The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-12
SHOT TO SAVE HIMSELF.
THE CoROSER's JURY ExoNER-
ATES POLICEMAN GODBOLD.

The Killing of Robert williams Pro-
nounced Unsuitable Eomicide-The
Ofncsr Says Williams Drew a Pistol
as He Was Leaving the Gambling
Room and He Fired at Elm, But Did
Not Know That the Shot Took Effect.
The Testimony of WITNESSES of the
Shooting.
Coroner Dixon held an inquest yesterday
morning on the body Of Robert Williams,
the colored gambler who died night before
last from the effects Of a bullet wound at
the hands Of Policeman Godbold.
The jury, which was composed Of eight
white and four colored men, returned
verdict of justiHable homicide and the
policeman was discharged from custody.
Five witnesses were examined and the in
vestiRation lasted several hours.
Officer c. ID. Davis, who assisted Officer
Godbold in the raid OF the gamblers, testi-
ned as follows: II was walking Bay street
Monday night when a person came to me
and stated that there was fuss in house
at Price street and Bay lane, and asked that
put a stop to It He said he didn't know
how many were there. ] walked over to st.
Julian street and found Officer Godoold and
asked him to go with me. We took the
bearings Of the place. and looking in saw
| five colored men at a table gambling with
cards. We decided to arrest them for dis
orderly conduct.
| GUARDED THE HOUSE.
"Officer Gcdbold went 70 the rear door and
i / entered from the front Officer Godbold
told the men to consider themselves under
arrest and they made for the front door,
where I met them. leveled my pistol at
them and told them to keep quiet Some of
them made rush for the back door, when
Iheard the report of a pistol. We made
| four arrests, bringing three prisoners to the
| barracks, the fourth man having been
placed In charge of q white man, who failed
| to bring him in. l heard nothing more
| from Godbold. don't know who fired the
pistol. There was only one shot fired. l
saw one man get out of window after the
shot was fred"
WITNESS OF THE SHOOTING.
Timothy Kean, one of the men in the
room when the raid was made, gave the fol-
lowing testimony;
II am boarding at the house kept by
Cattle Webb. | was in the house Monday
night, lying on the bed. Holcomb, Webb,
Williams and some others were in the room
playing cards. l heard the sound of money.
There was loud talking going on around
the table for about ten minutes, when two
door and one through the front The first
policeman who came in said: Throw up
your hands ard consider yourselves under
arrest There was rush for the doors.
Those going TO the front were met by the
other officer who told them to stop, as they
couldn't get out. Robert Williams jumped
over me to get out Of the window when
Officer Godbold told him to stop or he
would shoot him. Williams stopped for a
moment, but when the policeman asked
them for their money Williams jumped out
of the window, Officer Godbold at the same
time firing a shot. l did not know until
some time afterward that any enc had been
wounded. When Officer Godbold fired he
did not seem to take any aim, but just
threw up his hand and fired toward the win
dow"
Robert Holcomb gave similar testimony
to Kean's except that he saw no pis5oli in the
crowd and was sure none was drawn.
Washington Webb didn't know who fred
the shot, aud said he didn't see any one
with pistol.
THE PoLICEMAN'S STATEMENT.
Officer Godbold's statement as to the
entering OF the place was similar TO that of
Officer Davis. He said that as Williams
started out of the window he ordered him
to stop, and the negro drawing a revolver
from his pocket turned his head and leveled
it at the policemen. 1t was then. Godbold
said, he fired. and Williams made a spring
out through the window. carrying his pistol
with him. The officer didn't think he had
shot thu negro, and never looked for him,
supposing that he had escaped.
The jury was out only few minutes and
returneda verdict that Robert Williams
came to his death by a wound inflicted by
Officer Godbold while in the discharge Of
bis duty"
Williams was buried yesterday afternoon
at O'Clock. Habersham and Price streets,
and Broughton street lane, between these
two streets, were crowded with colored
men, women and children to see the funeral.
All of them were discussing the killing.