Newspaper Page Text
The Georgia Record.
VOL. I.
JULIA MORRISON ACQUITTED
Jury Declared Her “Not Guilty” of the flur=
der of Frank Leiden.
CLOSING SCENES DRAMATIC
After the Verdict Was Rendered
i*liss Morrison Made a
Speech of Thanks.
The Julia Morrison case, which has
been on trial in the circuit court at
Chattanooga, was given to the 'jury at
noon Wednesday in an exhaustive
charge from the court. Great inter
est was taken in the closing scenes of
the celebrated trial. The courtroom
was packed with curious humanity
long before the judge called the law
yers to attention and ordered the trial
to proceed.
The morning hour was taken up
with the concluding argument of coun
sel, two for the defense and one for the
state. The first speaker was William
Cumming, for the defense, who fol
lowed the same lines pursued by his
associate counsel of the day before.
The great speech for the defense was
made by Colonel Joe Clift, the patri
arch of the Chattanooga bar, and in
his time one of the most powerful
criminal pleaders in the state.
The entire interest of the morning
centered in this speech, and when
Colonel Clift arose to begin his argu
ment, he was greeted by loud and pro
longed applause, which brought an
order from the judge to the sheriff to
arrest the men applauding.
“I will have to arreat the whole
court room,” answered the sheriff, and
there was another burst of applause.
After-a brief exordial, Colonel Clift
proceeded to a review of the evidence
which he brought out into powerful
light, and the jury was at all times at
tentive and thoroughly impressed.
He began with the company at Peeks
kill, N. Y., where they started on
their tour and followed them to Chat
tanooga; recited the daily insults and
foul epithets Leiden had applied to
the woman; bis threats to do her bod
ily harm, and finally at Chattanooga
his knocking her down and threaten
ing to kill her.
And then when she was going to the
stage to appear in her part, though
late on account of sickness, to which
several witnesses had testified, he ad
vanced upon her with a drawn stick as
if to strike her. She had no pistol in
her hand as was testified by several
witnesses, and no one saw the pistol
until after Leiden had cursed her and
threatened her with his cane.
Then it was, goaded to desperation,
in fear of her life or great bodily inju
ry, that her mind became surcharged
with the weight of her injuries, she
lost control of herself, and drawing
her revolver, which she always carried
for protection,she instinctively as even
the dumb brute would do, used it to
save herself. No proof had been ad
duced to show that she was a violent
woman; all the testimony was to the
contrary, and this was to be taken in
her favor.
At the conclusion of Colonel Clift’s
speech Samuel B. Smith closed for the
state, summing up the evidence, and
making application of the law in such
cases provided. He made no new
points, but argued the case purely on
the provisions of the law.
He made a strong arraignment of
the accused, and made an effort to
show by the testimony that Miss Mor
rison knew what she was doing; that
she had gone to the opera house on
the fatal night to kill Leiden; that she
• had bided in the lower part of the
stage for an opportunity to kill him
where it would not be witnessed, but
no opportunity coming to her she bad
gone to the stage with murder in her
heart and the instrument for carrying
out her purpose in her hand; that
without warning or a word she had
fired upon a defenseless man and had
killed him.
At the conclusion of Mr. Smith’s
speech Judge Estill, although the
noon hour had arrived, proceeded to
charge the jury, which occupied about
an hour. The charge was long and
was given to the jury in writing after
it had been read at 12:50.
Court then adjourned until 3 o’clock.
Before 1 o’clock the courtroom was
again crowded to its utmost limits with
men and women, and among them
there was but one general expectation,
the verdict would be an acquittal, in
which events proved the belief was
well founded,
At 3 o’clock the prisoner arrived at
the courtroom and exhibited an air of
supreme confidence that she would
leave it free to go where she pleased,
instead of retracing the unhappy route
to the Hamilton*county jail.
While the jury was deliberating the
court was busy with other cases on the
regular docket.
At 4 o’clock the Morrison jury was
ushered in. A deathlike stillness en
sued and their faces were searched and
researched by hundreds of pairs of
eyes that the verdict might be read, if
possible, in the countenance. For
seven days that same group of twelve
men had been scrutinized by thous
ands of spectators in Judge Estill’s
court to note the effect, if any, upon
them by each telling piece of evidence
and each convincing point of logic
enunciated by the lawyers who spoke
in justification or condemnation of her
alleged crime.
