St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1918-07-13
DISTRICT COURT
HAS BUSY Time
WITH NIGHT
SESSIONS
Jury in Mutually VS.. Fed
erico Brings in Verdict
for Defendant
CONVICTIONS GIVEN
In CRIMINAL CASES
Sharp Found Guilty; Evans
Gets One Year in Jail
and Work Roads

this week have been more or less OF
a sensational nature and awakened
considerable public interest. Judge
Carter presided and District Attorney
brock prosecuted. Judge Carter is
desirous of keeping the docket Clear
and nIght sessions We're held.
A case OF more than usual interest
was the damage suit OF James Mul-
laiiy against Jos. Federico for $1,000
Tor assault. This case had Deen
Kept out OF the papers in order that
puDlic sentiment might not De Great
ed tor or against the parties, and
judgment in the trial OF Jos. Fed
er1co under Indictment for carrying
d concealed weapon, arising from the
same incident, was withheld by
Judge Carter until the retirement OF
the jury in the damage suit. to avoid
any influence it might have ON the
jury. Testimony IN the indictment
case showed that the Mayor had
made Mr.. Federico a deputy, and the
plea was made that asa deputy he
was privileged to carry arms. The
Court decided that NO officer. not
even the sheriff, had the right to
go armed except when in the dis
charge of his duties aa such, but that
in view of the fact that Mr.. Federico
may have thought he had the right
by reason of being deputy. that he
would impose the minimum fine OF
$lOO, and in default twelve months
in Jail.
The testimony in the damage suit
proved clearly that there was an as
sault, Federico admitting that he
struck Mutually with q stick. The
question of Justification seemed to be
the principal issue, and it was at
tempted to prove that Federico lay
in wait for Mullally and assaulted
him under cover of q revolver. Fed
erico testified that he did not draw
his revolver, while Mutually testified
that he was covered by it for five
minutes and that his arm was badly
injured by the beating he received
from the stick. A large number OF
character witnesses were produced
by the defense to impeach the veraci-
ty of Mutually and most of them
swore they would not believe him
under oath.
The cause of the assault was the
meeting of Mullally and party at the
residence of Federico to adjust GER
tain matters relative to gossip, at
which time Federico claimed that
Mutually had eaid that his (Federi-
co's) wife was no lady. due to re-
marks it was claimed she had made.
1t was next day after this that the
assault was made.
The usual instructions were given
by Judge Carter, as well as several
s3cial instructions asked by the at
torneys. The Judge told the jury
they were judges Of both the law
and the fact, and he read the law to
them from the statutes. The jury
was out about half an hour and re-
turned verdict for the defendant.
Polling of the jury showed that there
were ten jurors coinciding In this
verdict and two against It.
In the case of Dallas Sharp, charg-
ed with carnal knowledge, the cir
were especially revolt
ing, the act having taken place. 1t
was testified, just previous to the
marriage of the girl. who was said to
have been but fourteen years of age,
although the marriage license was
obtained under the age Of 1S, Sharp
being her stepfather. The jury
brought in verdict Of guilty. To
be sentenced. e.
The case of the State vs.. Fred
Evans was prosecuted under the
charge of larceny. 1t was charged
that Evans entered the Catholic
Church at Madis0nville and desecrat-
ed the altar and confessional in
filthy manner while drunk. and that
he drank the wine and detached part
of a certain service. Evans claimed
he could not remember doing these
things and could not believe he did
them, as he was Catholic. In SEN
fencing him, Judge Carter said he
would give him the limit and regret
ted he could not make 1t ten years.
He was sentenced to one year in the
parish jail, subject to work on the
public roads. and in default OF pay
ment Of $500 fine, another year In
the jail.
FOR SALE-An uldercut surrey,