Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-25
ANorHER lrRAGEDx.
An Escaped Convict Fights for Lib
erIy-He shoots the Arresttng Om-
Ger and Is Killed--The Inquest.

erty-He shoots the Arresting Ofn-
Ger and Is KilIed--The Inquest.
Yesterday morning Coroner Sheftall held
an inquest upon the body of Jack Wilson
alias Williams, coIousd man who was kill
ed at q house near Belmont, about five
miles from the city, on. Tuesday.
Wilson was q somewhat notorious ne
gro, and was under sentence of the Su-
perior Court of Glynn county for burglary.
In company with another prisoner, he
was being brought by the Sheriff to Savan-
nah to be incarcerated In the jail here for
greater security some four months ago.
When making the change at Jesup, the
negroes made a break for liberty. The
Sheriff fred upon them, killing Thompson,
the other prisoner, and Wilson escaped,
since which time he has been around SaVan-
nah.
There were warrants out against him for
several other offenses in Glynn county, and
a reward had been offered for his apprehen
sion. Mr.. w. F. Pittman, who holds the
position Of Deputy Sheriff of GlYnn county,
and from whose custody Wilson had on one
occasion escaped. has been in Savannah the
past five or six weeks. On Sunday he heard
that Wilson was floating around Savannah,
and he determined upon his capture. As
Wilson knew him, a little strategy was nee
essary, SO he employed three colored men
to assist him and 20 effect the capture
of the escaped desperate. 1t was learned
that Wilson was living with his breYet wife
at Belmont, ascoored settlement about five
miles from the city, and that he purposed
going to Jesup Tuesday afternoon. There,
hence, was no time for delay, and Deputy
Sheriff Plttmsn, with his posse, proceeded
to the place on Tuesday morning, the three
colored men going In advance as they neared
colored men to get in the house on
pretense Of making a visit, and, taking
Wilson by surprise, secure him, and call
for Mr.. Pittman. This plan did not exactly
work out satisfactorily, as two of the
negroes became scared and ran of when
Wilson, who probably suspected something,
SUCCESSFULLY asked his wife for his gun. The
other, Daniel Gay, grabbed Wilson and
called for Mr.. Plttman, who quickly ran
forward, but as he appeared Wilson recog-
nized him and at once fired
upon him, which prevented his enter
ing. Wilson then knocked a hole
in the old clay chimney with the apparent
intention of escaping by that way, observ-
ing which, Mr.. Pittman ran around to the
back of the chimney to intercept him.
Peeping through the hole thus made he
found Wilson had his gun leveled at him,
when he Immediately fired his pistol, and at
the same time the gun was discharged and
its contents lodged in the right eye and
temple of Mr.. Wilson, inficting fearful
ugly and painful wound. The ball from
Pittman's pistol struck Wilson In the
abdomen, and he died a short while
afterwards. Mr.. Plttman came to the city,
and the matter was reported to the Coro-
ner, and the inquest was held yesterday
afternoon, when several witnesses were
sworn. The
TESTIMONY
was not as explicit and clear as 1t might
have been, the witnesses repeating their
statements frequently in a rather incoheTent
way, but sufficient was CLEANED to satisfy
the jury that the killing was done in self
defense. The following facts were elected:
Daniel Gay, being sworn, testified:
went out to Belmont and was there before
these two men came out; and after they
came Jack Wilson called to his wife to get
some gun caps for him; he then went to
work and primed his gun and put It in the
room; after these two men came up he got
up and put on his coat; then | gave Miss
Norman ten cents to go and get water
melon; after the boy came back with the
watermelon l called the two men in the
house to look at It; went up to Wilson and
| told him that | arrested him in the name OF
| the State; he ran his hand in his pocket to
| get his pistol out; while he was getting his
| pistol l closed in on him and then called for
those two men to come to my assistance;
before help arrived he shot at my brother
once, when he ran out; he then shot at Paul
Bing once; while l had him around the
waist he fred five shots; he was sentenced
to the penitentiary for two years for steal
ing; in Brunswick he was sentenced TO the
chain gang for twelve months; after that,
on one occasion arrested him for another
offense, and while on the way to jail he got
away from me, he then returned to Glynn
county and broke into the store of Mr.. Tyson
and took $500 the latter part OF last year;
the people were glad to get rid OF him; then
Mr.. Tyson offered 500 reward for him;
| Wilson fred at Mr. Pittman first; l had no
| pistol; after be got loose from me he asked
| his wife for a double-barrelled gun, and
soon after l saw him come out with the gun;
do not know whether she handed 1t TO
him or he got it himself; Mr.. Pittman came
into the house, but thinking Wilson was
| going to get out through the back Of the
| chimney, he (Pittman) went outside; when
the party snapped at him from the chimney
| Mr.. Pittman shot at him; after Mr.. Pittman
| shot at him he saw Pittman through the
same hole in the chimney and shot at him
again; If Mr.. Pittman had run the
party would have shot him down;
| didn't have hold of him when he had the
| gun; when Piltman called for help l went
| to him: IL had not have held him as | did
he might have killed some others OF us;
had told the other men to prepare them
selves; | was not armed; he knew me, but
did not know the other men; after he shot
five times and shot at Mr. Pittman once be
then shot at Pittman, and the shot struck
| him; be was a smaller man than me, but
could not have been stronger, as could
not have held him; have been here since
| the last of May; Mr.. Pittman came here, and
i 7 H., I Z ba of
| prisoner yet, and he said not exactly, but as
| he got away from me l may try to arrest
him; did not see that Mr.. Pittman had
warrant.
Nancy Wilson, being sworn, testified: Yes
terday morning three men came to my
house and commenced to play; after they
commenced to play my husband went in the
house and took chair and sat by the door;
Daniel Gay gave Tim Gibbes' wife ten cents
| to 90 and get a watermelon; when the melon
came, Gay said, "Come in, boys, and see
| what small watermelon she got for ten
cents ~ at that time my husband went to
the table, when Daniel Gay caught him be-
hind his back and said, 81 arrest you in the
name of the United Statesi" then | got up
and said, "Whst is all this in the house ~
just at this point a white man ran in the
house and said, "Boys, don't hurt him."
and as he said so, heard pistol shot the
white man ran out and shot him through
the chimney when the white man shot,
cried out, ''Don't kill my husband ~ when
said don't kill my husband" he threR
down the gun in his hand. When at home
he is called William Wilson; l recognize the
deceased to be my husband, William Wilson
alias Jack Wilson; my husband was in jail
in Brunswick, Ga; his home is in Glynn
county; the deceased was a very quiet,
peaceable man; / saw my husband shoot
the white man when | went to. the
Of9 - I cafd hot hrc
band was shot for nothing.
After this examination the Coroner and
his jury visited the residence occupied by
Mr.. Pittman, on Henry street, near Whita-
ker, to take his statement. Mr.. Pittman
was found to be suffering greatly and his