Never perhaps in any courtroom did
a more mobile, stoic and expression
less set of human faces appear in a
jury box. The best reader of char
acter was set at defiance, for not in a
single instance did one of the twelve
faces in the jury circle betray the feel
ing of the heart and head. So they
came through the aisle before the
judge and when, after responding to
their names, Judge Estill said:
“Gentlemen, have you agreed upon
a verdict?”
“We have,” replied Foreman Mc-
Nabb.
“What is your verdict?” asked the
court
“Not guilty,” was the answer.
Miss Morrison, who had leaned far
over in her chair, caught the low re
sponse of the foreman, and the effect
of his words upon her were dramatic
in the extreme. She leaned back in
her chair and closed her eyes, while
her face turned from the whiteness of
death to almost a crimson hue.
The crowd in the court room cheer
ed and a rush was made toward the
woman to congratulate her.
Advancing to a position just in
front of Judge Estill, Miss Morrison
delivered in a most touching and elo
quent manner a brief speech, which
she bad evidently prepared, for she
spoke rather rapidly and without hes
itation. She said:
“May it please your honor, I wish
to thank you and the gentlemen of
the jury and all who were instrumental
in my acquittal today for your just and
generous decision. May God in His
mercy be ever as just to you and yours
as you have been to me today. In the
same measure I wish to thank my
attorneys for their noble efforts in my
behalf. As for the prosecution I wish
to say that I fully forgive them and
bear them no malice for their strenuous
efforts for my conviction.
“As to my persecutors (turning to
w-ard Mrs. George J. Antz, the beauti
ful sister of the dead actor, who was
overcome with emotion and suffused
in tears), I leave.them to their con
sciences and their God. To the poor
bereaved sister I say that God knows
that were it in my power to restore
her brother to her I would certainly
do it.”
Mr. and Mrs. James at once repaired
to the Tschopik house, where they had
stopped on the first night of their ap
pearance in Chattanooga, and where
they will remain for a time.
ROBERTS REACHES DESTINATION.
llis Advent at Seat of War Expected to
Alter the Situation.
A London special says: During the
interlude of apparent military inactiv
ity and official secrecy, Lord Roberts
and Lord Kitchener have arrived at
the seat of war. It is assumed that
their clear vision, supported by 30,000
fresh men who are due to arrive in
South Africa within thirty days, will
alter the situation and that the fourth
month of the campaign will witness
the beginning of victories for the
British arms.
ATLANTA, GA . SATURDAY, JANUARYJ3, 1900.
REBELS READY TO ASSIST.
Copy of Dewey’s Report Sent
From Manila Last Year
Presented In Senate.
Responding to the senate’s resolution
of inquiry, the secretary of the navy
sent to the senate Thursday a copy of i
Admiral Dewey’s report from Hong
Kong, dated March 31, 1898, relative
the capture of Manila, then under
consideration. He stated that his
own squadron was in a high state of
efficiency. Speaking of the Spanish
forces he said it numbered about 15,-
000 soldiers of all arris in all the is
lands, of which half were in the vicin
ity of Manila.
“The islands,” says she report, “are
now in a state of insurrection, and
my informant states that even the
Spanish soldiers, who constitute only
a small part of the whoie, are disaffect
ed. Both ships and fo'ts are in need
of ammunition. I believe Ism not over
confident in stating -that with the
squadron under my command the ves
sels could betaken and.the defense of
Manila reduced in one day.
“There is every reason to believe
that with Manila taken, or even block
aded, the rest of the is-ands would fall
either to the insurgents or ourselves,
as they are only held now through the
support of the navy, and are depend
ent upon Manila for supplies. Infor
mation has just reached me that there
are 5,000 armed rebels in camp near
Manila, who are willing to assist me.”
METHUEN “IRRESPONSIBLE.”
British General’s Mind Said to Be Unbal
anced and lie Will Be Retired.
A special cable to The Chicago
Tribune from London nays Lieutenant
General Lord Methuen, commanding
the column advancing,to the relief of :
Kimberley, gred is- -
command within two; weeks. Later
he will be sent to Gape Town and
eventually ordered home. When he
reaches England he will be retired.
These facts have been confirmed by
an official of the war office.
Lord Methuen’s case is a sad one.
