The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-11
A JEALOUS MANS CRIME.
JAMES FREEMAN Stays HIS WIFE
IN TATTN ALL COUNTY.


a Woman Dragged With a Rope
Around her Neck TO a Neighbour
House to Aid Der Husband in AS.
ssssinating Him-The Plot Frustrated
and Freeman Shoots dis Wife WITT
O Winchester Rife on Their Way
Home and Leaves Her Body in a
Ditch-Its Discovery the Next Day.
The Murderer Escapes
Tattnall county has again been the scene
Of sensational murder.
James Freeman shot and killed his wife
with Winchester rife on the public road,
about half mile from their home, Monday
night The body Of the murdered woman
lay where she fell until Tuesday morning,
when it was discovered by James Collins
freeman escaped.
Jealousy is supposed to have been the
cause Of the murder For some time Free
man has borne ill-feeling toward J. D.
Kennedy, friend of Freeman's wife, and
had told people that he Intended to kill him
with Winchester rife which he rad pur-
chasei. Kennedy tackled Freeman about
the report, but he denied it.
WANTED TO KILL his wIFE's FRIEND.
Monday night Freeman went 10 Ken
nedy's house and had a pleasant talk with
him. He left presumably for home, but re-
turned shortly atterward and asked for
some wine for his wife and children. Ken
nedy let Freeman have the wine and he
started for home. Kennedy and his family
then retired, but shortly afterward he heard
loud talking in front OF his house, and GET
ting up be opened the window and looked
out. He saw Freeman and his wife in the
road, the man with a gun in his hand and
the woman with something like a pistol,
Mrs. Freeman called to Kennedy to come
out as she wanted to talk to him.
but Kennedy, not liking the appearances
Of things, refused. Then Freeman cursed
him and said he had come for the purpose
OF killing him, and wanted him to come out
side and take his medicine. Kennedy closed
the window and Freeman and his wife
started Off.
KENNEDY's GUN MISSED FIRE.
Kennedy got bis gun and tried to shoot
Freeman as be went away, but the weapon
failed TO discharge. He thea got another
gun and slipping out the back way went to
Freeman's house to put him out of the way
TO save his own life. He fired into the
house to bring his victim out, but as no one
appeared he crept up the window and looked
In. The place was deserted, Freeman and
his wife not having returned.
Ken nedy started back to his home and
when near there he heard shot fired down
the road. He stopped TO await develop
ments, but as no one appeared he went into
his house and retired.
THE FATAL SHOT.
The shot which he heard was the one
which sent Mrs. Freeman into eternity. The
RunnnEirinr IL TINT g. =.
sion, killed his wife because Of the failure
of his scheme TO get Kennedy out of the
house through her influence
Inc ball went entirely through Mrs.
Freeman's body, having entered her back
behind the right shoulder and passed out
through her breast near the left shoulder.
When Mr.. Collins found the murdered
woman she was lying on her face in a pool
OF clotted blood, and had evidently been
dead q long while. Under her was 90,
caliber revolver, and a half-flled box of
cartridges, and q few feet away looped
rope, eight feet long was found.
DRAGGED WITH 4 ROPE.
1t Is thought that Freeman used the rore
to drag his wife TO Kennedy's house aud had
also compelled her to take pistol to help
him assassinate the man Of whom he was
jealous.
After committing the crime Freeman left
the country. He vas seen at a turpentine
still several miles from the scene Of the muir
der Tuesday morning by Rev. T. J. Baker,
who, noticing his excited condition, asked
HIM what was wrong. Il have killed Dly
wife" said Freeman, but did 1t accident
ely. We had been TO kennedy's to settle n
dllnculty, and when we were returning
home my rifle accidentally fired while
was charging it and killed her"
treeman was very much excited, and
told Mr.. Baker that he was going to his old
home in North Carolina.
A VERDICT OF MURDER.
Coroner Gordon held an inquest on Mrs
Freeman's body and Kennedy testified to
the foregoing story. Rev. Mr.. Baker also
testified to the confession made to him by
Freeman the morning the body was found.
and the jury returned verdict Of murder
with malice aforethought against Free.
man.
The place where the murder was commit
ted IS several miles outside OF Reidsvllle, the
county seat. The first news of the crime
was brought to the city yesterday morning
by representative Of the MORNING NEWS.
who heard OF it while attending the cele-
bration at Reidsville Wednesday. As there
is no telegraph Office in Tattnaii county it
was impossible TO get the story here until
yesterday.
The Freemans were poor people, bat the
wife was quite good-looking, and her hus-
band was lnsanely Jealous of her. The dead
woman leaves two little children, who will
De thrown on the charity of the people of
Iattnall for support
Inc feeling against the murderer is strong
IN Iattnal, and every effort will be made
10 capture and bring him to Justice.