The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-04
A STILETT0 IN HIS HEART
IsA &C sIMONS' BRUTAL MURDEa
OF "PUNCR" EAGANS.


A Jealous Husband staOs a Boy.
Chases Him Into q Field and Thrust
ing a Dagger Through Els Heart
Twists it Around-The Body Thrown
Into a Ditch The Murd srer At
tempts to Kill HIS Wife and Child.
The Story of the Killing.
The body Of Robert, alias Punch"
Hagans (colored), stabbed through the heart
and hanged, was found yesterday morning
in ditch on the east bank of the Ogeechee
canal near the Railroad street bridge.
Hagsns was II years old, and was slain
Sunday night by Isaac Simons, also colored
Simons also probably fatally wounded ms
wife, and gave his little daughter, Lizzie,
frightful stab in her head.
Simons was so brutal TO his wife that she
left him about two weeks ago, since which
time she has been boarding at Willis John
sons house. No. ~ West Boundary street
The murdered boy boarded at the same
place. Sunday night Hagans, simon
wife, Willis johnson and several other men
and women were sitting on the porch sing
ing and eating watermeons. About II
o'clock Hsgans left and said he was gong %
bed. He slept in the back room on COT,
and after be had arranged his bed he IN
dressed TO turn in for the night, About
that time his little daughter came along aud
Hagans began playing with the child
A DAGGER IN HIS HAND.
In a minute or two the back door leading
into Hapans' room was burst open, and
bimons rusced in from the yard, dagger in
hand. With an oath he drove the weapon
into Hagaus back. The child screamed
and the unnatural father gave her stab in
the head.
Most Of those on the porch ran into the
street, and Simons' wife took refuge In her
bedroom. The infatuated husband followed
her and drove the dagger into her back just
behind the lett shoulder Sac tainted, aud
Simons turned back at Hagaus The boy ran
out into the yard and climbed the
fence, the murderer follow. him. The
wound in Hagaus' back had weakened him
so that he couldn't run fast, and Simons
caught him at the fence around one OF the
city's lots and plunged his dagger into the
boys lung and again into his heart, where
he evidently turned it around, from the
circular appearance of the wound.
SHOWED THE BODY OVER A FENCE.
After completing his bloody work Sim
ons showed the dead body over the fence
into little ditch, where 1T was discovered
yesterday morning by policeman. The
top rail over which the body went was
soaked with blood.
After killing Hagans, Simous disap-
peAred, but few hours af5erward went
back to Johnson's house and tried to get in,
saying that he had killed two and wanted
to have johnson for a third.
The fact that Simons had stabbed his wife
and daughter was well known in the neigh
borhood, but no one knew that Hagans had
been murdered until his dead body was
found in the ditch yesterday.
THE MURDERER NEAR BY.
The murderer hung around the scene of
his crime until after o'clock and talked
with some of the negroes He met John
Smith on the railroad track just across the
canal and asked him whether Punch |
Hagans, whom be had stabbed, had gotten |
back TO the house. Smith knew nothing OF |
what had occurred, and then Simons told him |
Of his having stabbed bis wife, little daughter |
and Hagsns Smith made no attempt to stop |
the murderer and said nothing about his
conversation with MIN until he had gotten |
out of the way.
Acting Coroner Naughtin held an inquest |
on Hagans' body, and the Jury returned |
verdict Of murder against Simons.
Crowds Of negroes gathered around the |
house where Hagan's body lay and excitedly |
talked about the murder. Among them was |
the murderer's brother, who openly stated |
that Isaac was out at work at ths rosin |
yards between the Central railroad and
Vale Royal mills. He said It was no use
for any one TO attempt to arrest him, as he
was armed with two revolyers and would
fight before being taken. This information
was given the authorities by a MORNING
NEWS reporter, but up to late hour last
night the murderer was still at large.
THE DEADLY srILETTo.
From the accounts of those who were in
the house at the time Simons made his
deadly onslaught the weapon used by the
murderer was a long keen dagger or
stiletto.
Simons is a short, heavy-set black man
about IS years old. He has "A large head,
big pop eyes, heavy side whiskers and mus
tache, weighs about no pounds and is in
clined TO be bowlegged. He wears a red
dish suit aud large felt hat. He was
employed at the rosin yards in Holders
gang
The murderer used TO live at tho four
mile hill on the Central railroad and he
will likely so there to his friends TO escape
arrest.
Hsgals belonged in Guyton and bis father
came down yes ,erday afternoon and took
his sons body home for burial.
Simon's wife was suffering considerably
last night from her wound.