The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-18
LIFE DIDN'T SUIT HIM.
A NEGRO SLABS HIMSELF AND
TEEN JUMPS INTO The RIVER


Israel Edwards Runs All the Way
to Thunderbolt From the City,
Thrusts His Body Full of knife
Wounds, and Jumping From the
Thunderbolt Wharf browns Himself
in -Four Feet OF Water - Insanity
Caused the Rash Act
Israel Edwards, a young mulatto, oon,-
mitted suicide at Thunderbolt yesterday
under very peculiar circumstances.
About 70 o'clock, while number Of
people, mostly colored, were in and around
Randolph PATS place on Thunderbolt
river, Edwards came running down the
road, with his coat wrapped tightly around
bis body. He ran down to the wharf
where several negroes were open
ing oysters, aud exclaimed; GOOD
morning. people" Jerking of his hat
and throwing it upon the wharf, before the
people could perceive his intention he
jumped from the wharf into the river. The
water was not more than three feet deep
where he fell, and partly rising he pushed
himself of into deeper water, going under
in about four feet, and remained under.
TIE CROWD PANIo-sTRICKEN.
The negroes were panic-sricken, and an
excited crowd soon gathered around the
place from which the suicide had leaped
into the river. Mr.. PaR, whom the negro
had passed on his way TO the wharf. got out
a beat, and, with the assistance of several ne
gro men, began,a search foS the body. 1t was
brought up in few minutes with pair of
oyster tongs. The body was limp, and Mr..
Paff thought he would be able to resuscitate
the man by rolling him, as is usual in cases
where a person has been under water but a
short while. Edwards body had only been
in about five minutes.
COVERED WITH WOUNDS.
Upon opening the mans coat, which was
still wrapped tightly around him, the rescu-
ers were Mortified TO find several gaping
wounds in his neck and breast. His shirt
wounds were newly made. and that he had
lost considerable blood Efforts were made
to resuscitate him, but it was soon apparent
that life was extinct.
The case was strange and sensational
one, which the witnesses were entirely at a
loss to understand.
A number Of people were attracted to the
spot by the report of the suicide, and some
one recognized the body as that Of Israel
Edwards. a colored man, of Savannah, and
word was sent TO his mother, in the city, of
his death.
A MORNING NEWS reporter went out to
ascertain the facts In the case. He found
the body laid out on the beach within few
feet from where it had been taken from the
water. 1t was covered with a white cloth.
WATCHING THE BODY.
A small crowd Of negroes surrounded il.
Edwards mother, two or three of his friends
and several of those who saw him jump
from the wharf and assisted in taking the
body from the water, were among the
number. The anguish OF tho suicides
mother, respectable-looking old colored
woman, with a kind, motherly face, was
pitiful.
20, my child my child!" she exclaimed;
de body is dead. but what about de soulF'
A talk with Mr.. Paff and the negroes
who bad witnessed the act showed circum-
stances to be substantially as narrated
above. Mr.. Paff was under the impression
that Edwards was the victim Of foul play,
but the stories of his mother and acquaint-
ances were conclusive evidence that through
bodily weakness and mental depression he
had become demsnted and had deliberately
taken his own life.
CRAZY BEYOND DOUBT.
Edwards mother said that he had been
employed as a cook at Tybee until Thanks
giving day, when he came back to Savan-
Dec. he got into a difficulty, in which he
received cash in the neck, from which
he lost a great deal of blood and
from which he was considerably weakened.
Since that time he had done nothing, but
spent most of his time at his mothers house
helping her in her work. be had been
waiting for work, but had not been able to
find any. Lately he had seemed much
cast down and dispirited- The
Last ma he
was Monday night, when he told her that
he was going to work the next day but did
not say what at. His mother said that he
was acting so strangely that she asked him
If he had been drinking, and he replied,
. No, mother, how could / get whisky to
drink when / haven't money to even buy
tobaccog' He left her Monday night, say
ing that he was gong to church. Edwards
was 81 years old. His mother cooks for a
family near Barnard and Castor, and re.
sides on the place. Edwards had bsen stay
ing at house at East Broad and Gwinnett
streets.
FRIGHTENED HIS NEIGHBoBs.
Yesterday morning his strange actions
attracted the attention and frightened the
other inmates OF the house. They thought
Edwards crazy and for sent for policeman
to arrest him Before the policeman arrived
Edwards jumped over the fence surround
ing the house and made his escape. This
was about o'clock. He was not seen again
by the inmates until his body was brought
back 60 the city last night
An examination of Edwards body showed
In the left side of the neck, little above the
collar bone, a wound which looked as il 1t
had been made by dirk or other sharp
pointed instrument, which had been driven
in and twisted around In the left breast
was another wound which appeared as il
the knife or dirk had been
driven in deeply in a slanting direction,
and from its dangerous appearance this
wound might have ultimately produced
death. There we're other gashes in the
breast.
Edwards was q small man, below medium
hight. His face did not appear to be Of ar
intelligent cast, the front teeth of the
upper jaw protruding forward in a very
unpleasant manner.
DETERMINED TO END HIS LIFE.
There was no clew as TO where or how tn,
cutting was done. Evidently the idea O
suicide took possession of Edwards insane
mind in the city, and he started toward
Thunderbolt with that intention In view
He was seen at several points along tn
shell road by different parties, who notices
the rapid pace at which he was going. A
none Of them noticed blood upon Edwards
clothing, and as it is hardly possible that b.
made the distance from the city 20 Thunder
bolt with those deadly wounds upon his bod,
and suffering continual loss of blood, tn
idea of stabbing himself to death must hav
occurred to him in the neighborhood O
Thunderbolt. That the stabbing was tn