The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-03
FIDDLER CHARGES
 ROBBERY ID BOYS They Are Held Under $200
 Bonds Each JURY REPORTS MISTRIAL Charged With Carrying Concealed Weapons, Walter Williams Claims Pistol Was Placed In His Pocket
 Without His Knowledge.
JURY REPORTS MISTRIAL

Talladega, May 2.-(Special)-A war rant was today sworn out before Justice Thornton by Simon Steinberg q peddler, charging two young white men, names Dorse Freeman and Jim Blanchard with robbery from the person. Steinberg claims that near Winterboro, nine miles from here, in lonely place in the road the boys held him up with pistol and took from him two pocket handkerchiefs, one dime in silver, one quarter in silver, and two nickels. The boys say that simon gave them the handkerchlefs, and they borrowed the money from him. Justice Thornton fixed the bond for their appear ance in his court at $2O0, which the young men gave. This particular offense Is not bailable under the laws of Alabama
 The case of Walter Williams, a Sylla- cauga citizen, charged with carrying con- cealed weapons occupied the attention or the city court the larger part of yester~ day. The defendant claimed that when he was arrested, and while in custody some body slipped a pistol In his overcoat pocket without his knowledge. The jury hung all night and slept in the court room, occupying tables benches and the floor. Beds could be obtained at but one of the hotels, and that particular hostelry would not take them at the price fixed by the county for lodging jurors. This morn ing. looking haggard and worn the panel filed into the court room and announced that they could not agree, and the judge discharged them, entering a mistrial on the docket.
 An indictment against William Gerst- man, one of the local market men, was called for trial this morning. There had been a trial at the last term of court of this case, resulting in a hung jury. Alp plication was made for a continuance. The offense charged in the indictment was selling tainted meat. Counsel for the defendant alleged that his client, Will liam Gerstman, recently had met with 8 serious accident. and was physically un- able to be in court That he had been kicked by horse, or mule. and two ribs had been broken. He didn't say whether her name was Maud, or not. The case was continued until next term.
 There is some complaint among the citizens using gas over the price charged for Illuminating gas The city owns the gas plant, and has been operating 1t for six years. There has been no reduction in price to the people of Illuminating gas since the city took it over. The price charged Is $2 per thousand cubic feet all though the same gas for cooking purposes is sold much lower. Other cities obtain gas at price greatly less than that paid for Illuminating gas. It appears to the average citizen that the people should de- rive some benefit from municipal owner ship in six years, in the way of reduc- ton In price.
 The railroads crossing East street are fenced in by houses so as to obstruct the view of people crossing on foot or in vehicles, and it is very dangerous. A fiagman is on duty there. but 1t develops that he is the iagman only for the Louis vile and Nashville railroad, and 1t is no part of his business to flag through trains or switch trains of the Birmingham and Atlantic railroad, which also uses the crossing, this latter road purporting to use it's train crew in flaging This morn ing there was couple of narrow escapes from being run over by the Birmingham and Atlantic trains switching, there being no flagman in sight. This state of things will result seriously if there Is not some change.
 ''Solomon's judgment" over the owner ship of a child is one of the scriptural examples of judicial acumen, but Tal- ladega justice of the peace out in the hills has outrivaled 1t. He had a case of stealing before him where circumstances pointed to six different people as the prob able guilty ones. The court could not make up it's mind and so he ordered that a hen should be tied on table in dark room, and each suspected person should enter singly and touch the fowl, an nouncing that the bird would cackle when she felt the finger of the thief. He fixed the hen, and the suspects solmenly filed into the room, five of them returning with fingers covered with bluing; the fifth man came out with no blue smirch on his hands. and the justice convicted number five. The court had covered the hen with common washing blung, and the guilty man had failed to touch her.