The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-14
CAROLINA'S GREAT LOSS.
CHARLESTON FULL OF SORROW
AND INDIGNATION.

of CltlZenS - rdClS WHICH Aenu 10
show that the Killing Was Most Foul
Murder.
CHARLESTON, March 13.-The murder of
Cant. Da wson was the most brutal and
atrocious ever committed in Charleston.
Popular indignation is intense. All classes
in the community stand aghast at the
assassination, and would lynch the muir
derer if they could get HIM out Of the Jail.
The circumstances attending the murder
are as follows: Capt. Dawson left
the Ne,vs and Courier Office at
$50 o'clock. Some time ago it had been
brought to his attention that one of his do
mestics, stranger in America and one for
whose conduct, being employed in an edu-
cational and fiduciary capacity, he was re-
snonsible was conducting herself in a man
ner that demanded his immediate atten-
ton.
GOOD GROUNDS FOR SUSPICION.
It will appear elsewhere that Capt. Daw-
4 son had the best Of reasons for calling upon
4 DIR. Mellow, which he did at probably
about $40 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
! Can't. Dawson, on reaching the office of DIR.
mellow, alighted from a street car and en-
4 tered He never returned alive. The whole
truth Of the history Of what really occurred
in that office in the few fateful moments OF
the tragedy will be buried in his grave. The
revelations, only partially made last night,
indicate that the death of Capt. Dawson was
not only compassed in brutally murderous
\ manner, but that futile effort had been
made to bury the body of the victim as a
N secret forever
MDow's STATEMENT.
DR.. Mellow, Can't. Dawson's assassin and
n murderer, was called upon last night in Jail
h and asked TO explain the circumstances of
n the tragedy. He at first declined to make
Il any statement, but eventually said: "Here
it is in a nutshell: Capt. Dawson entered
my office, used abusive language and
knocked me down with his cane. | got up
n and he was about to strike me again, when
l shot him." DR.. McDow then went ON to
say that Capt. Dawson was not killed
instantly; that he remained alive from half
to three quarters of an hour, during which
time he (Mr. McDow) remained in the room
with the man, whose life was fast ebhing
away, making up his mind what to do. But
4 there is the strongest and most convincing
proof that Mellow remained in the room at
least an hour after the death of Capt Daw-
4 son, planning how he might dispose of the
body.
WHERE THE BULLET LODGED.
The following is printed this morning in
the nature of an interview with the muir
4 derer:
''Do you know where your ball took
effect~
"No. | suppose, however, in the heart,
for it was nearly on level with my pistol
when fired. As soon as l got the pistol
in my hand, and burning under the blows l
had received by fist and cane, and especially
the latter, l fired at Capt Dawson. |
thought the ball struck him somewhere in
the chest. He staggered and fell on my
Office floor, beside the table near by which
he had been talking. He fell heavily to the
floor He was breathing hard when l
leaned over him and raised him up. My
first thought was to go and call in some
physicians, and see the extent of the wound
and if possible resuscitate him"
PREVIOUSLY EXCITED.
did you leave your office immediately?'
''No; in the excitement of the moment
caused by the shooting, and remotely by a
little unpleasantness l had just had with
my wife, did not act at once"
The evidence shows that the body of the
murdered man lay in the office over three
hours, that he lived for nelrly an hour after
be had been shot within the sound of hls
wlfe's voice, and that it was not until the
chief of police arrived and broke open the
door that it was discovered. Capt. Daw-
son was Catholic, and priest lived within
two minutes walk Of the place of his mur-
oerers residence, and yet the murderer
summoned no assistance.
ONLY HAD LIGHT CANE.
:, When the body was found there was a
light walking cane on the floor near it.
lne victims right hand was covered by
glove and in his fingers was the other
glove. he was totally unarmed. The face
pore marks OF severe beating, the skin be-
ing aoraded in many places The murder
or $ on the contrary, showed no marks of
violence The impression prevails here that
ne murdered Capt. Dawson in the hope of
saving his reputation.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE PREMISES.
AT distance Of few feet from the back
uoor OF the office at the end of a passage
way Is half door opening into a recess
unuer stairway which leads to the second
sV'ry' AS was natural, and to be expected
a moiil me coroner and his jury,a thorough ex-
ANIMATION Of the premises was made with
lIe" OF the fullest investigation. It is the
genet that Lieut.. Fordham made a startling
ucoyery while this examination was in
nogresS. On the half door above referred
mere were notice some spots Of fresh
s,o. sSoou This was, of course an incentive to
slt s.tCner Inquiry, and the examination was
%teended to all parts of the closet. Drops
VI olood were found on the floor up to the
sba Saee where the flooring terminated and
~e earth OF the foundation was exposed.
THE UPrURNED EARTH.
,de nere another horrible and startling re-
W ,oiavIon was made. A mound was noticed
wbinI o9 freshly turned up and to a depth
briaIl balGn was only limited by a quantity of
aa Va.1AS ana other impossible material to a
BBale or whatever instrument was used in
attempt to dig grave; such certainly
m One conviction Of all those who
sa The upturned earth and bloody
fg,'', fD@ On the floor This closet door was
svij vtIu nailed up last night, although it had
orrrole3uIiy formerly been laid up against the
sr,aallLs INTO the closet. II is, therefore,
endos I1osC absolutely certain that the assassin
Io avored, during his long occupancy Of
Ss rom with the murdered man, to dig
a ave, and thus forever bury all proof
G,, In, crime with his victim.
no umIlng m The time that Capt. Dawson lived
Sbo murderer was making up his mind
nS' aV 70 DO. After the breath had left the
roc.u.e inc murderer went to q corner
soosIy and purchased a spade. In the
so"Iii'line his wife and children had left
nndo,use' On returning he bolted all the
S'ows, and, knocking out several panks
we partition that divided his office from
ravpp premises, made an attempt to dig a
rs THAT ARE CONSIDERED SUSPICIOUS.
gto. gsertain "a it is, however, that DR.. Mellow.
IA s.I uIndlng his efforts futile on account of
Nh AZ determined to set up the plea of
hn,I"IIi,ense, and went out and delivered
FN'eI TO Priyata Datactfva nordnn IL