The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-02
RECORD OF COURTS

A suit, the outcome of which will be watched with interest. was filed in the city court yesterday by H. w. Kennemore against the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company, asking for damages to the extent of $1950. The suit sets forth that he was chained to negro prisoner while a convict and working in the defendants mines and was forced by the guard over him to march through some of the streets of Bessemer. J. T. Glover is the attorney for the plaintiff.
 The suit alleges that Kennemore was given a sentence of two months for using abusive language and was released from prison on the first of last October. He was sent to the convict camp at Bes- semer to serve his time. In going to and from their work the convicts were chained together in pairs and he was made to march beside negro, under protest He claims in the suit that the humiliation was unbearable and he is justifabe in asking the company for damages This is the first suit of the kind that has been filed in the courts of Birmingham in many years and an important point of law is involved
 Charles Ellis and S. F. Bissett, the two former clerks who were employed in the general delivery window of the Birming- ham postoffice, were yesterday sentenced to a term of one year and day each in the federal prison at Atlanta Both of these clerks plead guilty to the charge of approprating the contents of registered letters while acting in their official ca pacity when their cases were called in the federal court Wednesday, and sentence was deferred by Judge Jones until today. When the sentence was pronounced in the court room both appeared calm and receiv- ed 1t with but little apparent feeling This afternoon they were taken to the county jail, where they will remain until removed to the federal prison.
 Young Ellis was arrested first, and when Bissett was placed under arrest a short time afterwards on the same charge, it caused quite stir in postoffice circles. The former was detected through a decoy letter and the evidence against him was very strong. When the complaints were made against Bssett about the loss of contents of certain registered letters a second scheme was arranged to catch the guilty party. The decoy letter which proved so successful In the other case was brought Into play a second time with like results Bissett was arrested on June 27 as he was preparing to leave the city It will be remembered he gave the officers long chase on the streets and when finally captured he had the marked money in his possession. Three $l bills were the or'c these are now in the possession of the postoffice officials. Prior to his arrest he had been selected as a delegate to the national convention of the Christian En- deavor society at Baltimore, and was to have left Birmingham on the morning following his arrest He was prominently identified with the society in this city and naturally his arrest caused somewhat of a sensation in church circles. He is married and has two children.
 Ellis came to Birmingham from Chat tanooga. where his parents now reside. and Is well known in that city Previous to his downfall he associated with some of the best people of Birmingham. and several of his friends stuck to him to the last. During the trial of both men their families pleaded long and earnestly Tor them, but to no avail. and some of the best legal talent in the city was en- gagged in the cases. Since their arrest both nave Deen out on pond, and of them has been employed by local firm Rela- tiyes called at the county jail to bid fare we'll to the former clerks and 1t presented d very ga1letic scene at the parting
 The case of Francis B. Evans, charged with a violation of the postal laws, was called in the federal court yesterday, but was continued.
 A petition in bankruptcy was filed yes- terday by Abraham Siegel of Birmingham. He claims no assets and has liabilities to the extent of s6160. Most of this amount is for old and expired judgments.
 In the city court yesterday suit was filed by R. O. Stealing administrator for the estate of Frank Stealing, deceased, for the sum of s25.000 against the Sloss- Sheffield Steel company. It is alleged in the suit that Frank Steadman was em- ployed in one of the mines operated by the company, known as the Flat Top mine. and was injured in an explosion that afterwards resulted in his death It