Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-21

George wallace II 7uBd Guilty BY n
Coronerss Jury OF the killing of
the Sailor Jansen.

the sailor Jansen.
At i've O'Clock yesterday afternoon an in
vestigation into the death Of Martin L. jan
sen, who was killed on Saturday night, near
Lawson's dance house, on Reynolds street,
was commenced before Coroner sheftall in
the Superior Court room. The following is
full synopsis Of the testimony as taken,
and also the statement Of the prisoner.
THE EVIDENCE.
Mr.. Isaac Russell submitted a statement
from which we extract the following: Late
on Saturday night was aroused by Lieut..
Howard, who Informed me that a white
man had been murdered, and asked me
where James Kittens lived. He stated that
a witness had informed him that the man
who did the killing was constable in Jus
tice Russell's office, and gave description
OF him, and that he was during Satur-
day at the Gulf Road. | stated to
Lieut. Howard that | did send KiIleps
and Wallace TO the Gulf Road with q
prisoner on Saturday, and that the
description given answered to that of Wal
lace, and that had given my pistol to Wal
lace with instructions to take It to nv resi-
dence. On Sunday morning | went to Wal
lace's wife and told her the circumstances
and she told me that she left Wallace in bed
aud that his room was on Jones, between
Bull and Drayton streets. l went to his
room aud found Wallace In bed. l woke
him up and asked him for my pistol; he got
up, took the pistol from the washstand and
handed 1t to me; / examined it, as It Wss
loaded. and had not been fred off;
| asked Wallace II he had been to
dance on Saturday night, to which he
replied Eyes, that he had been to see Han
nah Founder to collect some money for YOU
and then went to hop" | asked him If he
had any difficulty, and he answered that
some sailors wanted to take his watch and
he had some fuss about 1t and was COM
PEELED to leave and went home. then said
TO Wallace Eyes, you have killed a man."
He said, mo, Judge, no one was injured;
only some fussing about nv watch and no
man was killed" repeated the charge and
he seemed surprised, and thought
was j king, when 1 told him there
was a witness to prove it. He then pro-
claimed his innocence, and stated he knew
nothing about man being killed, and that
he did Lot have the heart to kill any one. l
then took him to jail and delivered him to
the jailor, and wrote note TO Lieutenant
Howard informing him that had delivered
Wallace up; never knew Wallace to carry
pistol; the ball found in deceased was Of q
much smaller cslibre than those used In the
pistol which | gave him to take to nv
house; he is harmless and foolish 10 his
manner, Is a coward. and Ia my opinion did
not have courage to shoot any one.'
George Bossell testified: l went down to
Lswson's house to see 3 friend, and not
finding him, went over to Dawar,is to see IL
he was there. but he was no'; don't know
the exact time, but think It was about l
O'Clock when started for home; when the
constable, Wallace, ran out, followed by a
young man. who tried TO arrest him: ran
to the corner 10 see what was the matter.
and as | did Wallace ran into the middle of
the street and fred at the young man, who
turned to run and fell upon the ground;
saw the deceased snd then went home.
Cross examined: The deceased ran
after Wallace, crying "Arrest him % don't
know what kind OF pistol It was he fired.
but am certain Wallace fred the shot no
one was with me at the time OF the shoot.
ing; haliooed dob. Lord, some one has
shot my chum !" do not know why de-
ceased ran after Wallace and said arrest
him l saw deceased fall on the stoop after
he had run back about twenty feet /: I was
In La~son's, but saw nothing but dancing :;
did not see Wallace IN Lawson's, but saw
him on the other side of REYNOLDS street !;
there were two lights in the street.
William Yenkin was sworn, but bis test
mony revealed nothing of importance In
connection with the murder.
William Young testified: went down TO
IaWson's with couple of friends to meet
the mate OF q vessel, whom we had appoint
ed to meet there; we took glass of beer at
the bar, and had been there about ten min
u'es when | saw Mrs. Lawson putting Wal
lace out; while he was going out there were
some thirty or forty pressing around him
after he got out | heard the report of q
pistol; my friends and | had not left
the bar when they brought in a white man
who had been shot and laid him on the
floor; his friend, a Chinsman, began to CRY .
l went outside with my friends and heard
that colOred officer had done the shooting
the one | saw put out: recognize the
prisoner Wallace as the man who was put
out the place by Mrs. Lawson; am a native
OF Philadelphia; been in Savannah about
three months.
James Burns testified: Saturday night
about eleven O'Clock 1 stepped over to Mr..
Lawscn'f and heard some one say, "Put
him out ~ and q man ran out of the
door, and showed up against me; saw him in
LaWson's with pistol in his hand, which
he showed to woman, ard asked her If
she wanted to make any money; l then
stepped of the stooo, and heard deceased
halloo "arrest him." I ran over to Dewart's
and heard pistol fred and ran there; saw a
man running, aud say 81 am SD ot:n he then
fell on Lawson's stoop, and was taken into
the saloon; did not see who fired the pistol;
| saw the blaze as It was fired, but did not
see the face of the man who shot, as It was
dark.
STATEMENT OF THE PRISONER,