The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-30
PURSUED In THE SWAMPS
DETECTIVE WETHERHoRN ON THE
TRACK OF GILL'S SLAYERS.

Aged Negro PreaCher-YOung Car
penter Visited by the Detective-The
Two Men He Saw Friday Evening at
Butler Avenue-A Visit to the Bird
Cabin and Talk With Rose and Birds
Wife-She Heard the Shot That
Killed the Beef-Henry Marcus Still
at Large.
The MORNING News yesterday gave all
the facts that could be collated up to the
hour of going to press in the Gill murder
mystery.
At ! o'clock yesterday morning commit
tee of the citizens of Pooler rang the door
bell of Detective Wetherhorn's residence,
No. 80 Jones street, and excitedly told him
that they had learned of another negro,
named Brown, living near where the beef
was killed, and they asked him to 60
out in the country with them to
investigate the facts Mr. Wether
horn, although fatigued from the work al
ready entailed upon HIM, hastily dressed and
jumping into the buggy drove out to the
six-mile post. There, after consultation, he
learned that the instructions he had given
the previous day had been followed to the
letter, and developed a new theory among
the excited relatives and neighbors of the
dead man.
Detective Wetherhorn, on Wednesday,
in directing the release of old man Willis
Brown, of the four-mile post, knew he had
had no connection with the slaughter Of the
beef or the tragedy of Friday night. But
as Bird had told the detective that the old
negro woman Rose had said that a man had
"a Lri, nf11-
ing with a gun, inquiring for Rafe
Bird, he advised Haywood and Marion Gill
to go back and see the old woman and learn
who the visitor was. They did so, and Rose
told them tha6 it was negro man named
Brown, living about half or three-quarters
of mile from Birds cabin, and near the
house of negro preacher named Miller
sHADowING A SUSPECT.
Haywood and Gill then sent Birds wife
over to Miller's to make inquiries about
that Brown. She made the excuse
had some seed rice, end she wanted
to get some. Miller said he thought that
Brown did have the rice. Miller then sent
his niece over to Browns cabin with Birds
wife, but they were told that they couldn't
see Brown, as he was sick. Birds wife
then returned and reported the facts to
Marion Gill and others.
This looked suspicious to them. They be-
ieved at once that Brown was one of the
Friday night fugitives and that his sickness
was the result of load of bird shot fired
into him by the posse guarding the beef
With this view MeSsrs. Ferrill and Robert
son were hastily dispatched to the city for
Detective Wetherhorn. He went out, and
the posse started for the cabin of Brown
No. 9.
Surrounding the house Detective Wether-
horn knocked at the door. An old negro
woman answered the. knock She was
shaking with an ague born of fright, and
her great eyes, in which the white
almost Illuminated the darkness, showed
that she was in mortal terror Mr.
Wetherhorn made himself known, and soon
quoted her apprehensions. He questioned
her about Brown, and she told him that he
was down at the oil mills in Savannah. He
worked there one week in daytime and enc
week at night, and this. she said, was his
week on for night work. A search of the
house showed that if Brown was not at the
oil works he was certainly not at home A
loaded musket was found in his house.
AT PREACHER MILLER's CABIN.
Mr.. Wetherhorn knowing the old
preacher, Miller, as a truthful and reliable
negro of the old school, concluded to go
over and see him. To rap on the door,
the old man asked who's darf' Mr..
Wetherhorn replied, "A friend" lie got
no friend, said tho old preacher as ne
scrambled out of bed and approached the
door. Opening it he recognized the detec-
tive. He informed the latter that he knew
Brown well. While it was true that Brown
had called at Rafe Birds house on Thurs
day morning, and had musk 9 with him,
1t was not true, he said, that ne went there
Friday morning. Brown had been about
his own house and the preache. S Friday
morning, and while he went ava to get
some rations, molasses, etc, he did not take
his gun with him, and he did not remain
long
"Where is Brown nowp' asked the detec-
tive
Miller replied that Brown had in powise
been connected with the beef-kIlling or the
shooting of Gill, but that he had got wind
of the news that his cabin was to be visited
by posse that night, and he knew that
everybody would be questioning him at
once so that he might get scared and his
replies might not be satisfactory,
and he wanted TO meet them in dav-
light The news of Birds experience in the
swamp with the party that had threatened
lynchlng had frightened him. "Brown is
not guilty, sab. He is not a thousand miles
from here, sab, and if you takes desc gentle
mems away tonight I'll see dat Brown is at
your office tomorrow mohnin', sab. / will
DE Jar WV MN myself, sab.
Mr.. Wetherhorn was satisfied that the
old man was sincere in his statement and he
had no trouble in persuading the posse to
let Brown No. ? rest in his hiding place,
which he shrewdly suspected was under the
friendly roof of the old preacher, as the
Swedish monarch found hiding place with
the curate of Suverdsio.
ON ANOTHER CLEw.
Learning that a white lad by the name of
Carpenter, living some fifteen miles distant,
had reported to his parents the morning
after the tragedy that he had seen two
negroes about dusk last Friday in the
vicinity of Butler avenue. where the killing
took place, Detective Wetherhorn drove
out there, reaching the place after daylight.
The boy was off fishing. His father said
that he would return shortly. The tired
officer lay down on a rude bench, where he
soon fell asleep. He was awakened shortly
after by the boys father, who introduced
the son
The boy said that the report that he had
made had been exaggerated by others, and
he proceeded to give his version of it,
which is about as follows: He
was returning home Friday evening
last, and dusk overlook him very near
Butler avenue, the place where the
killing took place. He was accosted bv two
negroes. One was very black and taller
than the other and carried musket. which
10 the best of his knowledge was the musket
that ne saw in the Coroner's buggy the next
day. The other negro was not so black,
and was smaller man than the one who
carried the gun. The smaller one asked
1. fx,,. e,l, .,,II - ..1I IL a.