Always a man of rather frail physique
—although a clever boxer and all-round
sportsman—his constitution began to
show signs of breaking down almost
immediately after he took command
of his division.
Three days after the battle of Bel
mont, General Wolseley suggested to
the w r ar office that Methuen be reliev
ed. His advice was not needed. The
wisdom of the aged but keen com
mander-in-cheif of the British army
is now realized by the war office who
scoffed at his suggestion.
Friends of Lord Methuen insist he
is only in broken health; that the
strain of many campaigns has shatter
ed his naturally nervous system.
Those who know’ the circumstances
and the situation on Modder river
equally well and who are willing to
state facts plainly, say that Methuen’s
mind is unbalenced.
CHOATE CABLES REPLY.
Our Ambassador Explains England’s View
of Flour Siezures.
The answer of the British govern
ment to Mr. Choate’s representations
respecting the seizures of American
flour and other goods on the three ves
sels, Beatrice, Mashona and Madeira,
has been received.
Just as the officials of the state de
partment anticipated, it amounted to
a partial answer and is very satisfac
tory so far as it goes, disposing of the
character of some of he goods seized,
but not finally deciding broadly
whether or not foodstuffs are to be re
garded as contraband of war. In brief (
Mr. Choate reports as follows. ,
“That the answer is highly satisfac
tory; that it is broad and liberal in
terms. The position assumed by the
British government is that foodstuffs
in transit to a hostile destination can
be regarded as contraband of war only
when they are supplies for the enemy’s '
forces. It is not sufficient they are ,
capable of being used for the benefit ,
of the enemy; it must be shown that
they are so in fact through their desti
nation at the time of the seizure.
“The British government d<ei not
claim that any of the American goods (
on the German bark Maria and the
British bark Mashona were contra- ,
band of war. The British government ,
is investigating the fact in connection
with the goods seized on the third ves
sel, the Beatrice.”
TO NAME FELLTICKET
Georgia Republicans Will Enter
Campaign This Fall.
STATE CONVENTION HAS BEEN CALLED
Besides the Nomination of a State Ticket
Delegates To National Conven
tion Will Be Chosen.
At a recent meeting in Atlanta the
Georgia Republican state central com
mittee decide d to hold a state conven
tion at the capitol, and in compliance
with the instructions and as a result
of the action of the committee, the
following call has been issued by
Chairman Pro Tern. Johnson:
Headquarters Republican State Cen
tral Committee, Atlanta, Ga. —To the
Republican Voters of Georgia: In ac
cordance with custom and in obedi
ence to instructions of the state central
Republican committee, directing a con
vention of delegated representatives of
the Republican party, to be held in
the city of Atlanta, state of Georgia,
for the purpose of electing four dele
gates at large and four alternate dele
gates to the national Republican con
vention, to be held in the city of Phil
adelphia, Pa., on the 19th day of June,
1900, and for the further purpose of
nominating a candidate for governor
and candidates for other state house
officers, and for the transaction of
such other business as may properly
come before it, a state conve .tion of
the Republican party is hereby called
to be held in the city of Atlanta at 12
o’clock m.,Wednesday, March 7,1900.
Each county shall bo entitled to
twice the number of delegates that it
has representatives in the lower
TnTni?TiT.f~llie gcaerar a&.ui—Wy
state of Georgia.
The committee further directed that
all notices of county conventions or
mass meetings shall be-posted at the
courthouse of the respective counties
of the state holding such con
vention or mass meeting at least ten
days before such convention or mass
meeting shall be held,and each county
shall give such further notice as it
may deem proper for the information
of its voters.
That no person shall vote or partic
ipate in any mass meeting or conven
tion called in any county of the state
for the purpose of electing delegates
under the call, or for electing dele
gates to a county convention convened
for the purpose, unless he be a legal
and qualified voter of his county at
the time of holding such mass meet
ing or convention, or was a duly reg
istered voter at the time of the pres
idential election of 1896.
That duplicate certificates of the
election of delegates, signed by the
chairman and secretary of the conven
tion or mass meeting electing said
delegates, shall be forwarded by the
secretary of the convention or mass
meeting immediately to the secretary
of the Republican state central com
mittee. All notices of contest shall be
submitted in writing, accompanied by
a statement setting forth the grounds
of contest, which shall be filed with
the secretary of the Republican central
state committee not later than three
days prior to the meeting of the Re
publican state convention; and no
person shall sit for a delegate by
proxy to the convention unless he be
a bona fide resident and voter of the
county represented.
