The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-19
SLIPPED OUTOFTHE WAY
A NEGRO DESPERATE ESCAPES A
CONsTABLES POSSE.

Justice Van Winkler's Encounter
With an observation-disclosures and
Revenge the Motives of Desperate
Assault-A Bridge Torn Up to Trap
the Justice, and Three Shots Fired
at Him From Ambuscade.
Officers Humphreys and Simon Hessar
went up to MonJeith yesterday expecting
70 arrest, or attempt the arrest, Of Edward
Hazel, negro Desperate, on a warrant for
assault with intent to murder Justice Van
K. Winkler, but the bird had flown to
Brunswick. They arrested Chris Moultrie
and Joe Lewis, two colored men charged
with riot, and brought them to the city.
Justice Russell lodged the prisoners in jail
in default of bail Justice Van Winkler
said last night that Joe Lewis is not a bad
negro.
The prisoners made no effort to resist
arrest, and went from the Justices office to
the Jail with the officer without being
handcuffed.
Hazel, however, for whom there are
several bench warrants, Is a desperate
fellow. He went to the chain-gang for
carrying concealed weapons, on a warrant
issued from Justice Winkler's court, and
after he got OFF the gang conceived the idea
OF revenglng himself against the justice,
and the Justice had a very narrow escape
a DEsPERADo's TRAP.
On the night of Saturday, April Is.
Hazel, knowing that Justice Winkler had
to cross the Hearst swamp bridge late at
night, went to the bridge about 9 O'Clock
and deliberately tore up the floor of the
bridge, throwing all the planks but two
into the water, aud carrying two out by
the roadway. He then concealed himself
in some ty-ty bushes near by, revolver in
hand, to await the coming of his intended
victim.
Justice Winlzler drove UP to the bridge
about IL O'clock to find the bridge floor
gone. He said that he at first thought it a
joke that some one had perpetrated on him,
and, getting out of his buggy, attempted to
replace the planks, but they were fully Is
feet long and proportionately heavy.
While he was tugging at one his horse
| showed signs of fear, snorting and trying
to back off the roadway, which was narrow
and precipitous.
FIRED AT THE JUSTICE.
Justice Winkler dropped the plank and
jumped into the buggy to try to prevent
the animal from going over the bank, when
Hazel rose up from the bushes and fired.
Justice Winkler said in relating the Incl
dent that he thought the ball had gone
negro, who had stopped down after
the first shot, raised and de-
liberately pointed the revolver
at the Justices breast at short range and
fired, but Intellectually. By this time the
justice had succeeded in turning his buggy
in an opposite direction, and taking out a
new knife, which glistened like pistol,
threatened to shoot The negro dropped
down again, and as the Justice started to
and fired third shot, which struck the
buggy.
A BUNGLING JOB.
Justice Winkler said that he owed his
life to the awkwardness of Hazel, who had
purposely inflicted a pistol wound in his
right hand in March, to keep from being
put to work on the chain-gang, and on the
night Hazel did the shooting his lame hand
was bandaged and he used the pistol with
his left hand, cooking the weapon with diff
Guilty and trying TO steady the hand with
which he used the weapon with the band
aged hand.
Hazel afterward attributed his poor sue
cess to the inefficiency of his pistol. and
Justice Winkler said that Hazel told a
white man in that section that he intended
to buy the best Smith & WeSson pistol and
watch the road until he could kill the JUS
tice.
ROBBERY PLANNED TOO.
1t is believed by the justice that Hazel
had a double purpose in the assault, re-
venge and robbery, as he selected Saturday
night at which time he knew Justice
Winkler usually brought money from the
city to pay the hands ON his plantation.
Mr.. Winkler had something over
800 that night, but he would have been
willing to have parted company with it for
good revolver, as he said if he had been
armed he could easily have killed Hazel
Hazel is employed on the government
works at Brunswick. having left Mon
teith Sunday night, giving those
who were watching him the slip. A posse
was at the Savannah, Florida and Western
railway depot in this city Sunday morning
on the lookout for Hazel, but he must have
been appraised of the trap to catch him
and taken the next train. No one expected
him on that and he went through the city
unchallenged. If Hazel stays out of the
county the community he has terrorizsd
will be satisfied.