Friday, 7th November 1913: Attorney Presents Alibi For Convicted Negro, The Atlanta Journal

Reading Time: 3 minutes [505 words]

Attorney Bernard L. Chapel has filed a

motion for a new trial for Oscar Wright, one of the two negroes convicted in

the superior court this week of holding up and assaulting Attorney Frank A.

Hooper, who was associated with the prosecution of the Frank case.

The attorney declares that Wright on

the date of the hold-up for which he was convicted, June 2, was in the county

chaingang, and Transfer Guard Aaron-Thompson declares that the negro was not

released until July 19.

PAGE 13, COLUMN 4

JOHN Y.

SMITH IS CHOSEN

TO TRY MRS. CRAWFORD

Solicitor Dorsey Disqualified in

Criminal Case, Which Is to

Be Heard Soon

John Y. Smith, young attorney and a

member of the state legislature, will prosecute Mrs. Mary Belle Crawford, who

is charged by a justice court warrant with the murder of her husband, the late

Joshua B. Crawford.

Mr. Smith was named Thursday afternoon

as solicitor pro tem by Judge Benjamin H. Hill, of the criminal division of the

superior court, the appointment being necessary because Solicitor General H. M.

Dorsey is disqualified in the case. The solicitors firm has been engaged in a

part of the litigation over the $250,000 estate left by the deceased, who was a

wealthy pioneer of this county.

Mr. Smith declared Friday he would

start work on the case during the day, and would make every effort to get it

before the grand jury early next week.

I am desirous of finishing the case as

quickly as possible, said Mr. Smith, and not only will use every effort to

get action by the grand jury, but in the event of an indictment, I will do my

utmost to force a trial of the issue within the next few weeks.

DEFENSE WANTS EARLY TRIAL.

Attorney Burton Smith, who, with Reuben

R. Arnold, represents Mrs. Crawford, appeared before Judge Hill and urged the

appointment of a solicitor for the case, saying that Mrs. Crawford was

extremely anxious to lift the cloud from her name. Attorney J. S. James, who

represents the so-called Crawford heirs, who are prosecuting Mrs. Crawford,

will assist Mr. Smith in the prosecution of the case.

It is probable that pending the outcome

of the criminal proceedings, the hearing of the civil litigation over the

Crawford estate may not be resumed for some weeks. The hearing, after having

been in progress before James L. Anderson as auditor for a couple of months,

was interrupted about two months ago because attorneys were engaged in the

Frank case.

Mr. Anderson is anxious that the civil

matter r be continued and disposed of, but it is probable that the case will

not be called until after there has been some action in the criminal matter.

The newly appointed solicitor pro tem

will also have charge of the prosecution of Frederick Lumb, the New York

barber, who has been charged by a warrant with conspiring with Mrs. Crawford to

produce her husbands death.

The principal witness against Mrs. Crawford

will be Dr. H. F. Harris, of the state board of health, who exhumed the body of

J. B. Crawford, who died in 1909, during the spring of this year, and who

claims to have found unmistakable traces of morphine poisoning.