The Dawson journal. (Dawson, Ga.) 1878-18??, 1884-08-21
LYNT POTTER KILLS A NEGRO
At Bronwood and Makes His Escape.
Sheriff Thornton in Pursuit.

On Thursday Of last week, act
ing under orders from United
States deputy marshall, Lynt Pot
ter attempted to arrest a negro by
the name of Clay Brown, who had
escaped from the guard house,
which resulted in the killing of
the negro. The deputy marshall
makes a statement of the whole
affair to the Macon Telegraph,
which comedies with that we have
heard given by citizens of Bron-
wood, hence we publish the mar
shall's account in full, with fur
ther particulars below. United
States Deputy Marshall Cash
says
"a negro named Clay Brown had been
peddling tobacco through the country in
violation of the revenue laws, and war
rant had been sued out for his arrest. While
on his way Wednesday to make other ar
rests Marshall Cash requeste Sheriff Rag
in, of Bronwool, to arrest Brown and
have him ready by the time he returned to
Bronwood. This, it seems, was done and
Brown placed in Jail.
"On Thursday morning the jailer and
Marshall ]. o. Potter carried Brown his
breakfast and took off the handouts. He
then locked the door and went off to a
baseball match. Returning in about an
hour he found that Brown had broken Jail
and escaped. Potter then hurried to
Browns house, about half a mile distant,
and saw Brown standing at the gate talk
ing to little girl, but on seeing the APP |
preaching marshall ran off. The marshall |
pursued, and believing that he was about !
to lose his prisoner fired into the air for !
the purpose of frightening him. Brown
did not stop, and the marshal then fred at |
Brown, the ball striking him in the leg.
The negro ran about four hundred yards,
when the marshall firedagain, with better
aim. The negro then darted into the
woods and the marshall returned to town
for assistance. When they returned they
found the negro dead in the woods
''The coroner held an inquest over the !
body and rendered verdict to the effect |
that Brown came to his death from gun
shot wound, and supposedly at the hands
of ]. o. Potter. It is thought that Potter
has gone away"
Immediately after the killing, |
the friends of Potter advised him
to go at once to Dawson and give
himself up to the authorities and
let the matter be officially inve5ti-
gated. This, Potter sud he
would do, ani started of on foot
in the direction OF town. But in
stead of coming to Dawson as he |
said he would do, he hurried on
by to Graves Station, where he
took the train going west. The
killing was notreported to Sheriff
Thornton until late in the after
noon, when he received warrant
from the Justice Of the Peace at
Bronwood authorizing Potter's
arrest. Sheriff Thornton started
out at once in pursuit, supposing
that his man was lying in the
brush at some point between Daw-
son and BronwCOd, waiting for
favorable opportunity to sur
render himself, and it was not un-
til the next day that the Sheriff
learned that Potter had boarded
the train at Graves Knowing
that Potter's father-in-law lived
in Oxford, Ala, and that he had
relatives in Randolph county
also, Sheriff Thornton immediate
ly sent the following telegrams:-
DAWSON, GA, Aug. 18th, "a
To City Marshall, Cuthbert, Cal
Lookout for young man name Potter,
nephew of Rev. McWlliams. Committed
murder yesterday. viii pay all costs.
W. n. Thornton, Sheriff.
DAWSON. GA, Aug. 18th, 's4.
To City Marshal, Oxford, Ala
Arrest j. .. Potter, young man with
light-coIored sack coat and straw hat, SON
in-law of j. w. Wilkerson. who moved
from this county in January. Committed
murder yesterday and left. VIII pay all
costs. W. n. THORNTON,
Sheriff.
In answer to the above dis
patch, Sheriff Thornton received
the following
OXFORD, ALA, Aug 10Th, 81.
W. N. THORNTON, Dawson, Ca
Potter is here under arrest. Advise me
at once. +. NJ. GARDNER,
City Marshal.
Sheriff Thornton then sent the