Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-09
SHOTS AIMED BY MADNESS
4 NEGRO PORTER KILLS ROB
ERT j. SMITH AT JESUP.


ERT j. SMITH AT JESUP.
she Proprietor of the sunnysfde House
shot by One of His Empioyes-En-
ragged Citizens Seize the u urderer, and
He Narrowly Escapes Being Lynched
brought to Savannah Under n strong
Guard-His Story OF the shooting.
Lewis Edwards, an 1S-year-old negro
boy, was brought to Savannah from Jesup
on the noon train yesterday for safe keep
ing. He was charged with the murder OF
Mr. Robert j. Smith. proprietor of the
Sunnyside House at Jesup. The killing
occurred about 9 o'clock in the morning
at the Savannah, Florida and Western
railway depot. Edwards was a night
porter at the Commercial House.
A Jesup special to the MORNING NEW 8
saws that MIR. Smith spoke to the negro,
who has the reputation Of being very
stubborn and impudent, and he replied In
an impudent manner. Some words passed
between the two, ard the negro moved of
d few yards, stopped and turned on Mr..
smith with a 3S-calibre bulldog pistol.
Mr.. Smith opened his pen knife, but hardly
had he done SO before the negro ran to-
wards him and closed in on him and fired
twice.
THE FIRST SHOT FATAL.
The first shot was fatal and entered his
left breast about two inches below the
nipple. Mr.. smith, after receiving
his death wound. clinched the negro and
made a slight flesh wound in his back.
Edwards then fired again, the ball this
time taking effect just above the lett ear.
At the second shot Smith fell to the
ground. The negro tried to escape but
nj Y1rIrauaH and
tured him, and had it not teen for the de-
termined stand which the Sheriff and
Mayor took in defending the prisoner, he
would have been lynched. MIR. Smith
leaves q wife and five children. DR.. 6.
W. Drawdy did all in his power TO save
the wounded man, but 10 no avail. Mr..
Smith was one OF the Commissioners OF
Wayne, and his death has cast gloom
over the whole county.
BROUGHT TO SAVANNAH.
Edwards waived an examination and
was brought to Savannah.
Ioa MORNING NEWS reporter yester-
day afternoon Edwards said that he shot
Smith but he did not know whether be
had killed him or not. His story was as
follows:
Il was a night porter at the CONNER
cIal House kept by Mr.. Swindle. About
O'Clock this morning | went down TO the
-
law in Jesup forbiddiug everybody to
cross the railroad track to a train
for the purpose Of drumming.
While L was standing there
gentleman on the other side OF the track
called me. l went to him and he asked
me about the Brunswick train. | told
him it had been discontinued, but he did
not seem TO believe me, and asked me to
show him the East Tennessee ticket
office. / went there with him, aud when
we came back | stood alongside of him
talking.
EDWARDS STORY.
"Mr. Smith, who was across the track,
called out to me: Il reckon you had
better put me on the docket. hadn't yOu.'
! said did not want TO put him on the
docket. He came toward me and struck
me in the breast. | didn't hit him back,
but lust pushed him on, because did not
want to have a fuss. Then he ran his
hand in his vest pocket to get his knife,
but ii was not there, and he got it out OF
another pocket. When he opened il and
came toward me | pulled out pistol.
thought 1t would scare him and keep
him away.
II walked backwards to get around a
car when he rushed upon me and grabbed
me around the neck, and began cutting at
me In the back. telt the knife cutting
went into me.
ADMITS THE SHOOTING.
'sThen fred. ! don't know whether |
hit BIN or not. The next time | shot the
ball hit him on the head. Then l ran off
up in the direction of the Altamaha
House. A crowd followed me, and some
body struck me in the back and on the leg
with car-coupling pin. The crowd
wanted to kill me, but four gentlemen
took me and carried me to the guard
house. They asked me whether | wanted
TO stay there or come to Savannah, and !
said wanted TO come here to keep from
beIng killed. The Mayor and Marshal
and Sheriff, and another gentleman
walked with me up to the depot,
ard put me ON the train. Then
they made me lie down on the floor so
no one could sec from the outside My
guards drew their pistols and said they
would shoot anybody that tried to shoot
me. Tue crowd tried to uncouple the
car and keep ue from coming on, but they
were not allowed to-"
THE PRISONERS APPEARANCE.
One of Edwards hands is badly swollen
where he was struck by some one. He
has cut in his back and several in his
coat. He is lame from the blow he got on
the leg, and one of his feet is mashed. He
has no doubt that he would have been
lynched IL ne had stayed in Jesup, al
though he claims that he shot in sell
defense.
After the killing, Washburn Sparkln
and Sampson Jordan, two negroes, quar-
relied. and sparklin shot Jordan in the
lett shoulder. The wound is painful but
not dangerous.
NH II II FzN Tg.gU NJ III