The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-25
GOETHE FINED FIFTY.
News Stand Proprietor Had Assault
ed a Man.


| ed Man.
Henry A. Goette, proprietor of the
| news stand at the Union Station, was
| found guilty in the City Court yester-
| day of assault and battery and sem
| fenced by Judge Norwood to pay fine
of $50 and costs or serve six months
in the county Jail. A motion for new
trial was made and the defendant re-
| leased on bond.
The difficulty of which the trial and
sentence were the outcome occurred on
Sept. IL in the Union Station, and in
front of that portion of the building
set aside for the conduct Of the de-
PENDANTS business.
From the evidence of the prosecutor
it appeared that on the occasion in
question a train had just pulled into
the station and something of a crowd
had collected in front of the news
stand. This crowd the defendant I'M
dertook to dispense, nor did he go
about the matter in any particularly
gracious or conciliatory fashion. On
the contrary, according to McCraig's
statement. he was endeavoring to push
the members of the crowd away from
the stand by force.
Among others that Goette seized was
the prosecutor, who, demonstrated, he
said, but his remonstrance, instead of
placatin'g Goette, seemed to increase
his anger. He struck the prosecutor
again and again. and before the prose-
cutor knew what happened he had
been made the victim of a thoroughly
artistic thrashing.
This story of the encounter was cor
roborated by the evidence of Charles
+. Hunter, who was with the prose-
cutor when the difficulty occurred.
Hunter said the assault had been en-
tirely unprovoked. The extent of the
prosecutors injuries was testified to
by Recorder Myrick, before whom the
parties appeared on the morning fol-
lowing the encounter, who said that
then the mans face looked like il had
come in forcible conflict with a thous-
and of brick.
There was no evidence for the de-
Tense other than the statement of the
defendant. Goette said he had been
much annoyed by the crowd congre-
eating around his place of business and
had endeaVored to move ii back. There
had been words between the prose-
cutor and himself, which had impress
ed him with the belief that the
latter was going to fight. He had been
strengthened in this belief when the
prosecutor made. or seemed to make
a threatening gesture, and he had then
used his fists-with what advantage
the evidence had already disclosed.
R. L. Colding, who appeared for the
defendant. bases his appeal to the
jury principally on the contention that
Goette had already been sufficiently
punished by the fine of S. inflicted by
the Recorder in the Police Court. This
contention, however, was rather weak
ened in its effect by Judge Norwoo1's
charge, and the jury spent little time
in finding and returning a verdict of
guilty. The fine of $50 and costs, with
the alternative of six months in jail
was then imposed, and the motion for
a new trial made.
Peter Gladson was tried by a jury for
larceny from the house and found
guilty. He had been jointly presented
with Dan Chisholm who on last Fri
day had entered plea of guilty and
sentenced to the gang for twelve
months. The crime with which the
men were charged was the theft of a
half-dozen razors from the store of S.
Saloon. On the verdict of the jury
Judge Norwood sentenced Gladson to
pay a fine of $25 and costs, or serve
twelve months on the chaingang of
the county.
There were two other cases tried by
juries in the City Court during the
morning. They were not of special
interest, and in both verdicts of not
guilty were returned, and the defend
ants given their liberty.