The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-29
THRICE A MURDERER.
FRANK BLoUNTs CONFESSION UN-
DER TIE GALLOWs.

The Slayer of William Miller Recites a
String of Crimes That Re Committed
During His Life Of Wickedness-The
Story of the Murder on the Va!dosta
FxcursiOn-How Blount Died.
Frank Blount. who killed William Miller
on an excursion train between Savannah
and Valdosta last May. and who was hanged
in Vsldosta Friday, was, by his own con
feSsion, a deep-dycd criminal. just before
he went to the scaffold he confessed three
murders and numerous other Grim :.
Miller was an employee Of Feeieys stables
in this city. and went on the excursion With
a crowd Of c0!orel people from here. On
the return from Nald0sta be was shot and
died the next morning after he had been
taken TO his home on York street. Only
two or three witnesses were before the corO-
ner's Jury. and the story Of the killing was
not brought out until Blount was tried in
NaldOsta.
As the excursion train upon which the
crime was committed. from Savannah, was
between DUPONT and Mayor, on the return
from Valdosta, George Hill was standing IN
the aisle of che car treating woman 10
glass of lemonade. Miller attempted to
pass by them. Hill refused to lot him pass,
and. " hen Miller insisted, drew his knife
aud swore that no man should pass until
that woman finished drinking her lemon
ade A quarrel followed, and Hill struck
at Miller with his knife. A bystander
warded Off the blow. He struck again and
missed. The third lick followed rapidly,
the keen blade ripping the flesh along
the left side Of Miller's face, down into his
throat Hill turned and fled Miller drop
ped his face over toward the wounded side,
the blood covering his buster and dripping
freely over the passengers and the car.
THE FATAL QUARREL
As he started down the car, Frank
hands in front Of bis body, fired
at Miller, the ball striking him in the spine.
Some one pulled the bell cord and stopped
the train and Blount jumped off and made
his escape. Several days later he was ar
rested at Jasper, Fla. Blount was traced
to a negro boarding house, and the officers
called him to the door. when one of them
tapped him on the shoulder and told hun to
consider himself under arrest. No quicker
than the words left the officers mouth
when Blount threw back his hand to his
hip pocket and pulled Out a IS Smith and
Wesson pistol, but the officers We're too
quick for the murderer, and placed pair .
of iron bracelets on him. He was taken 10
Naldosta and Jailed. A week and day
twenty minutes after the jury retired a
verdict Of guilty was agreed on On June
% Biouut succeeded, by a clever piece of
strategy, in getting out Of the jail and
temporarily making his escape, but he was
run down and caught and put back in jail.
After that he was kept in irons
Miller was an industrious and respected
colored man and his murder created a good
deal Of excitement among the col red
people here. Blount went to the scaffold
with an iron nerve. The last hours he
spent with his associates in jail-Jos Lewis,
York Lumpkin and John Fort, each of
whom has confessed killing his man. In
lis confession just before the execution
Blount said:
BLOUNT'S CONFESSION.
81 killed Miller / shot him. l had
never met him 10 know him before | shot
him because he was mistreating my friend
George HUI was my friend. he cursed
George Hill | did not know that anybody
had cut Miller. | was arrested in Florida
for fighting. ] shot man named Charlie
Woodward. We had been in a difficulty.
was tried in court,,and sentenced to the
state prison for twelve months. l served
my time out. | have been arrested in Way
cross for gambling, and was sent
10 the chain-gaug for twelve months. |
served out the time. | have heard that |
kllieu Two more men, but never stayed to
see. One was at Mllen, on the Central
railroad. They did not arrest me for that.
l don't know his name. heard he died
pushed him Off the train and | heard that
lie died. / don't know the other mans
name. killed him above Macon at Griffin
/ shot him. | heard that he died That
was six or seven years ago. | have never
killed anybody else. l shot man in Way
cross one Saturday night, but l don't think
he died.
Two weeks ago Blount said that he had
served three years on the chain-gang. He
shot man named Belote in Jacksonville,
Fla, at the same time he shot Woodward
and there is a reward for him now as an
escaped convict from Dutton's in Florida.
IL Is also said he shot the sheriff of Dodge
county in Eastman, but, though not DENY
ing 1t, he never admitted the crime. He
had, up to last " ednesday, stoutly denied
killing Miller, but caved in then and went
70 confessing with vengeance He con-
fessed many petty crimes and Que rape on
oolored girl.