The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-02
MURDERED BY A R0BBER
ANNIE Understands HEAD
CRUSHED WITH AN AK.

"A Burglar, While Rsnsscking a Sec
ton Commissary of the South Bound,
Meets the Cook and Kills Her-The
Murderer Unknown - Suspicion
Points TO lobe White, a Discharged
Section Hand.
Annie Habersham, a colored woman
about 80 years old, was brutally murdered
at the section shanties of the South Bound
railroad, eight miles from the city some time
day before yesterday.
The woman was cook for the section
hands and lived in a small room adjoining
the commissary. The last time sbe was
seen alive was at 4:30 O'Clock Thureday
morning when Sectionmaster Scott and the
workmen left the shanties. They did not
return until O'CLOCK at night The section
master was surprised on catering his shanty
to find things in an upset condition. The
contents of his trunk were scattered
about the floor and the back door was open.
he saw the commissary's door was also
open. Running back to the front door he
called TO Henry Smith and Charles Thomas,
two colored hands, that the conmissary had
been robbed and asked them where the cook
was. The men went to her shanty and
pushed open the door. The sight which met
their gaze stopped them from entering.
LYING IN POOL OF BLOOD.
The Habersham woman was lying on the
floor, face downward. in a pool Of blood.
Smith and Thomas hurried back and told
Sectionmaster Scott that the cook was lying
on the floor with blood all around her. He
went over at once to make an investigation,
aud found that the woman had been dead
several hours.
The manner in which clothing was tossed
around showed plainly that the crime had
been committed by robber who had been
intercepted IN his work by the cook.
Near the door the fatal blow had been
struck There the blood was spattered
about on the floor. walls and bed clothes.
Ten feet away the woman had dropped
down and died.
An investigation of the place resulted In
the finding behind the door Of the weapon
with which the deed had been committed.
1t is an old ak with the hammer end
widened out Of shape. as if IL had been used
in driving heavy spikeS This part Of it had
evidently been used, as IL was covered with
blood, which had also run down the blade.
Underneath her was a long railroad bolt,
also smeared with blood The back Of her
head, alongside the left ear. was crushed
into jelly for about four inches.
THE AUTHORITIES NOTIFIED.
Sectionmaster Scott at once sent tele-
gram to Savannah to the trainmaster, an-
nouncinR the murder, but for some reason
unknown the telegram didn't come through.
The sectionmaster came in person yester-
day morning and reported the case to Cor
oner Dixon, who went at once to the scene.
He found everything 10 toe same condition
as when the murder had been discovered.
The oommissary door bore she same i'm
preston OF the same ak with
which the murder was committed,
showing that the burglar-Inurderer
had forced the door. After getting
into the commissary he must have at
tempted to enter into the Habersham
womans room, and when he met her at the
door, 20 which no DOUBT she had been at
tracted by the noise of breaking the COM
missary door, he decided 70 shut her mouth
by killing her.
A good portion OF the stores of the COM
misssry were taken away together with
Sectionmaster SCOTS clothes, and the
clothes Of the murdered woman.
THE INQUEST.
The coroner impaneled a jury and the
evidence OF the sectionmaster and the two
colored men as 10 the finding of the woman's
body was taken The verdict was khat she
came to her death by the use OF blunt
instrument in the hands OF some unknown
person, and It was considered murder.
The murder was no doubt committed by
some person who was well acquainted with
the surroundings Of the place, as he knew
exactly where to look for the valuable
stores Of the commissary. There is slight
suspicion pointing toward a negro named
Tobe White, who was employed as
a section hand on the South Bound
at that point until few weeks
ago when he was discharged. White has
been seen hanging about the shanties sew
eral times since, the last tina Tuesday
night. He was well aware of the fact that
the practice was to leave the Habersham
woman IN charge OF the shsnties alone
during the day, and for this reason ehe
officers would like to locate White.