Friday, 12th September 1913: Crawford Jackson Indicted Statement On Case Issues, The Atlanta Journal

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Grand Jury Returns Bill Against Minister on Testimony of Girl and Her Parents " Fourteen-Year-Old Boy Indicted for Murder

Rev. Crawford Jackson was indicted by the grand jury Friday morning for attempted criminal assault, the indictment growing out of the charges made a short while ago by a young girl who was in his office. An indictment for attempted criminal assault was returned also against John T. Mitchell, the white man arrested by the country complaint on the accusation of a young girl living on the Utoy road.

A true bill charging murder was returned against Frank Barton, a fourteen-year-old white boy, charged with having stabbed his playmate, John Edgar, about July 4.

Three witnesses were heard by the grand jury before the indictment against Mr. Jackson was returned. The girl in the case, her sister, and her father testified, following which the true bill was signed.

MR. JACKSON'S STATEMENT

Following the indictment, Mr. Jackson said that he had been at a disadvantage at the preliminary trial in having only ten minutes in which to make a slight preparation for it, and that both he and his attorney had been led to believe that the warrant would be dismissed.

As to the action of the grand jury, Mr. Jackson said, I ask the public to withhold judgement until the case can come to trial and the evidence can be produced.

The trustees of the Juvenile Protective association who were asked by me on July 28 to consider this matter, put themselves on record on August 27 as not believing the charges made against me.

Mr. Jackson added that he had received numbers of expressions from people here and throughout the state"both oral and written"assuring him of their confidence in him.

BARTON'S MOTHER PRESENT

The indictment of little Frank Barton created a wave of sympathy for the mother of the boy among the court attaches. All during the session the frail little woman sat outside the grand jury room awaiting the result of the jury's deliberation on her baby's case.

When the true bill was returned none of the deputies wished to break the news to the mother, but finally she was told that the boy was charged with murder.

MOTHER HEARS NEWS

She stiffened as though she had received a blow, struggled with the tears, and then began to weep quietly.

He was only playing, she said. Johnny told me that at the hospital too, when I went to see him. Lying there on the bed the little boy said, Don't you worry, Mrs. Barton, Frank didn't mean to do it. We were just playing. I showed him how I would do if a Mexican got after me, and he tried to show me how he'd do. Just as he hit out with the knife, I stepped closer and he hit me.'

The mother wept while she talked.

He is my only baby, she said. Then she straightened up and began to dab at her eyes with her wet handkerchief.

I'll just brighten up my eyes a little, she said, before I go down to my baby.

Then she mustered up a smile and went to comfort the little boy who will be tried for murder on the true bill.

The stabbing took place in July on Kennedy street. The little Edgar boy lived until the next day after the stabbing.

One other true bill charging murder was returned against Vada Wright, a negro woman, who is accused of the murder of Bessie Green, another negress.

NEWT LEE IGNORED

It was expected that a bill charging murder which was drawn against Newt Lee, the watchman at the National Pencil factory who figured in the Frank case, would be presented to the grand jury to be no-billed, but it was not taken up Friday morning.

Later the grand jury will take action on it, however, in order to clear the records in the case by formally returning the no-bill.