The leader., 1903-05-13
CIRCUIT COURT.
THE CRIMINAL DOCKET TAKEN UP
MONDAY.
More indictments for Whitecappins and
More Pleas OF Guilty.

The criminal docket was taken
up in the Circuit Court Monday
morning. By noon eighteen mis-
demeanor cases such as gaming,
carrying concealed weapons, un-
lawful retailing, etc., had been
disposed of.
At 8 O'Clock Monday afternoon
the grand jury returned another
batch of indictments against
twelve of the whitecap organiza-
tion. Shortly afterward, Arthur
Britt, Bruce Ellzey, w. A. Wat
son, o. P. Calender, |. R. Smith,
L. M. Smith, Henry Farmer,
John Smith, j.. M. Waldon, N. o.
Arlington, j. 0. Magee, and
Richard Ratliff, the indicted men,
appeared in court and expressed
desire to plead guilty, and throw
themselves on the mercy of the
court. Pending the passing of
sentence by the court, Hon. E. F.
Brennan, counsel for the defend
ants, made a statement in their
behalf, in which he said he wanted
it understood that some of the
men then before the court and
some of those who pleaded guilty
last week, had never been guilty
of any act of intimidation or
night riding, had never attended
a meeting of the organization,
but had given their names to
friends under the impression that
it was a farmers league with no
unlawful object, and hence did not
wish to be understood as pleading
guilty to anything more than
merely being members of the con-
demned order. The good reputa-
ton hitherto borne by these men
fully sustains this claim. Judge
Powell then imposed on each of
the defendants light fine and
placed each member under peace
bond of 5000 for twelve months.
1t was stated that the white
cappers who surrendered Monday
morning and those indicted last
week, included all the members of
the organization in this county,
and it is believed that whether
this is literally true or not, this
term of the court and Judge Pow
ell's bold, firm, yet merciful poll
cy has sounded the death knell of
the organization.
From Monday afternoon until
yesterday afternoon the court was
engaged in the trial of Will Lea,
charged with shooting G. I. Fair
childs last September, with intent
to kill and murder. After being
out awhile the jury brought in a
verdict of guilty and recommend
ed him to the mercy of the court.
Sentence has not yet been pro
nounced.
The rest Of yesterday afternoon
was spent in getting a jury in the
Will Hilton case, charged with
the murder of Will Williams,
which is in progress as The Lead
er goes to press. There are a
large number of witnesses in the
case and the trial is likely to be a
lengthy one.
The following civil cases were
disposed of last week after our re-
port closed:
F. S. Swain VS.. I. G. r. R.
Verdict for plaintiff requiring
erection of a bridge over railroad
cut at Warren street on south side
of corporate limits of Brookhaven.
B. f. Brister & Co. VS.. E. B.
Harris. Judgment by default in
favorof plaintiff for $2i13.O3.
R. S. Norman VS.. J. C. Cosna
han. Dismissed at plaintiffs
cost.
Joe Pennington VS.. J. E. Bar
ron ct Dismissed at plaintiff Z
cost.
Benjamin Mason rs. Lincoln
county.-Order requiring plain
tiff to pay costs on Judgment il
his favor for $1OO statutory re.
ward fol arresting Geo. Wood, {
fleeing homicide.
J. II. Willoug'nby VS.. John j.
Dunn. Dismissed at mutual costs
Sarah L. Stamps VS.. |. C. r.
R.-Verdict for defendant.
John Todd VS.. I. C. R. R. Co.
Verdict for plaintiff for $3.50.
Ahren & Ott Mfg. Co. VS.. Nal
ty & Larsen; Richard Nalty and
IChristian Larsen composing firm.
Judgment by default in favor
of plaintiffs for $6S3.02.
! W. L. Bell & Co. VS.. City OF
Brookhaven. Appeal dismissed
by defendant.
/ Mrs. E. E. Collins VS.. City OF
/ Brookhaven. Verdict for plain
tiff for $1,000.
James May VS.. /. G. r. r. Co.
Dismissed at plaintiffs cost.
/ 2. Esco vs.. /. g. r. r. Co..
| Dismissed at defendants cost.
Mrs. Delilah Causey vs.. /. G.
r. Go. Verdict for plaintiff for
81, 500.
The grand jury made its final
report to day and was discharged.
Il examined 147 witnesses and
returned 27 true bills.