The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-29


then from his cabin. 1t was not in conso-
nance with the negro character to have
done this. All this, and the finding of the
liver, was to the detective strong ciTcum-
stantial evidence pointing to a full knowl-
edge of Bird not only about the killing Of
the beef, but the killing Of Joseph Gill
SUSPICIOUS AGAINST BIRD.
1t was also suspicious that Marcus, who
had so long laid around Birds house, where
there was little or nothing to eat, should
leave Sunday when the liver and heart of
the beef had evidently been taken to Birds
cabin, and the head and tripe of the beef
had been given to Bird for carrying the
beef out OF the swamp after the killing Of
Gill.
Detective Wetherhorn says that while he
has been keeping a sharp lookout for Mar
Gus, and heard of him being in town Mon
hay, he has thus far been unable to lay
dands on him, but that no has such per-
feet description of the fellow that he cannot
well elude the vigilance of those who are
watching for him. Mr.. Wetherhorn ex-
poets more developments to-day, and it is
likely that Sam Bird, the boy, and others,
will be put under surveillance, and possibly
under arrest to-day.
THE PRISONERS STORY.
A MORNING NEWS reporter interviewed
Bird in his cell at the Jail last night. The
negro adheres to his statement given before
the Coroner's jury, and in concluding the
interview where be detailed his experience
in the swamp when he was threatened with
being lynched he broke down and wept
copiousiy. He is tall and very black, type
of the thriftless and slovenly negro that is
content with wearing cast off clothing,
and he is evidently a stranger to daily
ablutions. His hair is extremely short
even for negro, and he wears a scattered
beard and mOustache, both of which are as
kinky as the wool on his head. His eyes
are neither lacking in luster nor are they
bright, but there is a shrewdnesS lurking in
them, although the pupils are large and
neither retreating nor staring, He speaks
with more than ordinary care and with an
intelligent approach to franknesS; his phrase
ology is not continuation of the African
dialect, although he drops into it occasion
ally as if he would like to be considered
more ignorant than he really is. He made
the following statement:
BIRDS STATEMENT.
"My name is Rafe Bird. was born in
Liberty county, and was last owned by
Jacob Wise, in Bryan county My occupa-
ton is daily labor. | was married twenty
years ago in Bryan county to Hannah Shelf
tall. We have had thirteen children eight
of whom are dead. Wemoved TO Savannah
after the big August storm, in September.
/ worked here on and off; first for Smith
81 Kelly, and afterward at draying
on the Bay. l worked for Mr. Mccormick,
Mr.. Goodwin, Mr.. Heidi and others, Off and
ON. Iquit draying fall before last, at which
time | was working for Mr.. Mccormick. |
went out into the country, moving to the race
track on the Louisville road, and went to
farming. | farmed there in 1886 | next
moved to the Widow Jones place, five miles
from Savannah, on the Louisville road, and
farmed there in 1887. This year, in Janu-
airy, moved to the seven mile post, on the
Louisville road on Mr.. Henry Jacksons
land, renting part of the tract to farm it
and raise rice, sugar cane, peas and what
ever else could grow.
THE STORY OF HIS ARREST.
81 was arrested Tuesday evening about 5
o'clock by Mr. Marion Gill and Ben Roth
well, ticket agent at No. !, on the Central
road. was at home sitting in the door.
Mr.. Joe Ferrlll was little ways off with a
gun and Jack Gill held the horses. Mr.
Rothwell told me that he had warrant for
me and to consider myself under arrest.
Then Gill collared me and took me behind the
house, and Mr. Ferrill tied me. l made no
resistance. | told them that / had never
had anything to do with killing the beef
and knew nothing about it. That is true.
| never even brought any beef to market.
bdh hCApCu W bOi6 bLt DCbl OuU Vi DEb
swamp, and | helped tote Joe Gill's body
out of the swamp to my house, where it was
laid out until the wagon came for it. We
did not go to bed that night but Henry
Marcus and | slept some sitting in our
chairs
1.-The beef was killed between my house
and the railroad. My house is about one
half mile from the railroad track, and it
was about one half mile from my house to
,I.A,.a tha 4 Al u -
go out to watch the beef.
BEEN HUNTING STRAY CATTLE.
81 had been out that afternoon looking
for five head of cattle that | had in the
swamp. / walked in the direction of the
railroad, thinking that as they had not
shown up for some four days, that they had
been turned over by the railroad. When
reached the railroad, and had walked a
short distance, | saw two colored men on
the track. One was leaning on a musket
and the other was standing by him talking.
| was faced toward Savannah, and they
were behind me about twenty steps, facing
the same way. ! knew their faces and
recognized them as belonging in Savannah,
but | could not recall their names | said:
Hello! what are you doing up hereF They
started toward me, and when they
what are P you doing up her e' |
said: Tze staying up here now. Business
was too duh in town 20 make a living l
am up here trying to farm It is not
strange that | should not remember their
names, for | have met two or three men in
jail to-day whom | knew and who knew
me, and we had to ask each other our
names. 1t was about 2:30 o'clock when |
met TIE two men on the railroad. | told
them that was looking for some yearlings
that had been gone some four days, and
asked them if they had seen any knocked
off by the road They said they had not. /
asked them where they had been, and
where they were going.
THE STORY OF THE TWO STRANGERS
'They said they were going to Savannah.
They said that they had been up the road to
a turpentine camp where they had been
offered 81 per day il they would come up,
but when they got there they found differ
emily, and We're on their way back home.
They had staid all night Thursday night,
they said, at WhteSvilie, and had been in
Dan Martins turpentine camp, but they did
not give tho name of the turpentine camp
up the road. As we walked along they
were little behind me, part of the time
talking to mo, and part of the time talking
low TO themselves. After we had gone
about a mule | turned off and took the dirt
road and saw no mora of them.
after walking about quarter of mile
an the dirt road, or Louisville road, | met
Joe Ferrill coming down in a gallop and |
stopped him. Ferrill ana Marion Gill had
agreed to buy yearling from me, and |
was TO furnish il, if | could find IL i'm tima