Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1902-11-04
A white Man Sentenced to Death
in Adams County.
OTHER SUPREME COURT CASES.
A remarkable Case Where Sheriff
Took State Authority.
Special to the Daily Progress.

Jackson, Nov A striking paral-
lei to the case of Bill Jackson who is
now serving a life term in the Missis:
sippi penitentiary although declared
by his supposed cOnfederates on the
scaffold to be an innocent man, was
brought out in the supreme court last
evening in q decision rendered by
Chief Justice Whitfield, and it empha-
sizes the oftrepeated saying that many.
men are punished for the crimes of
which they are innocent.
The case was that of Henry Buck
ner, white man sentenced to death
in the Adams county circuit court for
the murder of an old fisherman. The
conviction was secured on the evil
dence of a companion named Will
Dobbins, who had come into the COM
munity where Buckner resided only
twentyfour hours before the crime.
Dobbins swore that Buckner was the
man who committed the murder, and
that he was associated with him in
the crime. Buckner stoutly protested
his innocence, offered evidence to
prove an alibi, but nevertheless the
jury found him guilty and fixed the
death sentence.
In reviewing the case Justice Whit
field said that there were grave doubts
as to Buckner's participation i'll the
murder, and it looked like DObbins
was trying to swear away the life of
an innocent man. At any rate, he
would give the circuit coutr another
chance to examine the evidence and
the case was reversed. Justice Whit.
field referred to the Jackson case
wherein the conviction of the prisoner
was secured on perjured testimony,
and as a result he is now in the peni-
tentiary for life, while his wife,
whose reason was dethroned by the
horrible tragedy in which two deputy
United States marshals were muir
dered, is an inmate of the state insane
hospital.
A very remarkable case was decided
by the court was that of A. F. Will
liams, ex parte, from the circuit court
of Grenada county. Williams was
wanted as witness in blind tiger
case being investigated by the grand
jury. He did not care to appear
before the body and lodged about for
several days, but was finally captured
and jailed. On examination he was
allowed bond in the sum of 81, 900
but could not furnish the bail and
was again taken back to jail. Habeas
corpus proceedings were instituted
and Williams secured his release. The
sheriff promptly appealed from the
judges decision in the habeas corpus
hearing and brought the case to the
supreme court. Chief Justice Whit
field said that this is the first time in
the legal history of this state that
such an action had been taken, and
that the sheriff had no authority in
the law to take an appeal or attempt
10 T6pr0sSu6- tIlO StAtS. 4Hc dppCdl
was therefore dismissed.
In the case of Warren county VS.. J
B. Dabney, it was decided that il
suits against county litigations hav'
no right to make claim or collect in
terest and damages, and the motion t.
strike out interests and damages from
the Judgment secured by Mr.. Dabne.
was sustained.
Justice Terrall rendered an interest
ing decision in the case of w. H. Pow
ell, trustee, VS.. S. T. Mckee, sheriff
from the Madison county circui
court The assessor of the county ha'
assessed about $50, 900 in solvent cred
its found on the deed records to IN
known solvent credits. When th
books were turned over to the sheri
he changed the method of assessmer
in the attempt to make it more def
mite. A controversy arose as to til
right TO make an assessment in TIA
manner and the supreme court no