Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-01
FLED UNDER A BLANKET
POLICEMAN ROACH INCURS A
HUSBANDS WRATH.

Patrofman Pattersen's Pretty Young
Wife the Cause of n shooting ARRAY
Her HEsban Sees n Man Come Out of
Ris Room In bis Stocking Feet and
Goes For 8im with Pistol.
The western part of the city Is stirred
up ovor sensation. Residents in the
neighborhood OF West Broad and Bay
streets were excited about noon yester-
day st seeing a fiGure wrapped Ia a
blanket fleeing barefooted through the
streets. Fifteen PAGES behind was Po-
liceman j. A. Patterson, of the Ocean
Steamship Company's force,
THE FIRST SHOT.
"Bangw went PattersOn's pistol, and
at Bay and MONTGOMERY, a little further
on, be shot again, and shouted TO the fee
ing man that il lie did not stop he would
kill him.
"For Gods sake don't kill me-" i'm.
plored the blanket enveloped man, turn
ing and disclosing his features.
officer Patterson was thunderstruck
when he saw that the man at whom he
had shot was Policeman s. T. Roach, his
most intimate friend. Roach had his
shoes under his arm and was only partly
dressed.
ARRIVED HOME UNEXPECTEDLY.
4 few minutes before Policeman Pat
terson had entered his home at West
Broad and Bay streets, an hour earlier
than usual, haYing asked to be excused
from duty on account OF being sick. Just
as he was about TO open the door OF his
wife's room, Mrs. JOsephne's Pitts, his
mother-in-law, met him and asked him to
step INTO her room for minute or two.
She said that there was young lady
visitor in his wiie's room who would be
greatly embarrassed If be was 10 see her
there. Patterson accordingly walked into
his mOther-in-law's room and laid OF his
pistol and espantoon.
BLANKETRD FIGURE.
While he was engaged in doing that he
noticed a figure wrapped in blanket
pass the door. He saw, too, below the
blanket pair OF white stripes on pair
OF blue trousers' legs. With an oath he
exclaimed that IL was not woman, and
he reached for his pistol holster. The man
who was hidden by the blanket dashed
out into the street and Patterson gave
chase, firing twice.
INVITED HIM TO CALL.
Roach, when run down, showed let
ters from Mrs. Patterson inviting him
TO call. An explanation ensued and P0-
lceman Patterson. who 1t is said had
suspected his wies infidelity for some
time, decided TO leave her without more
ado. He accordingly permitted Roach TO
90 without tUrtner mOlestation, and dur
ing The afternoon be moved out. Roach
is also an Ocean Steamship Company
policeman and was Mrs. PattersOn's
sweetheart when she was NJ ISIS Ola Pitts.
She is a plump, pretty young brunette,and
was first introduced to Patterson by
Roach. She became Mrs. Patterson
about two Years ago.
ROACH FREQUENT CALLER.
Since her marriage she has maintained
friendly relations with Roach, who was a
fre quent caller, and who was also one Of
Patterson's friends. Roach is a single
man. The PRttersons had no children,
and Mr.. PaLlerson's mother-in-law lived
with them.
No official report of the matter has been
made at the barracks, although the Chief
ana his subordinate officers are aware OF
the facts.
NO LEGAL STEPS TAKEN.
No steps toward prosecution or any
legal proceedings have been begun
Patterson, however, will be called upon
to answer to the charge or shooting at
another" and CHARGES OF conduct unbe-
coming an officer will most likely be pre-
ferred against Roach.
The affair created a great sensation in
the western section of the city, and was
the talk last nightin police circles.