Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-05
MACON's TRAGEDY.
How Ed StrOhecker Shot Sam JemisOn
and Lost His Own Life.

/ ING NEWS yesterday OF InuIsudy HishO
shooting affray at Macon, Ga, was the
subject of considerable comment in this
city yesterday, where both Of the prlnci'
pals are well known.
Samuel II. Jemison is probably the best
known young lawyer Of Middle Georgia
He is one of the best-known men in
Macon, and is noted for his recklessnese
in speech and actions He is of cOnviVlal
habits, and has numbers Of friends who
stand by him through "thick and thin"
| he is a bright and fluent speaker, ever
ready with a quick retort for an opponent
| He was at one time a member OF the
Legislature from Bibb county, and has
also been conspicuous in several OF the
Democratic conventions.
A few years since he was seriously
wounded in a difficulty with young man
in Benner's place, where the late fatal
shooting took place, and it was thought
for some time that he would not get over
the effects of his wound, but good con-
stitution stood him in well, and, apDar-
emily, he entirely recovered from the
effects of it. He is a man of undoubted
courage, and is always apt to say what he
thinks without fear Of consequences.
+. l.. Strohecker, Jr., was a young man
well known about Macon and belonged to a
well-to-do family. He was generally very
amiable, eXcept when drinking, and even
then not Over-boisterous. He was a native
of Macon.
Yesterdays Macon Telegraph printed
the following account of the affair:
AT 9:20 O'Clock Thursday night a trag-
edy occurred IN Benner's restaurant, on
Mulberry street, which resulted in the
death Of one man, and the probabl5 death
of another.
The confusion caused by the unexpected
and terrible event, rendered obtaining the
cause Of the tragedy and its particulars
very difficult. A Telegraph reporter went
into the restaurant about five minutes
after the deplOrable event occurred.
About half a dozen gentlemen were pres
ent. On the floor, near the front windows,
lay Ed. -trohecker, breathing out his life.
His gasps were audible all over the room,
and served TO add to the gloom and horror
of the occasion. In chair on the right
side of the room, near the stove, sat Mr..
Sam Jemison, several gentlemen stand
ing around him, and trying to staunch
the blood which flowed from wound in
his right side.
The reporter questioned several gentle
men as to the particulars of the tragedy.
Mr.. w. B. Sparks said:
"A party of gentlemen were sitting
around table in The front right hand cor
ner OF the room. Among them was Mr..
Jemison. He and MIR. DOlph Powell were
laughing and talking, Mr.. Powell teasing
Mr.. Jamison about his famous dog case.
sTRoHECKER ENTERS.
"While the merriment was at its height
| saw Ed Strohecker enter the door at the
head of the steps leading up from the
pavement. He cast hasty glance around
and stopped, his right hand in his coat
bet p4a tod Torn I'D flot - 4
the table. When perhaps within three
feet OF Mr.. Jemison, Strohecker drew his
pistol, pointed it at the unsuspecting gen.
tleman and began to fire Mr.. Jemison
instantly drew his pistol and returned the
fire. ! am not certain, but | think four
shots were all that were fired.
"Mr. Jemison, who had risen from his
chair, fell into my arms and said:
"'Willie, am dead
"SOmebody remarked, We'll, If you are
dead you have got your man.
MIR. JemisOn replied, Yes, believe
have; but ! am killed.
Il turned my eyes toward Strohecker.
He had dropped bis pistol and was stag
gering back against the front windows.
Suddenly he fell to the floor upon his
knees, face downward. VII
"When StrOhecker entered the room he
did not speak. According to my remem-
brance, MIR. Jemison also did not speak"
AFTER THE SHOOTING.
Mr.. Alexander FrOudfit, who was one
of the party at the table. gave an account
Of the tragedy substantially like that OF
Mr.. Sparks. He said that it was mira
Gle that others were not struck by the
flying bullets. The party at the table
scattered in every direction, but soon re-
gained their presence of mind and set to
work to be Of assistance to the two des-
perately wounded men.
1t was seen at a glance that StroheckeT
was rapidly dying. In perhaps twenty
minutes after falling to the floor he died.
A pillow was placed under his head, a
handkerchief tied about his Jaws, his eyes
closed, and his hands crossed upon his
breast.
AS soon as practicable Mr.. JemisOn was
removed from the chair in which he had
been placed by Mr.. Sparks, and was laid
upon a table in one of the eating stalls on
the right hand side of the room. Messen-
gers were sent for ply sicians. Drs. Met
tauer, Williams, Stevens, and Moore re-
spOnded, and afterwards others came.
AS we'll as could be done an examina.
ton of Mr.. tensions wounds was made.
1t was discovered that he had been shot
IN the right side. two balls having entered.
The wounds were low down near the
waist. After the examination Mr.. Jemi.
son was placed upon couch improvlsed
upon the floor, and all steps possible were
taken to save his life. The physicians
were all of the opinion that the wounds
were dangerous, and that they would
probably end fatally.
CAUSE OF THE TRAGEDY.
Before the reporter left the room Mr.
Jemison was questioned as to the eau sc
Of ire attack upon him. He said that on
Wednesday night Strohecker asked him
for loan of money. Mr.. Jemison re.
fused, aud StrOhecker became enraged
Mr.. JemisOn said that he knew OF no other
cause for the attack.
About five minutes before the tragedy
Mr.. Henry Strohecker, Ed Strohecker's
brother, left the restaurant and started
home. AS he went out of the store at the
bottom of the steps he saw his brother in
conversation with man whom ne did moi
recognize. He heard the man say TO ED
| Strohecker: "He's up stairs; 20 up and
| do your work"
1t appears that others also saw the
man and recognized him as being printer
named Mcdonald. The police immediately
! began q search for Mcdonald, hut up Il
the time that this issue Of the Ieiegi0DI
went to press they had not found him
! IL was learned, however, that soon after tho
shooting Mcdonald entered the com
pOsing-room Of the Ieieqrdph aud said
that he had had something 10 do with the
| tragedy. He was thought 10 be Joking
and no attention was paid 20 him. HC
remained in the composing room few
minutes and disappeared.
OTHER pARTfCuTARg