The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1909-05-12
BAD SHOWING FOR FRANKLIN.
Report Of Grand Jury Reveals a Shame
fuI Condition Of Affairs.

4 Meadville, Miss, May 8.Just
before final adjournment TO-DAY the
Franklin county grand jury made
the following sensational report to
Judge Wilkinson:
\ I'VE find on investigation that
| the prisoners who are in the Jail
are armed, or are within easy reach
of a number of shotguns and loaded
shells. We find these guns stored
in the Jail in a room to which the
1 prisoners have access. We recon-
mend that the court order the sher-
/ iff to have these guns removed and
the Jail searched and all firearms
found threin removed. We further
recommend that the sheriff take
charge of the keys to the Jail" !"
The principal prisoners in the
jail having access to the arms men
toned and carrying the Jail keys
are DR.. A. M. Newman and his
four sons, under Indictment for the
murder of Cornelius B. Prichard,
and the sheriff in charge is R. l..
Jones, who was indicted the same
day the Newmans were for neg
lecting to discharge his official duty
before and after the homicide, and
on one of which indictments there
was mistrial.
After receiving the special report
of the grand jury, Judge Wilkinson
ordered the sheriff to remove all
arms from the Jail and take charge
of the keys, which, it is said, was
done.
Sheriff Jones claims that the
arms referred to were in charge of
guards whom he kept in and around
the Jail for the protection of any
prisoners who might be placed in
the Jail, as precautionary measure
against any violence.
Upon the filing Of the reports by
the grand jury, Judge Wilkinson
took occasion, before dismissing
the grand jury, to deliver to the
audience assembled in the court
house some very strong language
with reference to the state of
affairs so far as the enforcement
of the laws is concerned in the
county, plainly intimating that
such state of affairs had existed
long enough and that there would
be dire consequences if longer con-
tinued.
When the court meets Monday to
take up the work of the second
week of the term the case Of DIR.
A. M. Newman will probably be
the first called. This case will be
bitterly fought ON both sides.
A special venire of 125 men has
been summoned from which to Sc
Iect the jury. On account of the
bitterness Of feeling existing
throughout the county, growing out
of this case, the empaneling of the
jury may require much time.
Added to this there are fifty-five
witnesses summoned for the State
and thirty-eight for the defense,
and if the case goes to trial Mon
day, it is likely that it will con-
sumo the most, if not the whole of
the week. The whole county is
rent from center to circumference
over the matters involved in this
trial and others that nave develop
ed during this term Of court. and
conservative men are alarmed at
the conditions.
The grand jury in its main re-
port today reported the finding of
fourteen true bills; called attention
to some irregularities believed to
exist in some of the county offices;
recommended that the books of the
various officers be audited, and call
ed upon the people of the county to
take more interest in the enforce
ment of the laws Times-Democrat
Special.