Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-06
HOmrCtDR N XAmAORAW.
Killed NJ a Card Table I'm a Bar
rOem-Escape of the Slayer-Coro"
nerss JutV in a QuandarT.

There was considerable excitement in
Yamacraw yesterday morning over the re-
port that a negro had been murdered in
saloon at the corner Of St. Gaul and Orange
streets, called the "Olympic," and con-
Quoted BY two colored men, Barton & Smith.
Large crowds Of colored people assembled
in the immediate vicinity, and st times the
streets were almost impossible for the
crowds. The tragedy occurred some time
between three and four o'clock In the morn
ing, and, strange to ssy, was not generally
known until after daylight.
The particulars NAV be briefly stated:
About eight O'Clock on Tuesday night Josiah
Harden, q colored laborer at the Central
Railroad wharf, entered the saloon men
toned, where he found q number Of ne
groes engaged in playing cards, and
OF course there was drinking. After loi-
tering about the place short while Har-
den concluded to take hand In
s game st one Of the tables with party.
There YVES no cessation in the playing, all
the parties seemingly being determined to
make a night of It. Nothing out of the
way occurred, however, until about three
O'Clock in the morning, when q sudden ter
mination was put to the game by terrible
tragedy-the deliberate taking Of human
life.
In the barroom, during the later hours OF
the night, was 8 negro by the name OF
James Spalding, who, It is stated, has the
reputation of being a desperate, and always
''spOiling for q fight" About the hour
mentioned he approached the party with
whom Harden was playing, and standing
over that individual glanced at the cards he
had in his hand. Harden, presuming that
Spalding was friend of the party against
whom he was playing, and was looking at
his (Harden's) "hand" with the view of
giving his opponent ga point" re-
quested him to 90 away. Spalding
was sngered by this request, and some
harsh words followed, bur, 1t is stated, no
appreh tensions of anything serious growing
out OF the controversy was felt. Presently.
however, Spalding, it is alleged, remarked
in a threatening tOne--tI'm IN trouble any
how, and don't care d-n," aud, drawing
a revolver, deliberately fred at Harden. the
ball striking him in the right side and in
fiictiDg a fatal wound. Harden almost
instantly dropped from his chair to the floor
and xpired In about half an hour
SpaldDg, # seems, after committing this
diabOlical act, very cOolly walked of, and
so far as we can learn no attempt was made
by the parties in the barroom to prevent
him. 1t is probable that, for the present at
least, he has made good his escape.
The Coroner was notified Of the homicide.
and yesterday morning proceeded to the
place, when a jury were empanneled and
the body viewed. All the witnesses who
could be learned Of were summoned, and
the inquest was opened at the COroner'a Or
fee.
A number of witnesses were examined,
and about half past seven o'clock the mat
ter was submitted to the jury under charge
of the Coroner. The testimony was sill
turned over to the jury, composed OF col
ored men, and at rnidnight they had failed
10 render a verdict. We understand that
the difficulty in agreeing IS due to the fact
that the jury differ as to whether the
crime is murder or manslaughter, the ev
dence fully establishing the fact that
Spaljing b. d fired the fatal shot.
II was rumored late last night that Spsld-
ing had been captured by a constable some
distance from the city, but 1t was not Off
cially known and the rumor could be traced
TO 10 reliable source. Should the Coroner's
jury render verdict this morning, and the
evidence prove Of sufficient interest, we will
present the entire matter in our next issue.