Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1891-07-08
BLOODY SCENE ATTHE JAIL
UNRUI.Y CONVICT ATTACKS
OvERsEER WHITE.

The Overseer, in Self Defense,
shoots the Prisoner in the LEFT
Side-Several Persons are Bruis-
ed In the Melee.
There was a bloody scene at the
county jail on Eagle street this morning.
And as result one man lies at deaths
door, while two Others are suffering from
severe bruises.
About O'Clock this morning people in
the vicinity of the jail were startled by
two reports of pistol following each
other in rapid succession.
This told Of trouble at the county bas-
tile, and rumors OF every imaginable
sort were soon aAoat, to the effect that
the prisoners had assaulted and over
powered the jailor and were escaping,
that several had been killed and that the
residents near were in terror.
The news spread rapidly and when THE
CITIZEN arrived at the Jail large crowds
were surrounding the enclosure, discuss
ing the trouble.
Entering the yard and going in the jail
building proper, THE CITIZEN found a
half dozen officers in the corridor sur.
rounding the cell, while sitting on top OF
the cell was a negro man, armed with a
murderous looking club, and defying the
officers.
At this time Deputy Sheriff Morgan
and officer Sans, Of the police force, ar
rived, and going near the negro, com.
manded him to surrender.
The negro then dropped his club, and
allowed himself to be hauled down.
How II Occurred.
The cause which led up to this scene
was as follows:
This morning about 7 o'clock, H. H.
White, oversecr OF the convicts in the
county chain gang, went to the Jail for
the purpose Of getting the men ready to
go to their work, northwest of the city,
near the French Broad.
Mr.. White had had considerable trouble
with one Of the convicts, Wilson Muir.
thee, negro, in getting him to work
Murthec, had, Mr.. White says, been inso
lent and shirking for several days, and
he had finally told MIN on yesterday
that he would punish him by whipping
this morning before they awent to their
work.
With this end in view Mr.. White and
Jailer Jamison entered the corridor this
morning at the hour named, and, un.
locking the door of the big double cell in
the center of the jail where the prisoners
are kept, brought Murthee into the cor.
ridOr.
Mr.. White demanded Of Murthee that
he remove his c" at and vest and submit
to the chastisement. The prisoner made
as il he would obey, but kept retreating
until out of Mr.. Whites reach, all the
time unbuttoning his vest.
a Terrible Fight.
Suddenly, with a curse. he ran his hand
into his pocket and Jerking out an open
pocket knife sprang upon Mr.. White.
He made several passes at the overseer,
cutting him once on the head. just above
the left ear, and hitting him stunning
blow in the eye.
Then, seeing that the negro, now half.
crazy with rage, was intent upon killing
him, Mr.. White pulled out the pistol he
was carrying and shot at Murthee,
aiming at isleg.
The ball did not strike the negro, but
only passed through the clothing. Even
this did not stop the negro, and he
sprang at Mr.. White again, and the
officer fired the second time, the ball
entering the ncgro's body on the left side
about midway bet wecn the shoulder and
hip.
All this had happened in much less time
than it takes to relate it. Tailor Jamisor
ran to Mr.. Whites assistance.
Instead Of submitting after receiving
the wound, the negro began a ficrceI
fight than ever. He caught up a plank
which was lying in the corridor, ant
struck everything that came in his reach
Mr.. White received heavy blow acros,
the lett hand, and Jailor Jamison wa,
given terrible blow in the left side
breaking one rib and almost disabling
him. He was also struck on the leg.
| AZ hay.
Finally, however, Murthee dropped
the plank and climbed to the top of tn,
cell by the iron lattice work of the outel
cell. He had secured n ten-foot pol,
which had been used in the building BY
Tailor Iamison's family in hanging Out
clothes.
Then from his perch above the headl
of the officers, Murthee cursed and defet
them to take him.
Several city police arrived about thi.
time, but as they could not bring tn,
negro down without shooting him, h,
was left alone until the arrival of Deputy
Sheriff Morgan, who, deputizing tn,
other officers, brought Murthee down a,
stated above.
During the melee CONSERVATION reignet
in the jail. The county prisoners stoot
huddled together in the cell within few
feet and saw the terrible fight in which
their fellow prisoner was engaged, whil,
the thoroughly infuriated negro's curses
could be plainly heard outside the jai
yard.
After quiet had been restored the pris
oncrs were taken out, searched, and sen
to work. Murthee was taken into tn
cell and placed on mattress, and DR.
Weaver, county physician, sent for.
DR.. Weaver made an examination O
the wounded man, but did not probe tn
wound, concluding to wait until the re
action set in. A further examination
will be made late this afternoon or to
night. DR.. Weaver is Of the opinion tha
the man will die, though his strong con
stitution may enable him to recover.
Says He Found the Knife.
Sheriff Reynolds went down to the ja
as soon as he heard of the occurrence
and talked with Murthee. The negro
groaning in agonv all the while, told tn
sheriff that he had found the knife, whic
is an ordinary double-bladed one, wit
one three.inch blade, in the yard of til
jail on Monday, and had had it secrete
ever since that time.
Murthee is short, very muscular n,
gro, and has been regarded as the mos
dangerous man in the chain gang. II
was sentenced at the last term Of tn
criminal court, to four years at har
labor on the county roads, for stealth
from Vanderbilt's store at Biltmore. H