Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-05-04
THE LATE TRAGEDY.
CorOner's Inquest-TestImOny and
verdict.

COrOnerss Inquest-TestImony and
verdict.
Yesterday morning the investigation into
the circumstances attending the killing OF
Mr.. Patrick Reagan on the canal on Sunday
last, was entered into by the Coroner In the
City Court room, and attracted large
crowd. A number of witnesses were ex-
amined, and we submit herewith an official
copy OF the testimony taken:
John Harrison sworn and testified; Last
Sunday eve about O'Clock, was at the Cen
trail Railroad bridge by the water works, and
Emanuel Jones and Billy Graham had row
about twenty cents; Jonn Smltn came across
that wanted to have a row with MIN, ana Billy
told him the man was not there; ne nao gone
away; then he John SMITH said, is II any OF
these black s. of b. in the erowdr then
told John Smith not to call every man in the
crowd a So of b for we will not take it;
he then said he was not speaking to me;
then told him that Emanuel Jones and Billy
Graham were the parties and stepped back
then he John SMITH stepped up 70 emanuel
Jones and hit him in the back or the head;
then George Miller stepped up and parted
John Smith and Emanuel Jones: then Billy
Graham turned and shot at Emanuel Jones;
then John Smith crowded on E. Jones with
fork and z. Jones went towards the bridge,
and Billy lIralam SQOE at Z. Jones as ne was
going towards the bridge and Z. Jones turned
and shot at him BILLY Graham); the parties
recognized ia the crowd were John Harris
George Miller Harrison Williams, John Will
hams, Isaac Savage, John Smith. Billy Ora
ham, Emanuel Jones.
George Miller sworn and testified: Sunday
evening about 9 80 o'clock, Harrison Williams
and myself were sitting on the Central Rail
road bridge: John Smith came across the bridge
staggering; he went over to the water works
fence. where the crowd were and got into
row there; don't know what 1t was about;
the crowd got up and commenced curslng, and
John Smith commenced curSing Emanuel
Jones told him he was talking for his
money; that the fuss was settled that
morning, and he had nothing to do with 1t; at
that time Williams aud myself went up closer
to the crowd; then went up to John Smith
and said, John, what are you going to have
fuss for? you are larger than that boy;" heard
some one that was behind me say lookout"
when 1 turned around Emanuel Jones had
pistol in his left hand. cooked; when I went to
go back. fell; then Jones fired at John Smith;
at that time Sporting Billy pulled out his pistol
and fired at Emanuel Jones; at that time the
firing became general; Emanuel broke off and
ran, Billy behind him firing at him; then went
up and stood the bridge; Mr.. Knox came
on the bridge and said that there was a man
shot; William and myself went where the man
was lying; they then said he was dead; then
returned to the bridge; the policeman came
running from the Central Reilroad; looked at
him; he came up on the bridge where | MAS
standing; Gibbons toll him TO arrest me, as l
was in the crowd John Williams, Isaac Saw
age, Emanuel Jone7, Vim. Graham known as
Sporting,Biy were in the crowd l recognized
two that were in the crowd, John Harris and
Harrison Williams; l mean that the firing be-
came general with Emanuel Jones and VIM
Graham.
John Knox sworn and ties i1ed Sunday af-
ternoon, twenty minutes to four o'clock my
two boys, myself snd Mr.. Patrick Reagan (de-
ceasedl went to the pasture for our COWS; when
l got to the Central Railroad bridge l heard
some negroes quarreling; they were sitting
down gambling; one of them jumped up and
drew pistol and swore that he would kill the
man that stole his money; l then went across
the Central Railroad bridge, down the canal
bank, towards the water works; the negroes
jumped up and commenced shooting; looked
around aud saw Mr.. Reagan (deceased) stand
ing about twenty feet from the parties that
were shooting; was about five feet ahead of
Mr. Reagan at the time; my son told me he
hear1 pistol ball go over his head, and hur-
ried me on | turned around and called Mr.
