Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-04
A HORSE THIEF IN LIMBO.
The Pursuit, Capture and Arrest of a
HiIlainOus Negro in BulIOch County
Brought TO the City Chained to a
Buggy.

The Pursuit, Capture and Arrest of a
hiIlainous Negro In BulIOch County
Brought TO the City Chained to a
Buggy.
A covered buggy with two occupants
one a low-brOwed, burly looking negro.
Win deep cash in his right cheek. his
arms pinioned and heavy chain locked
around his neck and fastened to the axle.
and the other, W. J. Roberts, a farmer
llvlng on the Morrison place, about four
miles west of the city on the Louisville
road-stOpped in front of Magistrate
Waring RusselPs office yesterday after
noon.
The chain by which the negro was Sc
cured was unlocked from the buggy and
the prisoner was led into the office nv his
eaptor and Constable Burke. A crowd
had followed the buggy. excited by the
strange manner in which the negro was
bound, and Jammed into the office, but
was quickly cleared out by the officers.
Mr.. Roberts turned over his prisoner TO
the constable and at once swOre out a
warrant for his formal arrest on a charge
of horse stealing.
A MORNING NEWS reporter, attracted
by the crowd, was at the spot a few min
utes alter the prisoner was brought in.
and he pulled on his hat and sat down on
bench his features were visible and dis
played the vilest brutality and ugliness
He gave his name as John BrinsOn. From
his own story and from Roberts it seems
that he LETT the city late on Saturday
night, and passed Roberts house about
O'Clock Sunday morning. Roberts had
left a valuable mare tied in a ward near
the house for the night. The negro,
seeing the animal, climbed the fence, and
cutting the rope by which she was fas-
tened, led her out, and stealing a saddle
from another place on the farm, started
on. The next morning Roberts missed
his mare, and on looking for tracks saw
that she had been taken somewhere up
the road. lie knew at once from the ap-
pearance Of things that she had been
stolen. Securing another horse and bug
~ he started in pursuit. Upon reaching
the Paul Edwards place, about miles
this side Of Eden, he made his first DIS
cOVery. Mr. Edwards wife had seen the
negro pass early IN the morning with the
mare, and had seen him rein up to water
the animal near by. Roberts Immediately
employed Mr.. Edwards and another man
named Davis, living a short distance be-
yond, and they started on with fresh
horses IN pursuit., Roberts following
IN his buggy, thinking to Overtake
them before night. About O'Clock
he reached the house of James Wilson,
guard on the Cuyler swamp chain gang.
In BullOch county. There he learned that
wilson had seen the negro, and suspect
ing that the animal had been stolen, had
joined the two other men, and all three
had gone in pursuit. In a short time the
party returned on their way home, bring
ing with them the negro and the mare. Ed
wards and Davis, after having been Joined
by Wilson, spuTred on their horses and
raaN In afr .F 81.
mile post. As soon as he saw he was dis
covered, the fellow lashed the mare and
attempted TO urge her on, but the animal
was jaded with the long ride and was un-
able TO go beyond a trOt. Seeing that
there was no chance of Outstripping his
puTsuers, the thief left the mare and took
to the woods. Wilson, with fresh horse,
ana came up ahead of them.
lie called upon the negro to
stop, but instead of stopping he turned
and began firing at his pursuer. Wilson
returned the fire. At this juncture Ed
wards and Davis came up and Edwards
rushed forward to the negro, who turned
and began firing on him. Covering
him with his revolver he ordered him TO
drop his pistol. Instead of doing so he
made feint as if to fire, when Will
son struck him with the butt of
his weapon, knocking him down
and cutting a deep cash in his cheek. He
was then bound and taken to Wilson's
house, several miles back, where Roberts
was waiting. He was then placed in Il
buggy and chained and brought to the
city. where he was turned over to Con-
stable Burke and landed in jail, where
be remains until his trial before the next
term of the Superior Court. He freely
cOnfesses the theft, and as he was put
into his cell said be should have
no trial, but should plead guilty to the
charge against him. The punishment for
the Offense is not less than four nor more
than twenty years Imprisonment in the
pcnitentiaTy. The negro made no resist
ance after he was captured, and was
lodged in Jail without difficulty. The an
imal he stole was valued by Roberts at
$500, AID is handsome irOn-gray.