The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-04-14
81 Per Year.
BUSINESS In THE
CIRCUIT COURT
Advances Rapidly Under Judge
Wills-Criminal Cases Only.
States Attorney Long Makes Fine
Impression.

States Attorney Long Wakes flne
Impression.
The Spring term OF the Putnam Cir
cult Court opened on Monday with Hon.
James T. Wills, circuit judge presiding,
and Hon. A. V. Long, the newly ap-
pointed States Attorney, filling the
prosecutors chair.
The grand jury was organized on
Monday with E. r. Conway as foreman,
and this important adjunct of the courts
machinery got promptly to work and by
Wednesday evening had finished and
handed in IFS presentment.
There are no civil cases up for adiudi-
cation at this term, the docket being of
criminal cases only. Three of these
were murder cases.
The case of the State VS.. Ezekiel Nc
Intosh, negro indicted for the murder of
the woman in the house at the corner of
Lemon and Fifth streets several weeks
ago, was continued TO the fall term.
The case of the State VS.. John Coils,
Glover Haynes, Thos. Anthony and
Will Downing, deck hands on the
steamer Howard, indicted for the mur-
der of Will Brown, companion, and
throwing his body in the river was tried
guilty of murder in the first degree, and
They skipped out lively when told they
could go. Before court adjourned Judge
Wills sentenced Coils TO the State priS-
on at hard labor for life. The murderer
smiled as he took his medicine, was
handcuffed and led back to Jail.
In the case of the State VS.. Israel
Brown, Kelly Flynn, Johh Albert and
John Nelson, indicted for assault with
intent 10 murder, severance was grant
ed in the case of Brown, who has never
been found. The others were convict
ed and each sentenced TO five years at
hard labor in the State prison.
Mack Stewart, charged with obtaining
money by false pretenseS was not indict-
ed, but ii is understood that a settlement
was made with all parties from whom
money had been obtained.
In the case of the State VS.. Alfred Nc
Clellan, an aged negro indicted for
grand larceny, verdict of not guilty
was returned by jury on instruction OF
Judge Wills, the States attorney having
stated to the court that he could not ask
for a conviction on the evidence.
The other cases are:
State of Florida VS.. Eddie Reddick,
indicted for wantonly killing animal OF
another.
State OF Florida VS.. Raymond Nelson
and Raymond Smith, breaking and en-
tcring, plead guilty.
State OF Florida VS.. Glover Wells,
grand larceny, plead guilty.
There are information cases for sell
ing liquor against Richard McGlouchlin,
John Gray, Ben Johnson and J. n. Sum-
Ter, and all have plead guilty, and when
this report was made up were awaiting
sentence.
Probably the most interesting case be-
fore the court is that of ]. F. w. Hodges
and his common law wife, Ella Flower,
charged with the murder of old man
Hughes at Huntington last winter.
II was expected this case would get
under way Thursday morning early, but
owing TO absence of witnesses it was
not called under p. m. Some time
was spent in securing jury and ii was
nearly o'clock before the work of
taking testimony began. Judge wills
held a night session of the court which
continued until nearly 10 O'Clock, by
which time all the witnesses Tor the
state and several for the defense had
been examined.
The court adjourned 10 nine o'clock
this morning and the case should be
concluded to-day. 1t is understood that
all the lawyers in the case will speak,
and these include State Attorney Long
and Mr.. Blackwell who is assisting him,
and MeSSrs. Merryday, Walton and
Judge Calhoun for the defense.
During the session of court last night
the big room was crowded and there
seems 10 be great interest in the case,
more especially as it presents the unu-
sual spectacle, in this section, of wo-
man being charged with murder.
The defendants were in court with
their three little children and defendant
Hodges mother all the afternoon, and
during most of the time each OF them
held out the little children in their lap.
Last night Ella Flower went on the
stand and told the story OF the killing
under questioning. She acknowledged
cutting Hughes throat with a razor.
A son of the murdered man sits
through the trial in one of the front rows
of seats for spectators, and OF course is
hearing some damaging testimony con
cerning the character of his dead father.
/ States Attorney Long has certainly
made a fine impression not only on the
lawyers and court attaches, but on all
the people who have attended the court
/ He has a quick, direct manner of getting
at the very core of question, and in
his addresses and queStioningS has been
simple, forcefuI and direct. Mr.. Long
gives the impression that he regards his
office as that of public prosecutor and
not public prosecutor. The News be
= lieves that he will rank as among the
( ablest State attorneys in Florida.
:, On Thursday morning Judge Wills i'm
posed the following sentences:
II Richard McGloughlin, selling liquor
:, $500 and costs and II months at hare
labor in county Jail, suSpending the flint
and iail sentence during good behavior
l.. on payment of costs.
y ]. n. SumIer, selling liquor; 30 days I
IS county Jail.
John Gray, selling liquor, six month
in county Jail.
a Raymond Nelson, breaking and enter
% ing, years in prison.
RAYMOND Smith, breaking and entei
J. ing, "a boy) discharged with kindl
! talk.