The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-11-06

the Negro Pilot, Henry CrOmartie.
Judge Purnell Criticises in Severe
Terms the New Hanover Jail
The trial of Captain Lochlin Mclean
of the British steamship Osceola, was
begun yesterday shortly before noon
and nose Of the evidence for the pros
ecutiOn is in. John James Byrne and
Thomas Flynn, the two men who allege
that they were shanghaied at Newport
News and taken on the Osceola, and
and when they asked the captain to
allow them to return to shore so a.
they could go to their vessel and be
refused, were the principal witnesses
examined and the circumstances as
related by them were practically tho |
same az Told at the hearing before |
Unite3 States Commissioner Collier and !
Wbich was given at the time IN Ip'e
Messenger 1t was that they were sent
ashore on an errand from the United
States cruiser Columbia and were ac-
cOsted by q man who got them to take
several drinks with him, and they
remembered nothing more that hap
pened until the following day when
they awoke on the Osceola. They
claim that they told the captain
they belonged to the navy and asked
to be allowed to return to their vessel,
whereupon his remark is said to have
been: Ito hell with the United States
navy" One of the men jumped over
board as the Osceola was leaving New
port News, but he was got back on
board.
A paper was introduced. from the
navy department showing that both
Byrne and Flynn are enlisted In the
United States navy and assigned to the
Columbia. 1t was brought out -hat
each Of the men had hundred or so
dollars due them from the government.
Several other witnesses were examined
and their testimony was also the same
as it was at the preliminary trla'
Byrne and Flynn were confronted by
the British vice-consul at Newport
News, and also J. E. Bradley, labor
agent. who is here to testify that ne
got the sailors. One Of the men said
when he brought him some clothes On
the Oseeola, but with that exception
the sailors declared they had never
seen the two men
The evidence so far looks rather bad
for Captain Mclean, but none OF the
witnesses for the defense have been
examined and it is understood that
Vice-Consul Haughton will testify 10
having seen the men sign up on the
vessel and that at the time they were
perfectly sober Bradley will testify
as to having employed the men ana
that they were sober when acrried on
board.
The case is a very important one and
the result will be awaited with mucn
interest. The OsceOla is lying in the
Cape Fear river ready to sail as soon
as some disposition is made OF thc
case. and she has in cargo of cotton
valued at more than ga Of million o.
dollars. Some one will lose consider
able amount of money for each day the
vessel remains here.
Tho iury in the Mclean case is com
posed of the following. T. c. Scales,
R. Bailey, E. B. Sutton, Giles ="
Westbrook, Isiah Carroll, j. L. laW
kins. J. G. Terry, A. M. Watson, j. /
Kennedy, T. J. Newton, N. Hammond
and Harry Covington, colored
SEVERAL GO TO ATLANTA prison
The sealed verdict which was return
ed on Wednesday afternoon In the II
Men. Raw case. from Cumber1ant
county, in which the defendant wa
charged with operating an illicit ais
tillery, was opened yesterday and the,
found that the defendant had know
edge of the distillery being on ri
property. Judge Purnell would not re
ceiye such a verdict and a juror wa
withdrawn and a mistrial ordered. Tn
defendant was required to give $50
bond for his appearance at the mex
term Of federal court. Mr.. 5. II. McRat
of Cumberland county, attorney 10
Raw. excepted to the ruling or Judg
Purnell.
]. Z. Thompson. OF Bladen count!
plead guilty to retailing and was sei
fenced to 6 months in Jail and to pa
fine of 800 and costs.
Frank Macarthur, Cumberland coul
ty, plead guilty to retailing and wa
sentenced to months in jail and t
pay fine of 800 and costs.
S. w. Hall. Of Cumberland count!
was tried on Wednesday and conyicte
of retailing and distilling. was given
year and 1 day in the Atlanta peniteT
tiary and fined s100 and costs. Hall
q young man and Judge Purnell e.
pressed himself as regretting iths
Halls age was past the limit the
would permit him to be sent to II
formatory.
George A. Raynor, OF Cumberlan
sounty. found guilty of retailing an
distilling, was sentenced to year an