The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-15
BROKEN STORY
OF DEFENDANT
ENDED WITH AN APPEAL
TO "GOD UPSTAIRS" To BEAR
WITNESS TO TRUTHFULNEss.


John jackson, Greek, Tried for At
tempted Criminal AssauIt-PrOse-
outrix 11-Year-OId Hannah Kas-
seII-ToId story Briefly and Read
INSTRUMENTATION Failed to
Shake It-Statement of Defendant
Broken and Filled with Emotion.
To believe the story of a pretty IL
year-old girl or the stammering brok-
en- English of John Jackson, a Greek,
was the problem that confronted
jury yesterday, in the Superior Court
jackson was on trial, accused of
attempting to criminally assault little
Hannah Kassell and from before 6
o'clock, the jurors wrestled in vain as
to the guilt or innocence of the ac-
cused.
The case was one of the strangest
heard in the court in some time. Sit
ting near his counsel, Col. Robert L.
Colding, was the accused, almost in a
state of nervous collapse. He sat with
his head bowed, his hands clasping and
breath coming and going in labored
manner. Time and time again he swal-
lowed with difficulty and was constant
ly wetting his lips with his tongue.
The small prosecutrix as though I'M
aware of the seriousness of the crime
she alleged had been attempted, told her
story glibly and briefly. Questions were
xryif6
there was no hesitation even under
the rigid cross examination. Her story
was relied on to make out the case
for the state, as the defense relied
wholly on the defendants statement
story of Little Girl.
Solicitor Osborne opened the case for
the state and called as the first wit
ness the little girl. She stepped quick
ly to the stand and, at his bidding, told
the story. She pictured the candy
store distinctly and of her asking Jack
son for cents worth of CANDY He
began filling the order, she said, by
dropping the caramels into the bag one
at time"
Then followed the remarks which
frightened her and the attempt to
drag her into a rear room. She
screamed and the Greek allowed her
to go, she alleged. Straight home she
ran and told the story to her mother,
though no action was taken until the
father returned. The arrest by De-
tective Wall followed his report.
The father was called and corrob-
grated the story of his daughter as to
why the arrest had not been made
sooner after the alleged attempt. In
no other particular was he able to shed
any light on the case. When he
stepped from the stand the state rested
its case.
The Defendants Statement.
Jackson then took the stand in his
own behalf Only partially able to
speak English, nervous and excited,
his story was in many respects a pit
liable one.
He spoke rapidly and indistinctly,
using many gestures. Now and then
he would hesitate, think over the
events of the day in question, and then
with family n1Irmured Yes. go on
with the story He sclasped and I'M
clasped his hands rapidly. He fire.
quently motioned with his left hand,
keeping his right hand held over his
heart.
He denied all the allegations of the
plaintiff and claimed he mo use the
bad language" Candy-making is his
trade and at this he claimed he had
always worked. AS he closed, his voice
shook, tears filled his eyes, and then
his emotions got the better of him.
Raising his hands in the attitude of a
supplicant to heaven he exclaimed:
Il know nothings about him. 1 never
use the bad language. 1 never hurt
the leetle girl an so l tell the mama.
God upstairs and he know me tell the
truth and the right. If DON may God
upstairs cut off my arm Then the
tears came and the man rushed back
to his seat dropped heavily into his
chair, and buried his face in his
hands.
Jury Visited the Store.
the state. He spoke slowly and in a
low tone of voice. He played upon
the innocence of the child-prosecutrix,
the Nervousness of the crime, the
necessity of preventative measures, the
impossibility of the story being mere
ly concocted one.
Col. Colding argued for the defense.
He referred TO the crime as one that
can be easily charged, with is hard
to prove, and harder yet to defend. In
vivid pictures he painted the trials of
the Greek, his efforts to earn an hon.
est livelihood, and his inability to
even tell fully his own side of the
story, owing to his lack of knowledge
eloquent appeal for a verdict of ac-
quittal.
Shortly before 6 o'clock, Judge Cam
gave the case to the jury. After half
an hours elaboration they asked to
be taken to the candy-store, where the
alleged assault was committed and
this request was granted. The place
was carefully inspected and then the
jurors returned and resumed their eff