Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-30
A DOUBLE TRAGEDY.
OGeers In search OF an Assassin
The Wrong Man Kfued-Corones's
LnQuest-TwO Verdiets.

/ lnQue@k-IWo NeF0hCtAs
Yesterday morning early there was con-
siderable interest aroused over the report
that q colored man had been killed In row
at dance on the previous night, and that
his assailsnt had subsequently been shot by
a policeman, and had died about eight
O'Clock in the morning at the police barracks,
whittier be had been removed. Upon in
vestigaiing this reported double tragedy we
learned the following particulars:
On Wednesday night difficulty occurred
a. 8 house near Eastern Hall, IN the vicinity
Of the yard Of the Savannah, Florida and
Western Railway. between two negroes,
Elias Harris and John Lsnier, which termi-
nsted in the latter shooting Harris, VINO
1 fell TO the ground. seriously wounded. La
uier then 4 d, and s physician was 81 once
| summoned to the relief of Harris DR..
Bulloch responded, aud upon examination
! pronounced the wound mortal. Immedt-
/ stely after the occurrence, Jackson Davis,
cOlored, who was present at the time, pro-
cetded TO the police barracks and notified
rhe officer on duty, at the same time stating
that De could direct sn officer to where be
believed Lanier had taken refuge, the
showing having previously been reported
BY Sergeant Green.
/ Lieut.. Howard, who was on duty, detsiled
Policemen John Crowley and W. T. Nun
gsz-r to accompany Davis, aud the party
/ left the barracks shortly after ten O'Clock
and were pilo'ed by their guide to the juno
ton Of the White Bluff road and the S.
vannah, Florida and Western Railway, about
one mile and half from the
| city, where are located the quarters for
/ the station hands of the road. On reaching
his point the party knocked at the door Of
/ the house occuIi-d by Mr.. F. NJ. Murray,
rhe SECTION master, and inquired IL there
were any strange negroes in ais camp. He
/ arose, stating that he did not know, but
would accompany the officers and Davis 70
/ one of the shanties, on resehing which ad-
mittaEce was demanded. No attention was
| paid TO the demand for some minutes, when
/ the door was opened by a cOlored man, who
| looked out, and, perceiving the officers, i'm
mediatelY closed the door again
/ and attempted to spring from
the window. Finding his escape
| cut of from this quarter, be swung open
the door, and springiug outside broke into
/ rup. Davis Immediately called out
that's the man." and the officers yelled to
the fugitive TO stop. but he continued run
ming, when he was fred upon several times.
| BE fell bu- quickly arose aud started to run
| again, when another shot was fired and he
| iumbled over OIL the ground. The party
/ Lutu hRpEOaCuCu 1HC pIOSlEdbC 0ous WuCn "
was discovered that he was not John Lanier
| but a colored man named Isaac Hicks, not
| the one they were after.
Hicks was found TO be badly wounded
| having been shot in three places, and was
| placed 10 a W gon and conveyed to the
/ police baTrseks, where he received attention
| from Dr.. J. 7. Mcfarland, who at once pro-
nounced him fatally wounded. He died
/ yesterday morning early. The Coroner was
no flied, and, empaneling jury, proceeded
| 70 the barracks, where the body was
| viewed, and afterwards adjourned to the
court house, where an inquest was opened
/ and TESTIMONY was taken:
Lieutenant J. T. Howard. being sworn,
| deposeth and saith: At 10 o'clock last
night Sergeant Green came to the office and
/ said that Elias Harris had been shot in the
ward near Eastern Hall on the Savannah,
| Florida and Western Railroad; l directed
| Sergeant Green togo back and investigate the
/ matter; be reported that Elias II 4rris, col
/ ored was shot through the neck by John
Lanier, cClOred; DR.. BullOch, Jr., was pres
ent, aud stated that the man was fatslly
| sho'; thereupOn l detailed Pr'vates Nun
| ger and Crowley, with Jackson Davis,
| Who could identify John Lsnier, to a point
| al The intersection of the White Bluff and
| Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad
| they proceeded at once TO the ground, aud
a. Ills Isasc Hicks was brought to the bar
/ racks sho Immediately sent for DR. j. T.
| McFarlsnd, Health Officer, who examined
| Hicks aud stated he was fatally wounded
| through the head; he died at o'clock this
morning.
