The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-22

: NOT see Williams have anything
in his hands. When my father came TO the
| door he Just told us 70 come IN and not
bother Williams He said nothing TO
Williams. Williams tried to strike him q
second time. A great many colored people
were in the store. / saw Williams have no
weapon. / suppose l could have seen it II
he had one as IL was light outside and l
never heard Williams say at anytime that
he had a pistol He walked away
from the store several times and came back
and would not leave the store. / think
Williams would have followed my father
iuto the store if it had not been for the
crowd that blocked up the entrance"
WHERE WILLIAMS WAS PICKED Up.
James G.. Ledbetter, who is foreman of
Dale. Dixon & Co.'S mill. was the next wit
ness sworn. His testimony is as follows:
Gan that know about 1t is that l met
Williams at Henry Finken's store
about 9 o'clock, or a little later
or sooner, last night. am not
sure about the hour. l was asked by
Duke Harmon if would not take Williams
out in my buggy. Williams was making
! noise and disturbance. Harmon seemed to
know the man. l did not know Williams
myself He was noisy and unruly. l took
/ him In my buggy to accommodate Harmon.
| When we reached Tayior's store / jumped
out and went In TO pay a little
| bill l owed there. 1 asked Taylor
for glass of beer, / left Williams outside
in the buggy. having asked him to stay in
the buggy while l went inside to attend to
a little business, saying that would only
be gone moment. Before TAYLOR could
draw the beer, Williams jumped out of
the buggy, came in the store and became
abusive to Taylor.
WILLIAMS IN THE STORE.
Taylor told him to go out and not bother
him, and said this is my business night and
don't worry me;' then turned around and
said see here, my friend, go and sit in the
buggy until | come out, win be going in a
minute Williams told me l had nothing
TO do with it and that l should keep my
mouth shut. / said very well, Il am out Of it,
II you want to raise quarrel with me.
Then he began TO abuse Taylor and his son
Willie, and used very bad language, and
dirty language that l would not want TO
repeat all of it. One remark was that he
was a English - and he would
shoot Taylor's - liver out il he would
come out from behind the counter.
Williams threatened to shoot the liver
out OF both Taylor and his son. Then
Taylor started out from behind the counter
saying he could not take all that, or words
to that effect. Williams was then standing
in front OF the counter, but went toward
the door, followed by Taylor Just as
Taylor stepped out of the door Williams
turned around and hit Taylor an awful
whack on the side of the face with
his hand. | cannot say whether it
was slap or whether he struck him with
his fist. What occurred after that do not
know. heard two pistol shots. 1 did not
go out, and all know is that Taylor said
he had shot Williams
To questions by the coroner and Jurors
the witness said: 81 did not know
81
date Harmon. Williams was raising
trouble and drinking at Finkley's. He was
wild. be was cursing and wild. l did not
see Taylor have pistol. Twas not drink
ing. had had couple of glasses of beer"
STATEMENT OF YOUNG TAYLOR.
William Taylor, the 17-year-old son of
William Taylor, was next called and testi-
fed as follows: Last night / was in the
store when Ledbetter drove up Ia front of
the store in his wagon. went out TO
see who it was, and saw George Williams
sitting in behind. Ledbetter started to get
out, and told George to stay until he came
out, as he would be gone only about a
minute to pay a bill. Williams got out,
and came up to the top of the steps. He
stepped up to one Of the men on the steps
and was talking, and he said he would 20 in
and see my sister about some money he
owed. He said my father had done him q
low trick about his money. and he was GO
ing to see him about it, He then began to
curse my father, and said that if he caught
sight of me or my father he would blow our
bloody hvers out. My father then went
out and told him to go away. l was In the
store My father went outside and begged
him 10 go away from the store and not use
such language. Williams would not go
away by any coaxing. My father then
came in and left him out there.
civilians started to cursiug again and l
tried to get him away, but he would not go.
Then three or four colored men took him
piece down the shell road and begged him
to go away and be quiet He turned
around and broke away, and said that he
was not going away but that he was going
to catch the Internal
- and kill him. My sister
then went out and asked him to 90 away.
He walked away few steps and began
cursing my father, who was in the store
My father did not pay any attention to him
and went out on the step again, and my
sister followed me, TO try to get him to 90
away. Father came out aud told my sister
and myself to come in and let Will
liams alone and not bother with him
AS father caught hold of me to
bring me in Williams jumped forward and
hit my father in the face, at the same time
saying he had pistol TO kill every English
- - there was on the
place, and the first time he caught sight of
me, or my father, he would blow our
bloody livers out. My father made a kick
at him but missed him. Father
then came in the store to get
something to protect himself. He went
back to the steps, and Williams put his
hand toward his hip pocket as if he had
something to shoot father with. He reached
his hand in his hip pocket as if he was go
ing to get a pistol, and said he was going to
kill my father. When l heard this turned
to go in the store, and I heard Williams
cursing again. heard nothing more until
the two shots were fired"
In answer TO questions by the coroner and
jurors the witness said: ~ did not see
Williams come in the store. When my
father turned back Williams may have came
in the store and could not have seen him
for the crowd. / don't know who shot
Williams. | never saw Williams at any
time have pistol, but by the way he
talked should think he may have carried
one."
The next witness called was John Bat
ties (colored). John was very accurate in
his time, which he reduced with great pre-
cision TO seconds. He testified as follows:
"When first went TO Taylor's store it was
about 1910 o'clock. Ledbetter was there.
Hard words passed between Williams and