
deal for the purchase of counterfeit
money, get Boatright to turn up with the
money which ne was to pay for the
queer" and then relieve him of everything
he had
Two letters giving Boatwright precise
instructions as to the manner in which
he should conduct himself are quoted in
full in the indictment He was told 20
come first TO Sparks and then to Triton
| These letters were mailed and it is for
this offense. the use of the mails Ia the
execution of a fraudulent Intent, that Sal
ter has been indicted.
Joseph w Harvey is indicted for re-
ceiving as a pledge for loan the pension
certificate of Robert Christopher. Charles
Mckee must answer for impersonating a
revenue officer and collecting sums of
money from various victims, in alleged
settlement of offenses against the govern
ment that they had committed. James w.
Z. Clark of Worth county is charged with
conducting his correspondence with
stamps that had already been once used
and cancelled. In the indictment against
him there are several counts. Sam Nc
! Donald Is indicted for the burglary of the
postoffice at Emerald, in Irwin county.
A. w. Eakin, of Ware county. and r.
d. Mallory of Worth, are indicted for
carrying on the business of retail liouor
dealers, without the formality of paying
! the special tax that the government ex-
acts for this privilege.
Charles Coleman, of Savannah is charg-
! ed by the grand jury with offering to sell
to George Tribe two boxes of cigars, of
| 50 each each, upon which the revenue
stamps required by the Federal statutes
had not been placed.
Among those indicted for Illicit distiI-
ing are w. B. Harris, Monroe Thomas,
Joe j. Blackburn, Phil Anderson, Jesse
Thompson, Henry Butler, c. c. Carter,
billiard Miller, Adam and Ned Avinger.
Frederick Womack, Benjamin Finch,
| Charley Johnson, Ossie Odom, william
son Williford, Ira Pyles, Lemly Sherrod
and milford Sherrod.
When the indictments had been handed
to the clerk District Attorney Erwin said
that he desired to express his thanks 90
the grand jury for it's careful discharge
| OF duty and its conscientious investiga-
| ton of the cases submitted to il. Judge
| Speer added that he wished also to eX-
press his thanks and then dismissed the
grand jury for the term.