The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-22
THE CHILD SLAYER SHOT.
WASH FLOYD KILLED WHILE AT
TEMPTING TO ESCAPE.


He Holds the Officers at Bay With a
Musket and Attempts to Brain Con-
stable Eady With Smoothing Iron.
The Murderer Dragged From His
House-Overpoweri the officers
He Starts for the Woods but Is
Stopped by a Pistol Shot-Floyd's
Companion Escapes
Wash Floyd (coloredl, who, with Ella
Flowers, fatally whipped little Maria Hill,
an account OF whose death was in the
MORNING NEWS yesterday. was shot and
killed by Constable Eady (coloredl yesterday
morning about o'clock, while resisting
rest on a charge of murder. The shooting
occurred at Floyd's home, in Dutchtown.
eight miles south of the city.
1t was a tragic sequel to one of the most
brutal crimes ever committed in Chatham
county, and was the melting out Of quick
retribution to q murderer without putting
the county to any expense. Within less
than twsnty-four hours from the tiins OF
the death of his little victim Floyd was
himself dead. the reeult OF attempting to
eIcape capture.
Constables Eady and Hill went out 60
Dutchtown late Monday night 10 arrest
Floyd and the Flowers woman on the war
rant issued by Justice Naughtin charg-
ing them with the murder Of the
child. They reached Floyd's house
after midnight and reconnoitered to find out
if the parties they wanted were inside.
They heard the voice of a man and woman.
Constable Eady knocked at the door and the
Flowers woman asked who was there,
THE MURDERER CoRNERED.
The officer told her that he wanted
Floyd and asked her to open tho
door. She answered that Floyd was NOT at
home, and declined to let the officers in.
Constable Eady told the woman that he
knew Floyd was in the house, and would
take him If it was necessary to break the
door in She opened the door at this threat
and the officers started in. Floyd met them
in the front room with a musket and coolly
ordered them TO halt. He said he knew
what they were after, and would die rather
than be arrested.
Constable Eady tried TO reason with
Floyd, telling him it would be better to
submit quietly and avoid trouble, as himself
and Hill had come there determined to
arrest him. Floyd replied with au oath and
raised the musket to fire.
Constable Eady grasped the barrel OF the
weapon and attempted 10 wrest it from
Floyd. while Hill struck him on the head
with the butt of his pistol.
THE SHOT MISSED HIM.
About this time the musket was dis
charged. The load of shot passed close 60
Eady's body. He wrenched the gun out of
the murderer's hand and pulling his pistol
showed it in front of Floyd's faoe and or
dered him to surrender. Instead of doing
so Floyd grabbed the pistol and turning
the barrel toward Hill tried TO pull the
trigger. Eady managed to break his hold
on the weapon. As he did Floyd
picked up a smoothing iron and fought the
two officers out OF the house into the field.
With blow of his powerful fist he sent
Constable Hill sprawling five feet away and
almost at the same moment struck Consta-
BILE Eady to the ground with the iron and
then ran. When Eady got on his feet the
murderer was fifty feet away. The
officer called to him to halt
only ran faster and Eedy opened
fire with his 3S-oaliber revolver. At the
fourth shot Floyd fell Tho two constablea
ran up 70 him and not thinking he was seri-
ously injured put the handouts on his
wrists.
DIED WITHOUT SPEAKING.
In a moment, however, they saw that
their prisoner had been fatally wounded
and was dying The handouts were re-
moved, and in about Ave minutes Floyd
was dead. He died without speaking
Eady shouldered Floyd's body and car
ried it TO their wagon, while Hill
went back to the house to arrest
the woman, but she had taken advantage OF
the fight and made her escape during the
excitement. After waiting about the place
awhile with the hope OF locating the woman,
the officers picked up the musket and iron
which Floyd had used and, putting them,
with the body, into the wagon, started for
the city. They drove first to Acting Coroner
Naughtin's house and notified him what
had taken place, after which they went to
the barracks, arriving there at $3.50 o'clock
with the body Of the murderer aud sur
rendered to the police.
THE CoRoNER's INVESTIGATION.
Acting Coroner Naughtin held an inquest
at o'clock and Constables Esdy and Hill
made their statements to the jury, which
returned verdict Of justifiable homicide
after few minutes elaboration. The
officers were released at once The bullet
which killed Floyd entered bis back Just
above the right hip.
The dead man was about 40 years old
and Of powerful build. He had the reputa-
ton IN Dutchtown of being desperate.
Last week he told colored
woman living there that he
expected warrants would be issued against
him for whipping the Hill child, but any
officer who got him had to take him dead.
He said he was keeping a loaded musket in
the house and intended to kill any one who
attempted to arrest him During the day
several representatives OF the Order Of Seven
Sons, colored organization Of Dutohtown,
came into the city and carried Floyd's body
back for interment.
On account Of the escape OF the Flowers
woman, who was jointly charged with
Floyd in the murder of Maria Hill, Act
ing Coroner Naughtin postponed the inquest
upon the child until Friday in order to give
the officers an opportunity to capture the
woman. They expect to have her by that
time.