The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-13
LUCIUS DOTS0N TO HANG.
TIE SLAYER OF JEFF COATES
CONVICTED OF MURDER.

DotSon to SuTfer the Death Penslty
Jan. 23-Story of the Crime-Ihe
Evidence Upon Which the Prisoner
Was Convicted Conclusive, and the
Jury agrees Upon a Verdict in
Twenty Minutes-The Judges Charge
The Death Sentence Pronounced
a New Trial to Be Asked for.
Lucius Dotson. the negro who killed JEFF
Coates in Barrett's barroom. on River
street, Saturday night, Sept. 3, was con
victed of murder in the superior court yes
terday afternoon. and was sentenced to be
hanged Jan. %, 1891
Three panels were exhausted in securing
jury. Two msa went off for cause, the
defense struck fifteen and the state six. The
following composed the jury:
Charles Conner, Clarence E Brouzhton,
Warren Snow, Stephen l.. Cole,
James NJ Palm, Michael J. Egan,
James L. Gallagher, Jacob c ihen.
Peter II. Moeller, Charles f. CT T.
The principal witness for the prosecution
was j. ]. Barrett, in whose barroom the
killing occurred.
THE BARKEEPER'S STORY.
Between $50 and 10 o'clock on the night
OF Sept. 49," said Mr.. Barrett, JEFF Coates,
Lucius Dotson and several ether negroes
came into my grocery store, where rattle
for q smoking set was in progress. Coates
asked to throw his chance and was told
that it had en- thrown by boy. He
insisted, however, on throwing the chance
himself and | handed him the dice.
After Throwing twice he said he was salts
fed. While he was IN the grocery he had
small penknife in bis hand, the blade Of
-. - s.l- nak
the counter. Ia few minutes all hands
adjourned to the barroom and DRINKS were
ordered. Coates took a cigar. While 1
was filling the order | heard Dotson say in
an easy tone 10 Coates:
DoTsoN's THREAT.
"'rn give you good punching when GET
you' outside, you scoundrel.' Dotson
was standing near the door leading from
the bar into the grocery. Coates never
answered DotsoG, who repeated his remarks,
and started toward the door OF the grocery.
As he got within few feet Of Dotson the
latter remarked: Il can do you and do
you right here and almost at the same mo-
IEent drew q revoIver and fired directly at
Coates, who fell on the floor. Dotson then
ran out the door, and my brother and my
self followed him. Ny brother captured
him farther down the street, aud l came up
in q few minutes, aud wa carried him back
W Tue SGOTe ana Idrneu nun over 10 C6n-
tral railroad policeman, whom | sent for"
On cross examination Mr.. Barrett said
that Coates had the knife in bis hand when
he went toward Dotson, but he made no at
tempt to use 1t, and appeared to bs trying
TO get away from difficulty.
AwITNEss OF THE KILLING.
A negro named Stiles, who was with the
party in the saloon. testified that Coates
went into the grocery to talk to- Mr..
Barrett about rattle. and on coming bacIs
invited hun to take drink, at the same time
calling for six beers. Stiles declined 10 take
beer and ordered sarsaparilla instead.
While he was waiting for the sarsaparilla
he heard some mumbling between Dotson
and Coates. He did not pay much
attention to the conversation. and
IN moment or two heard
a shot. He turned around Ia time ID
see Coates fall on the floor and Dotsol run
out of the door. de did not see Coates with
a knife.
Wise Bowman, a suffering negro, said
that he was IN the barroom at the time
of the trouble, and did not see
Coates have any dispute with Dotson.
As Coates walked to the door of the grocery
Bowman said be saw Dotson draw pistol
from the waistband of his pantaloous and
shoot Coates, after which he ran into the
street.
the location of the wound, after which the
State rested.
THE PRISONERS STATEMENT.
Dotson then took the stand and made
statement, as follows: II met jeff Coates
on Mill and West Boundary streets, and he
asked me II had any money. l said no.
Coates then asked me to go and have drink
with him, aud we went TO Barrett's bar
room, where some called for beer and others
for cigars. Coates said he was going
to drink whisky and wanted TO know why
didn'5 do the same / told him that |
didn't want whisky, AND said, jokingly: %,
we'll be punching each other when we get
outside Coates drew q knife, and, hold.
ing it up, said: You won't punch
me while l have this He then
came toward me and attempted to
cut Inc. / said man, don't come at me
with that knife He kept comiag, and l,
believing that he was about to kill me,
drew my pistol and fired, and then ran into
the street. was caught on Mcguire street
and omitted quietly to arrest"
the defense then put up II. NJ. Murray, q
negro, who partly corroborated the prison.
er's statement In regard TO the remarks Of
Dotson in warming Coates to keep away
from him with knife.
Mr.. Barrett was recalled by the state in
rebuttal, and denied Murray's testimony
aud said that If any remarks had been
made by Coates In reply to Dotson he would
have heard it. as he was nearer to Coates
than Murray.
THE ARGUMENT.
Lawyer Morrison's argument for th
prisoner occupied thirty-five minutes, ant
was on the line that Dotson did the KILN,
while laboring under the fear that Coate
was about TO attempt his fe when he ap
preached with the open knife in his hand
The speech was plea for the prisoner, ant
Mr.. Morrison laid particular stress on tn
fact that Murrays name appeared on rh,
back of the indictment as states witness
yet the solicitor failed to summon him, am
when he did come TO the court house of hi
own accord, the state'sr preventative woulC
not put him on the stand.
In the interest of justice, Mr.. Morrison sait
he felt compelled to put Murray up as wit
ness for the defense to prove the fallacy o
the case as presented by the state.
Solicitor General Fraser summed u
for tie state and reviewed the evidence
He asked for a verdict as charged in tn
indictment, as this case was one of the cleaI
est Of brutal and c1wardly murders tha
had ever been presented to a jury. HI
speech occupied but fifteen minutes.
THE JUDGES CHARGE.
Judge Falligants charge consume
twenty minutes, and was clear and concis
exposition of the law covering the crime {