W. H. Johnson-,
Chairman Pro Tern.
J. H. Dbveacx, Secretniy.
According to call the Republicans of
Geo-gia will take, an active part in
state politics this fall.
It is declared that candidates for
governor and other statehouse officers
will be nominated at the state conven
tion. If this plan is carried out it
will be the first time in a number of
years that the Republicans have put a
state ticket in the field and will bring
them more prominently into the arena
of state politics.
Considerable interest attaches to the
naming of a straight Republican state
ticket and is declared by prominent
members of the party that an active
campaign will be inaugurated.
One of the principal features of the
convention will be the naming of the
delegates to the nat : onal convention
which meets in Philadelphia, June
19th, and the indications are that there
will be warm contests for these places.
NO. 29.
“BALLOT RESTRICTION”
The Subject of a Strong Speech In
the Senate By Horgan,
of Alabama.
The feature of Monday’s session of
the senate was the speech of Senator
Morgan, of Alabama, upon the general
subject of ballot restriction in the
south. The senator from Alabama
took as the text for bis speech the res
olution introduced several days ago
by Senator Pritchard, of North Caro
lina, or rather the substitute which
that senator has since submitted in
place of his former resolution. The
substitute reads as follows:
Resolved, That an enactment by
constitution or otherwise by any
state which confers the right to
vote upon any of its citizens be
cause of their descent from certain
persons or classes of persons and
excludes other citizens because
they are not descended from such
persons or classes of persons, hav
ing all other qualifications pre
scribed by law, in the opinion of
the senate is in violation of the
fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments to the constitution of the
United States, and of a fundamen
tal principle of our republican
form of government.
In opening Senator Morgan said
that this resolution reveals the fact
that we have reached a danger point
in the history of the republic which we
cannot avoid or neglect. The next
apportionment of representation in the
house must be made by this, or the
fifty-seventh congress, said the senator,
and the principles on which the ap
portionment will be made will be a
question of the gravest importance in
this year’s election.
He believed the question ought to
be considered in advance of these
elections. The people should decide
involved in these
resolutions at the elections of this
year upon propositions submitted to
them in some form.
“I am convinced,” said the senator,
“that no other tribunal except the
people voting in the elections has the
right or the power to finally settle this
question here presented in the resolu
tion offered by the senator from North
Carolina.”
“ST. JACKSON’S DAY.”
Celebrated By the Jacksonian Club at
Omnba, Nebraska.
“St Jackson’s Day” was appropri
ately celebrated in Omaha, Neb.,
Monday by the Jacksonian Club.
Three separate functions were down
on the programme. The first was an
informal reception held at the club
headquarters in the afternoon, at
which W. J. Bryan, Congressmen
Carmack, of Tennessee; Overmeyer,
of Kansas; Weaver, of lowa, and sev
eral other Democratic lights, were the
guests.
Mr. Bryan was the chief centre of
attraction, and during the twe hours
the reception lasted several hundred
Democratshad paid their respects. At
6 o’clock a dinner was tendered Mr.
Bryan and a few other notables at the
Omaha Club.
At 9 o’clock occurred the annual
banquet of the club in the parlors of
the Paxton hotel. Covers were laid
for tbres hundred, and there were no
vacant places. An elaborate menti
was served, and it was near midnight
before the speaking began.
The speech of the evening was made
by Mr. Bryan in response to the toast,
“Our Nation.”
SOUTHERN PROGRESS.
Lilt of New Industries Established the
Past Week.
The more important of the new in
dustries reported for the past week
include coal mines in Alabama and
West Virginia; copper mines in Texas;
cotton mills in Georgia, Mississippi,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Ten
nessee; a cremating furnace manufac
tory in Georgia; an electric light com
pany in Arkansas; an electrical supply
company in Texas; flouring mills in
Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee,
Texas; gold mines and a handle fac
tory in Alabama; a hardware company
in Texas; an ice factory in Arkansas;
lumber mills in Kentucky,Mississippi,
South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas; a
machine shop in West Virginia; a
planing mill in Georgia; a silk mill in
North Carolina; a steel roofing plant
in Tennessee; a telephone exchange
and a tent manufactory in Texas. —
Tradesman (Chattanooga, Tenn.)