Reagan l saw him fall across a log; l ran to
him, got him into my arms aud called two gentle
men that were passing along in a buggy; one
of them came to my assistance; laid Reagan
(deceaSed) on the ground and found that he
was dead the negroes still continued shooting
over the bridge (three of them); Policeman
Dean came over from the Central Railroad
wharf and arrested one of them; recognized
John Harris; he had brick in his hand Geo.
Miller, Thornton Williams, jeff Daniels, John
Jackson, Harrison Williams-they were all in
the crowd this occurred on the first day of May
Chatham county, State of Georgia; deceased
was on the bank; did not see who shot him.
the shots came from that crowd.
Harrison Williams sworn and testified: 1
was standing on the bridge; John Smith went
over by the water works fence where they
we're playing cards; he asked Billy who was it
that had row with him; Billy told him no.
body; John Smith said some one did have a
row with him; tell him who the black s. Of
b was; then Billy told him that the row
was settled; at that time John said that
Emanuel was the one, but the fuss was all
over; John Smith caught Emanuel by the back
of the neck; he had carving fork in his hand,
and said TO Smith, Il have good mind to kill
YOU Emanuel told him to go away; that he
did not want to shoot him; that he knew that
he (John) was better man than he was at that
time; Emanuel put his pistol in his
side pants pocket, and at that time
George Miller jumped in to keep John
Smith from stiking Emanuel with the fork;
at that time Emanuel ran back ten feet and
told George to get out of the way, and fired
one shot at John Smith; Emanuel then ran to-
wards the bridge Billy hallooing for everybody
to get out of the way; he then fred at Eman-
uel; Emanuel fired back: there were seven
shots fired, three by Billy Graham and four by
Emanuel; the last shot that Emanuel fred was
when he was going across the bridge; Emanuel
was firing from the corner of the bridge down
in the direction where Mr.. Reagan was shot at
Billy Graham.
John Derst sworn and testified: Sunday af-
ternoon, half past o'clock, | went to the Cen
trail Railroad wharf in company with my
brother in-law; while returning from the
steamer, between the Central Railroad bridge
and canal bridge (smalD, saw two negro men
quarreling; l told Mr.. Kraft that it seemed as
if those two men were going to fight; 1 hardly
spoke the word when one of them fired pis-
toll; after the first shot was fired two or three
commenced firing; my horse got frightened;
Mr.. Kraft and myself jumped out Of the buggy
and got hold of the horse; ona of them ran
and the rest followed, still firing; deceased
was on the other side Of the canal; when Twas
about starting off Mr. Knox called to us for
help; Mr.. Kraft went to him; drove the
side of the bridge and waited for Mr.. Kraft;
when Mr.. Kraft returned he told ME that
a white man was killed; we then
we got into Farm street saw young chap
negro with an old musket running up Indian
street lane; then saw him point the gun up
the lane; don't know who he pointed it at; /
think there were eight or ten in the crowd;
some eight shots Iheard.
Jacob Kroft sworn and testified: Last Sun.
day afternoon May LIST, 1881 aid my brother
in-law were coming from the Central Railroad
wharf in his buggy; as we got near the bridge
that crosses the canal l saw a crowd of ne
groes collected on the green on the
near the bridge they commenced to
shoot (the negroes; l saw a white man
down below; the horse got frightened; I
horse to keep him from backing into the river;
after the horse started off l heard some one
cry out, come down here and help us, as
man is shot," ran down there and saw Patrick
Reagan in the arms of John Knox; l then
saw that he was dead; | then called for Mr..
Derst to stop; think there were three persons
firing between the bridge and water works;
there were some ten; it seemed as il they
were fighting; this occurred in Chatham coun-
ty, State of Georgia; saw man with rifle
in his hand, pointing it at different persons; he
was one of the crowd.
After celebrating upon this evidence, the
Coroner previously delivering his charge,
the jury rendered the following
VERDICT.
eve, the jury, find that Patrick Reagan
came to his death by gunshot wound in
the hands of one of the riotous mob, viz:
Emanuel Jones, Billy Graham, John Smith,
Isaac SAVAGE John WillIams Harrison WI