Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-04-15
THREE Of FIVE
GIVEN BAIL FOR
BONDS OF $4,000

Bail in the sum of $4,000 each was
granted yesterday afternoon by Judge
z. A. Littlejohn to Charles Chapman,
Jr., Walter Johnson and John Eth
ridge, who, with DR. Charles K. Chap
man. w. l. Johnson and H. A. Harp are
under indictment charged with the
murder of Walter H. Wade of Leslie
on the night of August II, 1916.
Judge Littlejohn denied the petition
for bail presented by DR.. c. K. Chap
man and w. /. Johnson. H. A. Harp
has been at liberty under $500 bond
since the first trial Of Dr. Chapman in
January of this year.
All three of the defendants were re-
leased during the afternoon after the
necessary bail bonds had been ar
ranged.
The bonds were signed by ]. M.
johnson, ]. L. Johnson, B. 7. Johnson,
w. B. Johnson and G. A. Perry, rela-
tives of Walter Johnson and Charles
Chapman, Jr. The same sureties ap-
peared on all three bail bonds.
The news of the decision of the
Judge quickly spread, and in a short
while it was generally known through
out the county where wide comment
was made. Neighboring towns heard
rumors Of the judges action and bonn
barded the Times-Recorder office with
telephone inquiries. Wide interest is
developing, and the high tension which
kas marked the progress of the Wade
case again comes to the front.
The petition for bail for the five de-
PENDANTS who have been in Jail was
presented almost month ago and a
formal hearing was held on March 81
before Judge Littlejohn. Since that
time he has had the matter under con-
sideration and shortly after noon yes
terday handed down an order granting
bond to the three defendants named
above.
Judge Littlejohn's order is as fol-
lows:
The Judges Order.
The State VS.. c. K. Chapman. W. :.
Johnson, Charlie Chapman, Jr.,
Walter Johnson and John Eth
ridge. Indictment for murder in
Sumter Superior Court, and appli-
cation for bail.
After consideration of the petition
answer and testimony in the above ap-
plication for bail, it is adjudged and
ordered that Charlie Chapman, Jr.,
Walter Johnson and John Ethridge be-
and they are hereby allowed bail IN
the sum of Five Thousand Dollars
(S5O0O 0O) each, with good and solv-
ent sureties, to qualify as such, and
subject to the approval of the Clerk
of this Court, said bonds to be taken
ia terms of, and as provided by, law in
such cases.
It is further adjudged and ordered
that bail for C. X. Chapman and w. l.
Johnson be, and the same is hereby,
denied
The right to set aside and vacate
that portion of this order allowing
bail to the three named defendants is
hereby reserved.
Let this order be entered on the
minutes of the Sumter Superior Court.
This April "A, 1917.
z. A. LITTLEJOHN,
]. S. C. S. W. c.
The petition for bail set up that the
defendants were, under the constitu-
ton. entitled to a speedy trial, where
as only one of them, DR.. c. X. Chap
man, had been tried thus far and judg-
ing from the previous action of the
states counsel, it was not intended to
trv the other defendants until his case
had been disposed of.
In view of the lacJ Ihdl TWO HIS
trials have been declared in the case
against DR.. Chapman for murder, the
petitioners claimed that the trials Of
the other defendants were likely to be
postponed indefinitely, thereby nullify-
ing their constitutional right
The petition also set up the claim
that the evidence introduced at both
trials of DR.. Chapman proved alibis for
the defendants
The States answer to the petition
denied that alibis had been proven for
the defendants and set up that the
State had consistently declared Itself
ready to go to trial with the cases at
any time the defence would suggest.