The leader., 1905-04-12
SENSATIONAL INDICTMENTS.
Kinds County Grand Jury Returns True
Bills Against Ex-MayOr Heming.
way and R. P. Thompson.
CHARGED With MaIfeasance and En-.
bezzIement.

sationaI nature have been return
ed by the Kinds county grand iu-
ry, and will be called for hearing
in the Circuit Court next week.
A true bill has been found
against Hon. William Heming-
way, former mayor of Jackson,
who closed his second term of
Office in January, charging NAL
feasance in office. The second in
dictment is against Mr.. r. p.
Thompson, a prominent young
member of the Jackson bar, and
at frequent periods acting city
prosecutor, on the charge of EN-
bezzlement.
The indictments have been re-
turned to court, warrants served,
and the defendants promptly gave.
bond for appearance when the
cases are called.
The trouble originates from the
fining of negro named Bob Bo-
hannon in the police court several
months ago. The negro was as.
sessed with a fine of $50 and costs.
for carrying concealed weapons
and the indictments allege that
the money was collected and the
negro holds the receipts of Mr.. r.
F. Thompson therefor, but the
sum was never turned over to the
proper officers.
Ex-Mayor Hemingway was seen
at his Office in the Seutter build
ing this morning. He did not
appear to be at all worried over
she matter, and readily consented
to make a statement. In discuss
ing the matter Mr.. Hemingway
said:
"The offense charged against
me is failure to give a mittimus
in a case wherein a negro had
been fined for carrying concealed.
weapons. It is not my business
to collect fines, nor do anything
in connection with execution of
sentences. This is a very trivial
matter, and if the same policy is
pursued throughout the State
there is not a mayor, police JUS
tice or magistrate who would es-
cape Indictment. No mittimus is
required under the State law ex-
cept in felony cases, and in this
instance Che prisoner was tried
for a misdemeanor. / have given
mittimus in every case where it
was necessary.
Il have not seen this negro
since he was fined in my court. /
handled several thousand cases
during my two terms as mayor,
and paid no attention to them af-
ter the fine was imposed, but left
them in the hands Of the proper
officers to be attended to. / only
knew what became of them from
requests of the officers for the
p4eper papers. If every allega-
tion in the Indictment should be
sustained it would not constitute
an ofense against the laws of
Mississippi, and the grand jury
is only empowered to indict for
otfenses against the laws of the
State. | have never violated any
Of the statutes at any time, or
done anything which / regret be-
ing made public. Ny policy has
been to be open and frank about
everything. The grand jury in-
dietment does not carry with it
evidence for but one side. / shall
insist upon immediate hearing, at
which all the facts will be brought
out, and it will then be shown
how trivial this charge is.
Jackson Evening News, April Sth.
The jackson correspondent CT
the Times Democrat says The
negro was fined $50, he claims,
and be also claims Chat he paid
the money to Mr.. Thompson to
settle his fine. On the other side,
it is claimed that the negro re-
tained Mr.. Thompson as 5 lawyer
in bis case, and that the pr0secu
tion is partisan and malicious.
Nj. Hemingway says that as
mayor and police Judge be bad
nothing to do With collecting
fines. and that after they were ad :