The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1907-04-21
Was Bound Over Yesterday
on The Charge Of
Murder
EVIDENCE WAS CONVINCING
Defense Did Not Introduce Any Evil
dence and Will Fight Out the
Case in the Higher Court
Next Month.

J. E. Simpson, the Altamaha river
raft hand who shot Peter Gantling,
the Bay street negro barber, on the
night Of April 8. will nave to con
vince a jury in Glynn superior court
that he IS not guilty Of the crime of
aurder.
as announced in The News Friday
morning, Simpson was given a pre-
liminary hearing before Justice Lam
bright in the superior court room
yesterday Judge Courtland Symmes
and Edwin W Dart. Esq, appeared
for the prosecution along with Acting
Solicitor e. c. Butts. and Judge A.
d. Gale appeared for the defense.
The state SUI >ceeded In making out
a pretty strong case against simpson
The urst witness Of the day was Tom
Oliver, negro hackman, who swore
that he was in the door of the bar
ber shop on the evening of the kill
ing and saw Simpson fire botn shots
into the breast Of Gantllng. He also
swore tnat he saw 9inpeoH aosi"e
from the scene of the killing and
aided in having him arrested. On the
cross-examinati0n, however, Oliver
failed to remember important events
and was easily rebutted by the de-
tense.
Probably the most important wit
ness was Harris NJ King, Jro wac
chanled to be passing the shop OF
Gantling and heard loud voices. He
was attracted by the noise and on
turning about saw Simpson with
drawn reyolve. declaring that he
would shoot He was not positive
whether or not Gantling was holding
Simpson. The witness said he did
not wait for the shooting and was
at the corner Of Monk aud Bay
streets when he heard the reports
TIE next witness was Assistant
Chief of Police Owens, who prov ID
to be bad one for the defense. 1t
was he who escorted Simpson to
Jail after his arrest by Watchman
Harrell and the officer told of the
accused having denied having hols-
ter or pistol saabbard on him when
arrested. although the witness was
aurc h. had ceen It Via - al"
swore that the missing belt and
holster we're later foun3 where tae
accused ha1 showed tnoln throFs'- a
neighb 1ring cell. Mc. ovens also
swore that ne had examined the pis-
tol on the night Of the killing and
found that two of the chambers had
been recently exploded, as was eVl'
den ed by the moisture Of the Waep'
on and powder marks
Another damaging witness was "
NJ. Harreli, the night watchman for
the Downing ompany. VINO arrested
Simpson after the killing. He was
sure thar Simpson was the man ne
saw dashing across Bay street after
he had been pointed out to him BY
Oliver. Mr.. Harrell testified that
Simpson acted as if he was suffering
ION inloxication and swore that af
ter he had taken aim in custody h'
asked if he had seen him DO tne
shooting. The aged night watchmaI
was adamante in his cross-examina
tion by Attorney Gale and did no
waver from ID original story II
fact the c!oss-examination brough
out the fact that Simpson told tn
witness that he had swapped his pis
tol 10 a fellow raft hand on the wa!
to Brunswick on the steamer Hessle
The defense. taking advantage 0
it's right under the law, did not intro
due any testimony and did not pei
nit the accused to 90 on the stan
in his own defense.
Accordingly, after the state close
its case, Justice Lambright announ'
ed that there was ample testimon
to hold the defendant on the 'hare
of murder and he said he had col
cluded to bind him over to the s.
nerior court on that charge. IN
a,+;on Of course made II tmpossibI