Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-12-05
DAVIS SENTENCED ON
LAND FRAUD CHARGES
Is Given Six Years in Peniten-
tiay and $500 Fine by
Cobb County Court
Especial Dispatch to The Journal.)

Especial Dispatch to The Journal)
MARIETTA, Ga, Dec. CHARLES i.
Davis, who was formerly connected with
the Southern Title and Trust company
of Atlanta. was today sentenced in the
Cobb county court to six years in tine
,penitentiary and fined $500. He was
tried on two charges, a felony and d
misdemeanor, both i'm connection with
alleged land frauds.
The first charge against Davis was i'll
connection with alleged forgeries of sig
natures in an attempt to transfer land
lot No. 1924 in the Fifteenth section
of the Second district of Cobb county
The state produced witnesses to show
that he had tried to transfer this prop
erty, through forged abstracts of Ii
tie, to Mrs. Lottie Lomax, of Atlanta.
The court further showed that this par
ticular property was vested with the
heirs of the Henry G.. Cole estate, and
that the signature of Henry G. Cole at
tached to this alleged forged abstract
of title was a forgery. AS a witness
that the name of Henry G. Cole, de-
ceased, was a forgery, Mrs. Henry q.
Cole. aged 81 years, was brought in
court and so testified.
The defense had on Thursday after
again on Friday, attempted to file a de-
murrer on the ground that there had
been little time in which to prepare
case and after challenging the jury on
Friday morning the defense further at
tempted to have the case thrown OUT OF
court on the ground that the indictment
charged no offense against the laws of
the state of Georgia. 1t did succeed in
having two of the four counts of the
indictment ruled out.
Atlanta witnesses in a large number
were called by the state. The defense
presented no witnesses in either of the
cases.
ATLANTA WITNESSES.
Among those from Atlanta who were
called to testify were Mrs. I.ottie Lo-
max, to whom Davis tried to transfer
land lot No. 1924 by means of the
forged title and signature of Henry u.
Cole: G. 3. Adair, whose name was also
signed to the abstract of title; Attor-
ney J. B. Branch, notary of Atlanta,
whose name was signed to the title;
S. p. Virgins and Miss Sara B. Lowe,
who often signed papers in the capacity
of secretary for Davis company.
The jury went out at about 10 o'clock
and stayed out about three hours re-
turning with q verdict of guilty. Judge
Patterson imposed a sentence of five
years in the changing. a motion for
new trial was Immediately placed in
The clerk of the courts hands by the
defending counsel.
After hearing a divorce case the court
went on with q case charging Davis
with a niisdemeanor in violating section
719 of the penal code of Georgia. The
indictment charged that Davis had tried
to convey to A. e. Harmon, of Atlanta,
a certain tract of land in Cobb county,
which the Southern Title and Trust
company had received from one Miss
Sara E. Lowe, also of Atlana, who had
received the property from the company
in lieu of back salary to her for her
services as a stenographer.
r. NJ. Brooks, 81 years old, owner of
the land in question, was brought IN
court and deeds and land grants showed
that he and his ancestors had been in
possession and had good title.
On this charge Davis was sentenced
to one year in the changing and TO
pay a fine of $500