Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-21
THE FArEFUL PISTOL.
A Young CoIOred Girl Shot i'm the
Head and MORALLY Wounded.

Yesterday afternoon about one O'Clock
an unfortunate affair occurred at the
house Of Henry Holmes, the well
known colored clerk in the post Office,
southeast corner of Jones and Lincoln
streets, which will in all probability re-
suit in the death Of his daughter Cynthia,
aged seventeen, from a pistol shot wound
Inflicted by Edmund Quarterman, colored.
In the dining room were Edward Quarter
man, his brother, Gus Quarterman, Mock
Quarterman, Sandy Davis, colored, and
Cynthia. It appears that a Smith
and Wesson pistol was lying
on the table in the room, and Edmund
Quarterman, who had been in the house all
the morning, picked up q looking-glass
which was near by, and, after handling 1t
for few minutes, put 1t down on
the table, remarking at the same
time to Cynthia that the pistol
would shoot her. She replied that
1t would not, as she was not interfering
with it, and did not intend to touch 1t. As
she made this remark, she turned her face
towards the fireplace where Mock Quarter
man was engaged in cooking, when she
heard report, and felt severe pain as the
ball entered her head near the left ear,
and she fell to the ground. Quarterman
rushed from the house, and, though
diligent search was made for him during
the afternoon aud evening, had not been sp
pretended up to late hour. Mock Quar-
terman picked the unfortunate girl up, and
started to wash the blood from her face.
She was sensible at the time and made
statement as above, also that there had
been no quarrel between them and no cause
whatever for the shooting. She soon after
wards sank into insensibility, and last night
1t was reported that she could not possibly
,, 4v@@v1 Io fOo
prehend internal bleeding. DIR. Bulloch
probed for the ball, but could not find it,
and the superstition is that 1t had entered
the brain. At midnight the Injured girl
was in very low condition.
The report created considerable excite
ment in the neighborhood, and In few
minutes after Policeman Kelly reached the
and Sandy Davis and carried them
to the barracks to be held as wit
nesses. During the evening o
representative of the MORNING NEWS called
at the barracks and saw the parties. Mock
Quartermau stated that he was engaged in
cooking dinner, and did not see the
shooting. When he heard the report
he turned and saw Cynthia fall
to the floor, and heard Ed
thia," and calling on one of them to run for
a doctor, dsrted out of the house him
self as though for that purpose, but did not
return. The other Quarterman said he was
half asleep on settee, and that Cynthia
and Edmund had been skylarking, and
had run around the table upon which the
pistol lay; that he knew nothing of the
shooting until he heard the report. Sandy
Davis made substantially the same state
ment. He said there had been no difficulty
whatever, and he could not account for the
shooting. Mock and Gus Quarterman, how
ever, stated that Davis had seen more
and knew more about the matter
than they did. They all knew the pistol
was on the table and acknowledged they
saw Edmund skylarking about it. Yet,
strange to say, none of them witnessed the
shooting and say they do not know who had
the pistol. The remark of Edmund, how
ever, and his speedy flight, leaves no doubt
in regard to the matter; but his motive, If
any, and from the statement of Cynthia,
there was no cause, is mystery.
Magistrate Woodhouse issued a warrant
during the afternoon, which was placed In
the hands of a constable, who at once
started In search OF Edmund, and the police
are also on the lookout for him.
Edmund Quarterman is from Liberty
county, where his father lives, near
Fleming.