Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-20
Observation-Disclosures
THE CORONER's iNVEsTIG ALTON
OF THE RECENT TRAGEDY.

THE COEONFE'S i%NB,STi9 ALTON
OF THE RECENT TRAGEDY.
Inquest on the Body OF william Payne
witnesses who Saw Henderson Fare
the Fatal shot-The Origin Of the
Trouble Between Henderson and Jen
Payne-The Post Mortem Examiua-
tiop-The Jury's Verdict-A Warrant
Issued for Henderson's Arrest.
The Coroners investigation Of the Rob.
ertsyille tragedy and the shooting of the
young negro, William Payne, last
Wednesday night, resulted yesterday af-
ternoon in TIE finding Of a verdict that
Payne came to his death by a wound in-
flicted at the hands of the negro Lewis
Henderson, alias Edwards. and that the
jury considered it murder. The inquest
was begun at 10 o'clock at the house In
Little Jones street lane where the body
Law. It was with the utmost difficulty
that witnesses could be obtained, but SUI
ficlent evidence was secured 10 warrant
the finding of a verdict, and to justify the
issuance of a warrant for HendersOn's
arrest under the charge of murder.
The evidence OF Officers Durham and
Davis who We're at the scene Of the shoot
ing n few minutes after it occurred and
removed the two wounded men go their
home, was substantially what has al
ready appeared in the NEWS.
The old gray-haTed negro, the father of
the two boys, related TO the jury an that
he knew concerning the affair. Both Of
them, he said, LETT the house together ON
Wednesday nignt and had not been gone
half an hour before messenger came
and told him that they were shot. lie
hurried with the messenger 10 where the
shooting occurred and found William, the
younger of the two boys, lying on the
ground, with the blood streaming from a
wound in his throat. he spoke to him, and
as he did so the wounded man opened bis
eyes. Upon beinl asked who shot him, he
replied, "Lewis Henderson,
Nancy Wilson and Amelia Holmes,
two negro women who lived near by. and
at whose houses both Henderson and
Payne were frequent visitors, were
sworn. Their evidence was Of little i'm
pOrtance except to show that Henderson
and Payne had had some trouble about a
knife. which Henderson claimed Payne
had either lost for him or had bought of
him.
Francis Palmer, who keeps a grocery
ana bar on Lumber and Sims streets, tes-
titled that he knew the men engaged in
the shooting, and that he believed the
trouble grew out Of their relations with
the two women.
Frank jenkins, who, with a negro
named Mack Jackson, was in the vicinity
of West Boundary street when the shoot
ing occurred, was the most important
witness before the jury. While he and
jackson were walking along West Bound
airy street they saw a crowd standing at
the corner of Little Jones street Among
the crowd were Henderson and jeff"
Payne. He heard Henderson say to
"Jeti.": "Elther come down IN 'Craw and
prove about the knife or pay for what /
lost" JEFF replied that he was not going
with HIM and was not going TO pay for
the knife. Henderson, or Edwards, as he
was known to Jenkins, then stepped back
and, drawing a pistol, fired at jeff. The
ball missed HIM. JEFF then drew pistol
and fired at Henderson. They were in
the street near the sidewalk ana stood
about six feet apart. After the second
shot had been fired by Henderson Jei re-
turned the fire. aud as ne did so fell, say
inc he was shot. William the younger
brother who was standing just behind
JET. fell at the third shot fred by Hendcr-
sou A negro named Charles Farley then
neid Jen up and took him TO a pump on
the opposite side OF the street TO battle his
face. Jenkins and Jackson then went to
William and asked him if he was shot.
He said, "Yes, am shot in the neck"
Henderson ran across the open lot to-
wards the country, with a crowd follow
ing, but escaped. jenkins was sure that
Henderson fred three shots, and that
JEFF Payne fired two. Payne took his
pistol out of his pocket where he put it
after the shooting, and gave it to Farley
for safe keeping. Farley then turned it
over to jenkins.
The inquest occupied the entire fore
noon, anG verdict was not reached until
about O'Clock.
After the inQue st. DR.. Sheftall made a
post norton examination of the remains,
at the request of the family, and traced
the course Of the ball, which entered on
the left side Of the neck and passed little
upwards, striking the hyOid bone, thence
glancing Obiiquely towards the right and
severing the internal carotid artery, after
which il fractured the base of the skull
and passed into the brain. The imme-
diate cause of death was internal hemor-
rhage.
The body was buried Immediately after
the post-mOrtem in the colOred cemetery.
The funeral was attended by an immense
crowd Of people. JEFF, the older OF the two
brothers, is improving, with a likelihood
of recovery.
warrant was issued for Henderson's
arrest and placed in the hands OF the
Sheriff last night, but up TO late hour he
was stlll at large.
The fugitive came to Savannah from
Macon, where he was also known as Louis
Edwards. he was seen after the inquest
was over yesterday at Pooler, station No.
], about nine miles from the city on the
Central Railroad, by party who came in
on the train at 3;45 O'Clock. and az once
teleph0ned the fact 10 Sergt. Lingg; who
was on duty at the barracks. The Ser
geant Immediately sent a message to
Sheriff Roman, who last night sent Deputy
Sheriff simmons 20 take the mp train with
the view, if possible, of oyerhaullng the
fugitive.
\ SUDDEN DEATH.
youuo Nepro SUFFERING Nvttb puou-