The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-07-16
JONES ROASTS JURY
Sensational Charge by Jurist
In Federal Court.
DEMANDS A CONVICTION.
Declares that Fletcher Turner u
Guilty of Peonase charse-An
Interesting Piece Of Political
Gossip ON tho Side.

Judge Thomas g. Jones, Of the UNI
ted States court in Montgomery. Ala..
delivered sensational charge to the
Jury In the case Of the United States
VS.. Fletcher Turner, charged with
holding one Glennie Helms. negro,
in condition Of peonage.
Although there were only a few per.
sons in the court room at the time.
surprise was heard on every side. At
o'clock Saturday afternoon the jury
! filed into the court room and informed
the Judge that there was no chance OK
prospect OF their reaching a verdict il
the case. -. a.p rs 80
Judge Jones then vehementiy lectlr-
ed them. He told them that IL they
believed the evidence offered by the
government the defendant was guilty:
that II they believed the evidence Of,
fered by the defendant, the defendant
| was guilty, and that II they believed
the undisputed fact IN the case the
defendant was guilty.
He said he had no power to put the
jury in jail for contempt OF co,irt.
but that II they DID not return q ver-5
dict OF guilty they would pe,Jure thenir
| selves in the sight OF Gcd and dish0n-
or themselves in the eyes OF man.
Congressman A. g. Wiley, counsel
| for the defendant excepted to the. re-
marks Of the Judge. The case ts.now
exciting more attention than ever be-
| fore. The jury was discharged until
Monday at II O'clock. s -. - S.
Judge Jones May Be Promoted.
Ap Interesting piece Of political ges-
sip Is now going the rounds In: Mont
gomery concerning Judge Jones. It -issi
In effect that. In view Of the judges
courage and determination to punish
those guilty OF holding negroes in slav-
cry in Alabama, and the great ability
he has displayed on the bench, that
he win be appointed. by President
Roosevelt member Of the circuit court
Of appeals when a. vacancy occurs
shortly, after the retirement Of one: OF
the judges from that court who Tin
have reached the age limit on the
bench. There is general belief lo-
cally that when the. vacancy occars
the plum will fell to the distinguished
Alabaman.
Judge Jones is man Of great abil-
ity and great personal magnetism, and
1t Is understood that the president has
been greatly pleased with the strong
position he has assumed in the punish
ment Of those men rho have been en-
gagged in the practice OF peonage.
It Is pointed out that the speeches
OF Judge Jones as member Of the
late constitutional convention in Ala
bama, In which he took strong grounds
against the grandfather clause in The
constitution and against the suffrage
provisions generally that looked to the
disfranchtsement Of the negro, first at-8
tracted the attention of the president
to him, and to these speeches and to-
the strong and manly grounds taken IA
defense Of the political rights Of the
colored man was largely due his ap-
pointment to the district judgeship.
These peonage cases. though greatly
exaggerated. have again served to call
the attention Of the president and the
attention OF the country to Judgs
Jones as a man Of courage, and who is
capable and worthy OF a seat on the
court of appeals, or even on the bench
Of the supreme court of the United !.
States.