The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-28
LAST OF THE RIOTERS.
PATRoLMAN CRONIN'S MAN,
BOOTS" FINALLY CAPTURED.

Frank Mason Who Beat the Officer
Over the Head with Pistol in the
Yamacraw Riot Puts Himself in the
Way Of the Police and is Hustled
Behind the Bars-Mason's Story Of
His Hiding Since the Riot.
Another Of the ringleaders in the Yama-
craw riot last Thanksgiving day, in which
Policemen Cronin and McMurray were
beaten up, was arrested yesterday. He goes
under the name of Boots"
Yesterday was Boots first appearance
in Savannah since the riot, and the officers
who have been looking for him did their
work promptly.
Officer Cronin, when he was able to sit up
in his sick bed after the riot and talk to his
friends, told them to have Boots arrested,
that he was the ringleader Most of the
police knew Boots who called himself
Frank f. Mason. Those who did not know
him were furnished accurate descriptions.
and the entire force wrote it down, that
Boots would be arrested whenever he
showed up in Savannah, and so he was.
Nearly every negro in Namacraw knew
that Boots was wanted by the officers,
and when he made his appearance on the
streets yesterday it was quite surprise e.
them. The news Of his return was whispered
about over the western part of town and it
soon got to the ears of the police.
THE POLICE ON THE LOOKOUT.
A messenger was dispatched to the bar
racks with the message Boots is in town.
The patrolmen in the western district were
notified to be on the lookout. 1t was feared
that Boots" might resist arrest and
the necessary precautions were taken.
Officer Prendible, the ambulance driver,
made the arrest. He drove up
on the western side of the market, where
Boots was pointed out to MIN. He was
sitting in a chair in Houston's shop, at the
corner of Bryan and market square, talking
and laughing, when Policeman Prendible
made his way quietly through the crowd to
where he was.
'Are you 'BootsF" he asked.
my name is Frank Mason"
"Do they call you 'BootsF"
Some people does"
"You are the man | want"
WENT WITHOUT A WORD.
"Boots" arose, and without word went
with the policeman to the ambulance. He
was handcuffed and driven to the barracks,
where he was searched and locked up.
Officer Cronin said that "Bootsn ran up
to him when he was trying to arrest one of
the rioters and Selling the weapon beat him
over the head with it and took the prisoner
away from him. The pistol has never been
recovered.
Boots" tells different story from the
officers. He said that he was here during
the disturbance, and remained here until
January, working at the cotton wharves.
Then he went to Doboy, Darien and the
lumber section, as he does every year when
his work drops off here He remained
down there until few days ago, when he
came back. Cotton is coming in and he in
tended TO go back to work on the wharves.
KEPT OUT OF SIGHT.
Some Of his friends say that Boots came
to Savannah last Saturday, but would not
come up town until yesterday He re-
manned quietly in the western portion of
the town until he thought that there was
no danger, then he came up to the market
late yesterday afternoon He was arrested
at Houston's shop few minutes before 5
o'clock. Last night a very large colored
woman came up town to hunt for her hus-
band, as she called Boots and was bitter
against the police who had arrested him.
She went to Houston's place first and
Houston advised her TO 60 back home, as
she could not get Boots out on bond. He
will be tried in the superior court