“Bribery and Corruption.”
Horace Turner having made affidavit against councilman J. F. Harris, charging him with having accepted a bribe of five dollars (three cash and two due to date of affidavit) for his vote or influence as councilman to retain said Horace as cart driver for the city, the case was tried before justice D. B. O’Bannon on Wednesday. Attorney Bates appeared for the prosecution and Harris illustrated the truth of the proverb that “he who defends his own cause has a fool for a lawyer,” by appearing for himself. After hearing the statement of Turner, and the remarks of the prosecutor and the defendant, the justice placed Mr. Harris under three hundred dollar bond for his appearance at Circuit Court. The bond was promptly given. Now let the Grand Jury jerk the cart driver for corrupting this immaculate pub. func.
Admirers of the councilman will be glad to know that the charge, which would have somewhat embarrassed, if it did not humiliate, a man uninspired by conscious innocence, or less metallic cheek, had no effect upon him. In fact, he seemed to rejoice in such an opportunity to air his eloquence, and boldly demanded of Horace the two dollars which he claimed as a portion of some unpaid fee, but which Horace contended was the balance of the unpaid bribery; and to the surprise of court and citizens, Horace victimized another negro and paid him then and there. The councilman chuckled as he clutched it, and was as happy as if there was no mildew of suspicion upon his official garments.