Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-25
THE SPRENGFIELD PLANrA-
TION MURDER.
The investigation Into the killing
of Richard SmalI-ImpOrtantW Wit
nesses Expected To-Day.

nesses Expected To-Day.
The investigation commenced by the |
Coroner on Monday into the killing of
Richard Small, on Springfield plantation,
has been prolonged on account of the diff
Guilty in procuring certain important wit
nesses. The jury met sgain at the court
house yesterday morning at 10 O'Clock, but,
for the reasons stated no further examination
was entered into. The Coroner stated that
arrangements had been effected for secur-
ing the witnesses desired, who live In the
county, and that they would be here to-day.
As a matter of convenience to the jury, and
to avoid interrupting their usual avocations,
IL was decided to postpone the inquest until
half past six O'Clock this afternoon at the
court house, when, it is expected, all the
witnesses viii be present and the inquest
concluded Nash, who is charged with the
killing, is still at large. The following COM
prises all the testimony thus far taken:
Harrison Stewart, being sworn, testified:
Last Saturday we went out to Major RYals'
place at Springfield expecting to shout;
while we were there waiting for the people
to gather, my brother laid down on the
bench and went to sleep; Richard Small
came in; Richard laid down and some Of the
boys said watch Dick; we had better go
home for Dick will steal; my brother had a
watch In his pocket; felt for it and woke
him up; asked him where was his watch;
he felt in his vest pocket and said 1t was
gone; said "well, well, welI;" the rest of
them said where is it, what is it; l said, my
brother was sleeping and his watch is gone;
the boys said 60 for Dick for he has got it,
for Dick will steal; we went for him and we
overlook him; the man Nash Williams, alias
Nj. Hull, and Gus Williams, went before
IL.
back to the house where you came FROM"
deceased replied "what for;" Nash said,
''sometbing is missing and you must co."
| deceased said 81 will go;" he walked few
steps and then stopped; he said, gentle
men what have l to go back for" l said 81
don't know whether you must 90 back or
not, but there is something that is
/ II you had IT." holding up his two
hands he said, gentlemen, search me;" de-
| ceased came to me and said If / have any
| thing belonging TO you, search me; / said
/ after you say that you have not got it l am
/ satisfied; deceased went to my brother and
said the same; my brother replied to him,
am perfectly satisfied after you say you have
not got It; he then went to the man Kato
Nash and held up his hands the same way
and said, il l have anything belonging to
/ you you can search me; this man Nash ran
| back and said, don't come near me, for |
will not search you; my brother and myself
said we were satisfied, let us go; Richard said,
l am going to town, II you are going let us
| 90: We replied, we do not live that way; we
said, let us go on; we went on few steps;
this man Nash stopped; deceased said you
| seem TO be more interested than the man
that it belonged to; Nash said, Cd d-n it,
/ don't talk that way to me, will blow your
/ brains out; we said no, that thing will hurt
US; in that time Nash shot; Dick fell at the
| fire of the pistol; he made one struggle and
| Nash went back and shot him again; we
Mash said, sit seems that you are going to
| tell about it,, and If YOU tell l will
/ kill both of you, and now what are
you going to doy" My brother and
myself said: 'tno sir, we will not tell" Nash
said: ego on before me, and when you get to
the house don't tarry five minutes, If you
| do will shoot the pair OF you any how; so
don't YOU tell none of those men; 1 went in
the house to try and give him the dodge"
Nash said: "come on and let US go, for want
to go home;" and when we got out of the
house he said: "march before me, and don't
you say a word to any one and go on right
| homer" we said to him: eyes sir" Sunday
by sunrise 1 was in town, inquiring for a
/ sheriff or a constable; | went down to
| WethCrhorn's, where l was directed; wait
ed few minutes; did not see any one, so
l went on up to the jail; reported to the
jsiler that man was shot Saturday night;
| the men were not drinking; heshootiDg was
done about 2:30 o'clock a. m.
Thomas Hartly, being sworn, testified: 1t
| is very noisy on. there on Saturday nights;
| l am obliged to close up, as they are always
cursing and throwing brickbsts, and pistol
balls are always flying around; the whole
| Saturday night they keep up the row; /
never 90 to sleep Saturday night for fear
Of the place getting burned; PERSONS life
| is in danger out there if only passi by.
Frank Stewart, being sworn, tes' d: Oh
| last. Saturday night was out to N j Ryals'
| place; went out there to shout =; while
We were waiting for the people to gather l
laid down on a bench and went to sleep; l
was awakened by my brother; he asked me
where was my watch; | felt In my vest
pocket, and l said it was gone; brother
said, DWELL, well, WE'LL" the other men
! REPLIED, "What is it9n | said brother was
laying down here asleep, and his watch is
gOne;" the man replied, go for Dick, fer
Dick has goti SIS he will steal;" we went for
and overlook him; this man Nash walked
before him, and said, "Hello, mister, you
must 90 back to the house where you came
FROM" the deceased said, $50 back for
whst?" he walked few steps, when he
stopped and said, "Gentlemen, what have
to 90 back fOr?" my brother replied, "For
something that was lost; we only came to
ask you did you have it;'' he held up his
hands and said, "Gentlemen, search me-"
he first went to my brother and
said, ''if l have got anything belong
ing TO you, search me-" my brother
replied, elf you say you have not got 1t,
/ am satisied;n he came to me; he did the
same; l replied, am perfectly satisfied; he
goes to the other man, Nash, and he said
the same thing; Nash ran back, saying don't
come to me; as we were going back to the
house Nash stopped, and Dick said, Mister,
you seem more interested than the men it
belongs to; Nash said don't talk to me that
way, If you do l will shoot your id brains
out; | said no no ! that will hurt us; then
Nash shot, and the man fell; then Nash shot
him again; and my brother started for
home after Nash shot; then Nash stopped
us, and we asked him, what did he do that
for: he replied, it looks like you are going
to tell; II you tell, l will kill the pair Of
you; Nash replied, what are you going to
do? we replied that we would not tell; he
then marched US on before him, and said,
when we got to the house, don't tarry i've
minutes, If you do | will shoot the pair
anyhow; so we went to the house and went
In; he afterwards says, come, let's go,
want to 20 home; so we came out and
started off, and he marched us on right
before him, and said we must go on right
home; we went on home; he told us we
must not tell anyone; so, on Sunday morn
ing, my brother came to my house to 60 to
town 10 report it.
Thomas Hartly being sworn testified:
On Saturday night am obliged to close up
my store very early, as there is always
noisy crowd all Saturday night, cursing,
| throwing brickbats, and pistol balls are 1Y-
| ing around the whole night ! never go to
sleep Saturday night for fear of the place
getting burned; ! have many respectable
colored neighbors who will testify to the