The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-06

years ago when James Howard was pub
iicly hanged for the killing Of William
Wicker, at Wortheu's store. ten miles north
o. Sandersville. Judge Holt passed the
sentence Of death and Sheriff DAVID Vim
bsrly executed IL. A similar scene Will De
enacted to-day when Tom Webb lcolored
Will gay the death penalty. de was con-
victed OF rape at the last september term
OF the superior curt ami the sentence OF
death was passed upon him by Judge Gam
Die. The hanging will lie private IN anu n
closure behind the Jail The Washington
Rifles have offered their services as guard
and the sheriff has scceoted.
Griffin Gail. While q large fire-log wa
being sawed at the West Shore mills yestee-
day afternoon Tom Trullinger noticed soma
/ thing very singular. The outside slab and
one board had been cut off, and the men
/ were turning the log over preparatory %
sQuaring it, when they were surprised to
see large toad poke his head out of a hole
where he was imbedded and where he had
barely escaped being cut up by the saw. He
WAS completely incased in the wood, with
no possible means Of i1gress or egress. As
the log was the third up from the butt of
the tree, his position must have been about
sixty feet from the ground. There is but
one way of ac counting for the fact tbat he
was found in the position named. He had
grown up with tbs tree from infancy. and
Yves probably hundreds of years old when
the saw awoke him from his long nap.
Information reached Albany Wednesday
Of a shooting affair that occurred on Can't.
K. Hobbs Pine Island plantation last Satur-
day night. Ned Johnson. who lives on that
| place. sent his boy JEFF out TO get some
cows out Of his field. The boy mounted
mule and going to tire field started the
cows in the direction of tie house
| Suddenly there was a report from
the gun and JEFF discovered that he had
been shot. He received load of bird shot
that was divided between him and the
mule. jim Kelley negro boy was discov-
cred to be the one who did the shooting. He
claims that he did not intend to wound the
boy or the mule, but that be was shooting
at the cows johnson is not dangerously
injured but will probably be laid up for
several weeks. The mule will be OF little
| service in the future, as he received the
bulk of the load.
The most important case on trial at Mon
ticello this week and in which the greatest
interest is manifested in that OF
the state va Claude Me7rywether
as the superior court was about to adjourn,
news was received in town Of the killing of
John Cordell. one of the towns best cti-
zens, by Claude Merry wether, young man
Of one OF the county's best families.
Merrywether was farming and keeping
DdC0elOrs nan near tne IhFLn OF OOrOelI.
Mrs. Pitts, Cordell's sister, was preparing
Merrywether's meals. CordelI not liking
the turn affairs were taking, told
his sister she must stop cooking for
Msrrywether. as he, was constantly
drinking, and when not drinking was
under the influence of morphine, besides
other suspicious circumstances which were
not very honorable. Mrs. Pitts. at break
fast on the morning of the killing, informed
Merrywether what her brother had told
her. Merrywether arose from the table,
taking his Winchester rife, and said he
would kill CordeM. He went TO within
forty yards OF where Cordell and his little
children were digging a load of potatoes for
market on the opposite side of a wagon
from Merrywether Merrywether hailed
him and told him to come there. Cordell
replied he did not have time. Merry wetber
then said: "If you don't come will kill YOU
Cordell paid no further attention. Merry
wether fired his rife, the ball passing
through the wagon body aud striking Cor.
dell 10 the head, killing him instantly. John
Cordell was poor but hard working man.
He was the personihcAtion of honor and in
tegrity. He was liked by every one. He
left large family, consisting of a wife and
Ave small girls The citizens have made up a
purse to buy the wife a small farm. Merry
wether was tried last March on a special
plea of insanity by a special jury and found
/, saue, and is now on trial for murder and
plea OF insanity filed under plea Of genera
issue for murder.