The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-27
FOUND THEM GUILTY
LEONARDS CONVICTED AFTER A
HARD FOUGHT TRIAL.
GRADE OF CRIME REDUCED.
JURY RECOMMENDED THEY BE
PUNISHED FOR MIsDEMEANOR.

Solicitor General Osborne Handled
the Defendants without Gloves In
Arguing the states C0se TO the
Jury-Laughed Mt the Claim That
They Purchased the stolen Brass
in Good Fafth-NegrO who Commit
ted the Thefts Gave Damaging Ev-
idence-Leanards Declared That
KimbnII Was Trying to Get Even
and stated Tint They Purchased
the stolen Property in Good Faith.
Mr.. COIdins's Hard Fight for His
Clients.
For receiving and buying stolen brass
| Edward A. Leonard, Dennis Leonard
and Richard Brown were found guilty
in the Superior Court last night. The
/ jury saw fit to recommend that the
defendants be punished as for mis-
demeanor but sentence was not pass
ed
The case was the hardest fought in
some time, and the arraignment of the
Leonards by Solicitor General Osborne
| in his argument before the jury was
1
| torney handled the defendants without
! gloves and his argument of the states
| case was vigorous. He declared that if
anybody elected sympathy it was the
negro Kimball who had been persuaded
10 steal the brasses after having lived
| honestly for forty years.
| The two remaining jurors required
were secured at the morning session of
court. They were Charles H. Truche-
let and George w. Wylly Jr, and af-
| ter they had been sworn the taking of
| evidence was begun. Charles Kimball,
the negro who several weeks ago
| pleaded guilty to the theft of some 900
pounds of brass fittings from Rourke's
| foundry, and who was sentenced to
| serve five years in the penitentiary for
| his crime, was the most damaging wit
ness for the state. He declared that he
| had contract with the defendants to
| sell them such brass as he stole, and
they promised to protect him in the
| event of his arrest.
| Mr.. John Rourke identified the brass
| fittings in court as his property They
had been stolen by Kimball and pur-
| chased by the defendants. City Detec-
| tive Murphy also testified to the find
| Ing of some of the stolen brass in the
Leonard's junk shop.
| The defense introduced a number of
| witnesses to prove general good char
acter. One of these-Patrolman Martin
| Scully-told of the assistance that had
been given by the Leonards when he
| was member of the detective force
and said that they helped him catch a
| number of criminals. He could not re-
call having ever arrested them for the
| oftense for which they were being tried
| He denied that he ever arrested Dennis
Leonard for buying stolen brass.
| The solicitor general sent for
| the police blotter and showed
where on Nov. 8, 1899, a case had been
docketed by Scully against Dennis
Leonard, for buying stolen brass. The
solicitor had something to say about
| this in his argument before the Jury.
| Scully said, however that he did not
| arrest Leonard, and that the case was
| placed on the docket under orders from
the late Capt. Screven, who at that
| time was superintendent of police. The
| docket was shown to the jury and only
the name of Scully appeared for the
| prosecution.
| Dennis Leonard denied in his state
ment that he had promised to get Kim
| ball out of any trouble that he might
get in by reason of the theft of the
brasses from Rourke's place. He de-
clared that all of the fittings had been
purchased in good faith, and that they
mad not been taken to the junk shop in
a wagon. Kimball had brought them
! in his pockets.
Edward Leonard also admitted pur-
chasing the brass, but declared that II
had been done in good faith
Il bought the stuff from this negro
and prosecuted him, he said. bought
the things honestly. told Mr.. Rourke
| furthermore that I would give him all
the stuff in my possession belonging
to him. His son went through my
place of business and picked out not
only what belonged to him, but a great
deal that didn't. 1 sent to Cincinnati
and l got back lots Of the brass which
l had bought from this darkey and 1
returned it to Mr.. Rourke"
MY brother goes to speak to Mr..
Rourke and asks him if he wanted to
buy some stuff and told him he could
come down and look at it. He told
him that he had some new brass that
he thought would suit him.
You know what a negro is-you
punish them, they'll injure you That's
the reason he is here to-day. Mr.
Rourke pretended to be my friend but
he had warrants sworn out against
me and they were taken before the
grand jury.
Now. all l say about it is that 1
bought the stuff fairly and honestly
and returned every pound 1 could get
and now he is doing me an injustice
To tell you the truth, he wants $1,000
from me, and 1 haven't got it,"
Robert l.. Colding, Esq, made an
able argument for his clients and got
every point that was in his case out.
He declared that the word of a con-
fessed thief was not to be credited, and
that the defendants should not be con-
victed on the testimony of the negro
Kimball. His clients had purchased
the brass, he said, in good faith, and
had promptly given it up when they
learned that it was the property of
Mr.. Rourke Mr. Colding made a
strong appeal for his clients and COW
cred his defense fully.
The Most PrOmfnenv Man in GeOrgin
Is taking Kalola with satisfactory re-
suits. Upon application we will fur
nish his name and address Kalola
purifies the blood builds up the sys-