The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-09
GETTING MONEY
FOR A LAWYER
DICKERS0N GAVE A DEED
TO HIS PROPERTY FOR CONSIDER
ALTON OF 500 IN CASH.

Man Charged With Murder of His
Wife Is Preparing for Defense on
Tuesday Property Decided Is
known rs "rOIes PIace"-IncIudes
30 Acres of Land with Improve
neutrality-suspicious. Worldly Goods
of Shnd-Fisherman-O Son May
Testify Against Him.
Every preparation is being made by
Benjamin F. Dickerson, the alleged ux-
oricide, to defend himself against the
charge lodged against him by the state.
BY a warranty deed. filed yesterday
morning with deputy clerk Of the Su-
perior Court, James L. Murphy, he Sc
cured sufficient money to pay the fees
of his attorney. The case is marked
to be called for Tuesday morning.
Dickerson was a shad fisherman and
has little money with which to employ
counsel. In 1884. however, he had
gathered together sufficient funds to
make the purchase of a tract of land
in the Eighth militia district contain
ing about thirty-ffve acres. On this he
mas GIGClGd d lew SllldAl OullNAAASS HAAN
the little house in which he lives. This
tract of land, with improvements, rep
resented all the worldly goods of the
fisherman.
Realizing that the case made out at
the preliminary hearing was a strong
one, that the dying statement of his
wife was damaging to his cause, and
that his own son would probably APP
pear as a witness against him. Dick
ersOn saw that he must make an eff
fort to secure the best legal talent
available. With this object in view
he sold his land and with the funds in
tends, in all probability, to employ the
most competent attorney he can to de-
fend him.
The warranty deed is made out to
Ebenezer Horning. and the considera-
ton received by Dickerson for the
property is 800, already 'in hand, and
therefore presumably cash. The prop
erty is described as that thirty-five
acres Of land lying in the Eighth mill
tia district and known as the ''Toles
Place" The deed is given in fee sim
pie and Dickerson and his heirs re-
nounce all claim to the land. With the
ETC." representing all of the possessions
of the fisherman.
DickersOn Made His Mark.
The deed is signed by Benjamin F.
Dickerson, His Mark
The accused has firmly asserted his
innocence since his arrest. He admit
ted that he whipped his wife, but
claimed that he had used only a thin
switch of such a character that it
would have been impossible to inhict
mortal wounds.
Opposed to this is the dying state
ment of his wife. After the whipping
she went to a married daughters home
and stated that her death would be
the result of injuries inflicted on her
person by her husband. 1t was this
dying statement that lead to Dicker-
sons arrest.
Young Son May Testify.
In all probability one of the wit
nesses against the alleged wife slayer
will be his own son, a boy of only 8
years. The little fellow testified at the
preliminary hearing that his father had
whipped his mother in the backyard.
The boy said as he passed his father
applied vile epithet to him and told
him if he did not get out of the way
he would break a pitcher over his
head. The boy referred to the instru-
ment with which Dickerson was
whipping his wife as a switch.
Circumstantial evidence will be also
introduced to strengthen the case of
the state. The marks found on the
wonIan's body when the coroner ex-
amined her will be testified to, and
it is considered that these will go a
great way toward making out the guilt
of the accused.
The outcome of the case is awaited
with interest, especially by the resi-
dents of the section in which DECKER
son lived