Gross xamined Sent Policemen Nun
| gsz r audCrowley to arrest the man supposed
to have killed Harris; policemen had no
warrants; thought they would go fl on the
Savannah, 2 O-ida and Wes'ern Railroad
sbouf three miles from the city.
Lieutenant Howard being recalled, stated
that the men he had sent to inv s'ieate the
case wer- cool aud collected, ard e thought
theV could do their duty wei hey were
sent out 70 arrest the party unG the State
Law l was told that John Lanier was the
murderer.
STATEMENT OF DIR. ]. 7. M'FARLAND.
was called this morning, few minutes
| 70 one O'Clock, to attend wounded man at
the police barracks; responded, and upon
going into the station house of the barracks
found a negro man lying upon the floor,
and upon examination, found a guDshOt
wound in the left temporal region; the
wound wss near line with and in rear OF
he eve, and the man in a diving condition;
made no other ex animation of the man, as
| the wound above described was, In my opin-
ion, positively fatal; l am satisfied that
death was caused by the wound above de-
scribed.
The testimony of jackson Davis was, in
| substance, the same as that given above.
He stated that Hicks resembled Lsnier
greatly, and hence his belief that when he
was running he was the man they were after.
Jack Williams stated that he was 10 the
house with Isaac Hicks, Willis POoles and
three cOlored boys. They were all living
down when Mr. Murray and the officers
came to the door; Hicks was lying along
side OF bin; when Mr. Murray called to
Hicks to open the door he got up to obey,
aud willis POoles told him not to mind
them; Hicks, however, got up and went to
the door. and, seeing the men, ran back to
the window and was ordered away; he then
rushed to tbe door and ran out, when the
men bailed him and said they would shoot
him n he did not stop, witness then heard
three pistol shots, and learned that Hicks
was wounded; be did not know LaBier, who
was not accustomed to coming TO the house;
knew Hicks to be a quiet, peaceable man
did not hear any one say outside OF the
house, ''that was the man." this occurred
about one and half miles from the city on
the Savannah, Florida and Western Rail
Wv
There were no material facts developed
by the testimony of Mr.. Murray aud Aleck
Douglas and Gilbert Douglas Mr.. Murray
stated that no call was made for "Lanier"
when the man ran out of the house, and
be could not say whether the fugitive could
have been csught or not.
The following is the statement OF the
policemen:
STATEMENT OF POLICEMAN W. NUNGAZER.
About 10 o'clock last night Lieutenant
Howard selected me to go out and make
this arrest with Policeman Crowley and this
man J 4ckson Davis to identify himi we got
out on the Savannah, Florida and Western
Railway, near the White Bluff road; | in
CURED Of the section master If he knew any
such man by the name of John Lanier; he
said be did, but thought be was not there
then: l ask ed him to give me permission TO
90 in his place 70 see IL he was there, which
he did, stating that he would accompany
me; be went out in the yard and saw the
man IN the door; | cannot say who he was;
| as soon as he saw us he shut the door; Mr..
Murray called to him to come and open the
door. so he could see IL anynoey else was in
there; he did not come for fully five min
| utes; when he came he cracked the door
about three inches; then he shut the door;
asked him to let me come in; he theu ran
to the windoV; told Policeman Crow 'ey
to go to the window and not let him out;
ran to the window then my elf; l saw
him then run from the window to
the front door; told him to stop where
he was; be broke open the door, and then ran
this man, Jackson d avis, saws: "That is the
man." 1 called him to halt-if he did