Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-07
DETECTIVES0N THE TRAIL
IMPORTANT EVIDENCE IN THE
HAERTEL TRAGEDY.

The Weapon With Which the Murder
was mmitted-Additional Arrests
Made and New Developments Awaited
The Case in the Hands of shreWd
Detective
The investigation Of the HaerteI trag-
-dv still drags slowly along. The toro-
ner-s jury has not vet arrived al YER
dict. and its sessions are continued with
no further developments.
Considerable excitement was created
last night by the rumor that the perpetra-
tor Of the crime had been captured and
lodged in Jail.
4 MORNING News reporter called upon
tie taller. Hon. Waring Russell. and was
accorded an interview. Col. Russell had
lust returned from the country. and
though somewhat fatigued BY a hard
evidence relating to the murder.
gave without reserve the result Of the
work performed By him self and the detec-
fIves acting under his Instructions. since
be had an opportunity to leave the jail
Tor the purpose Of unrayeling the mystery
IN which that terrible crime has been
enshr0uded. He began by remarking that
the case had been rendered more embar-
RAISING 10 work. owing to the fact that
soon after be fancied he was on the trail
If the authors Of the crime, a demOnstra-
ton was made against the Jail and he was
obliged to remain there for some days.
during which time he believed valuable
clues were lost.
i now believe" be continued shat
the public VIII permit the law TO take / Is
course. and acting on this impression /
felt it ur duty early in the week to under
take a renewal Of the search for the muir
derers and for facts relating TO the tragedy.
] viii therefore only report what has been
done in that direction. What / propose
to do no one shall know for obvious Tea-
sons"
1T is remembered" he added, '.that
the negroes jackson and Hamilton We're
arrested Immediately after the crime
was made public, and a
pair Of pants supposed to be
stained with blood were found near where
one Of the men is said TO have left them.
I have since found a Ratchet and some
white bacon in a field about tive hundred
yards from the toll gate, and in the rear
0f the house which jackson and Hamil-
ton occupied. ThehOuse is situated within
"A small yard. fenced of from a field at the
rear. II this field there are potatoes
planted. though a dense growth OF wild
coffee plants and grass has taken pos
session Of a great deal Of the ground. At
IN the grass and weeds, the bacon was
discovered.
The find was unexpected, but encOur-
aged us in our investigation. ! suggested
To one Of my detectives to cross the fence
a few feet distant from the place where
the meat was found at the rear Of the
field and see if he could lind any other
goods there. After a protracted search
not far from the fence a Ratchet was
found. 1t is somewhat Tusted in places,
and looks as though blood stains had been
partly washed from its surface. On one
portion Of the handle there is something
which may be mOlasses or some other
sticky substance"
The Ratchet and bacon were brought
out and shown the reporter. on one side
of the Ratchet and near the head there is
a white streak Of something looking like
whitewash or white paint almost rubbed
ptf, but that which adheres to the instru-
ment seems to be we'll dried. Ii is UNI
derstOOd that the rag with which the
weapon was wiped has also been found
The detective who found the hatchet was
then introduced. and his description OF
the mannerin which the weapon was found
cOrrespOnded in every particular with that
given by Col. Russell. The reporter was
then informed that very important infor-
nation had been obtained yesterday morn
Ing, and that in day or two at the fur
thest Col. Russell hoped to he able to give
a more satisfactory report Of his work.
The reporter then asked Col. Russell if
be had made any arrests or obtained in
formation pertinent to the subject Of the
interview during Yesterday.
He replied: we have made an arrest
tonight, but | feel it is my duty to say
very little about it at the present.
Colonel Russell mas the reputation OF
being one Of the shrewdest detectives in
the state, and. Judging from his appear
ance and manner last night, he feels con-
hdent Of securing all the evidence neces-
sary to fasten the crime upon its authors.