The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-09-28

The tate o. the unfortunate colored man
who was found with his head beaten In on
the beach at Fort Johnson, and who was for
warded by DR.. B. NJ. Lebby 70 the City Hospl-
tai, and the mystery attending the catastro-
phe, created considerable excitement yester-
day on the street. 1t became generally known,
about IL o'clock, that the supposed
murderer had been arrested. Officer Tru-
all, of the detective force, was walk
ing near Gadsden wharf, at the foot
of Calhoun street, when he overheard knot
of men discussing the fat horror as narrated
by DR.. Leb5y. Upon interrogating a colored
man who was employed hauling wood on the
wharf, the officer learned that Moses Washing.
ton and Simon Grant, two colored men, had
left Gadsden's wharf in fiat on Friday, and
that Moses had since returned without being
able to give any account of Grant. Further,
| that his informant had seen Moses on Tuesday
morning, and on attempting to interrogate
him about the affair, Moses had made off,
Aeout this time Moses came up, and the wood
hauler pointing him out, the officer immediate
ly arrested him and brought him to the Guard
house. On the way to the Guardhouse Moses
told his story about the fiat, and when quietly
incarcerated was interviewed by our reporter.
Moses Is q youthful looking negro Of about
twenty-five years of age. His eyes are small,
and his forehead long and retrealng. The
most peculiar feature about him is his mouth,
which is very large, armed with several large
yellow teeth, and when in repose covered by
two thick wide lps,s which wander over the
lower part of his face until 1t Is hard TO say
where they begin or end. His story, which
came out easily and with but few interroga.
tions, is as follows: He was formerly work.
ing on Mr.. Graves's plantation, on Cooper
River, but afterwards left and came down to
the city 20 hunt up something to do. On
Friday afternoon he met Simon Grant, whom
he knew well, on GadsdeR's wharf, and Simon
proposed that Moses should go with him over to
Hunts Ferry, toward Mount Pleasant, for
load of wood. Alter some bargaining Moses
agreed to 30 for one dollar a load, and, the
two having entered, the fiat started out. The
fat was small one, obtained from the wood
yard at Gadsden's wharf, capable of carrying
about two cords Of wood, black tarred, bnt
not painted. The two set out rowing, there
being no wind, but strong ebb tide running
out OF the harbor. He had to do all the row.
ing, as Simon would not work, and the fiat
drifted swiftly down the river. He thought
they were going out to sea, and halloed seve-
raj times for help. 1t got dark. while they
were struggling against the tide, and as they
ao.led near Fort Johnson they passed by
ship anchored IN the stream. Attracted by
his (Mosess) cries, the captain sent a boat with
two sailors in it to the fiat to bring of the
men. Simon would not 60 himself, and reius-
ed to let him 60, and the boat left them. Mo-
ses got frightened and began 10 cry. Just then
as the fat had drifted near Fort Johnson,
about one hundred yards from the shore,
Simon was standing up cursing him, and said
he did not care If he went to hell; he had been
hired to row the fat aud should stick by her.
Moses replied, VI will try and save myself"
and Jumped into the water. After swimming
about fifty yards, he touched the bottom and
waded ashore. He looked back and saw Simon
standing in the fat as it drifted away seawards.
Not knowing where he was, he went on the
shore and got lost in the woods. He slept
there until Saturday morning, when he walk
ed to place which he learned belonged to
Captain Habenicht, and was called the Bluff.
He here got passage to the city In boat for
Ten cents. He then went to the house of his
uncle, Peter Slmons, in Wall street, and told
him all that had happened. Monday ne went
down to Gadsden's wharf, and was arrested as