The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-28
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
TIE PRINCIPAL r. TIE MEYER
MURDER INDICTED.

W. let OEAkAS4-AL may III SkGA
Until the Next Term OF the Court.
Opposition to a Speedy Trial
Bacon's Second Confession and Joe
Johnston's Last Statement.
Five Of the murderers Of August Meyer
have been indicted by the grand jury.
GUS WILLIAMS,
CHARLES BACON,
MARION HEYwARD,
JAMES GAY,
JOE BLoIs, alias Johnston.
The grand jury met at 4 o'clock yester-
day Afternoon, and after being furnished
information by Judge Falligsnt in reply to
certain questions, retired at AS o'clock.
After celebrating three hours and quar-
ter, they returned indictments as above.
Solicitor General Fraser was with the
grand jury during its session. The witnesses
examined were John F. Lubs. Henry Lubs,
J. j. Doolan, I. D. Murphy, Thomas Quinn,
DR.. B. F. Sheftall, Detectives NJ. Hanley,
Henry Wetherhorn, and II. N. Morgan,
Henry Gerwes, J. H. Brittle (white) and
Adam Lewis, Sarah Gay, Queen Martin.
Peggy Anderson, aud Jane Anderson
(colored.)
From the length OF time which the jury
was in session il must have gone thoroughly
INTO the evidence How much was obtained
from the negro witnesses, Of course, is not
known.
ELEVEN IN JAIL.
There are now in Jail awaiting trial the
five principals who were indicted yesterday,
Gus Williams, Charles Bacon, Marion Hey
ward, James Gay and Joe Johnston. Frank
NJ. Days, J. G. A. Foulke, Eliza Foulke,
Adam Lewis, Queen Martin and Sarah
Gay are held as witnesses or accomplices in
the crime. This makes eleven prisoners in all
held at the Jail on account OF the murder.
Whether the trial will take place at this
term OF the court has not Yet been decided.
The present term of court, the December
term, will last nearly TO the end of Febru-
ruary, probably ad1ournng Saturday Feb.
81. The March term will begin the first
Monday in March. 1t is doubtful if the
Meyer murderers can be tried at this term.
The docket is crowded now with civil and
criminal cases and unless some Of these go
over until the next term, the judge will not
be able to assign the cases for trial at this
term.
In view of the demand for an early trial
Of the cases, 1t is possible that room may be
made at this term Of the court. The trials
will probably take several days.
OPPOSED TO A SPEEDY TRIAL.
There are two opinions concerning an
early trial, however. Detective Wether-
horn and others who have been most active
in running down the prisoners, and many
other cool-headed persons view with grave
concern the manner in which the cases are
being rushed. Detective Wetherhorn greatly
regrets that the indictments were
found so soon. He saws that
now the indictments have been found
against the principal parties, they will all
get lawyers and the first thing they will ad-
wise them to do will naturally be to keep
their mouths shut. If thiss is done the
prosecution may be greatly hsmpered in its
efforts to secure conclusive evidence against
the men. Detective Wetherhorn thinks IL
he had been allowed q week longer before
finding indictments agalnst the prisoners he
would have been able to have worked a
confession out Of every one of them
and by means Of their own statements be
enabled TO secure all the evidence necessary
TO establish their guilt beyond Il doubt
Two of the accused have already confessed,
or partially so, and third is expected to
make a full breast of the matter to-day.
IL the case is hurried the evidence may be
insufficient, and while there is no doubt all
the parties will be convicted, there might
be so many grounds furnished for new
trial by reason of hurried action that the
counsel for the defendants would have little
trouble in securing new trials. The counsel
for the defense would claim that they had
not been allowed sufficient time for prepara-
ton.
wETHERHoRN's GOOD WORK.
Detective Wetherhorn is being generally
complimented upon his quick work in run
| ming down tho guilty parties, and he is uu-
douotedly deserving of what has been said
of him.
The first he knew of the killing was the
~ in, ha AT.r,. L..
morning. He at once started out without
waiting to be engaged, and by 9 o'clock
he, had a picture Of Gus Williams
in his pocket and was on the hunt for him.
If Williams had not been riding around the
city with drummer he would have been
arrested by 10 O'Clock. By IL o'clock De-
tective Wetherhorn was satisfied that James
Gay and Marion Hayward knew a good
deal more about The case than they were
willing to tell. and he was on the lookout
for them. Active work was done by others
as well, bat the credit of striking aud fol-
lowing up the clsw belongs to Wetherhorn.
Hon. Fleming G.. duBignon has been en-
gagged to aid in the prosecution of the muir
derers. This will add another to the list oil
celebrated criminal casss in which Mr.. du.
Bignon has figured.
BACON CoNFESSES AGAIN.
Charles Bacon, one of the murderers who
| maze partial confession to the MORNING
NEWS Monday completed it yesterday by 6
full story of the crime. He was seen ir
Justice Naughtin's office and expressed g
Willingness to tell all he knew. He started
in by telling a yarn that he had been with
Williams. Hayward and Blois in Lie
Foulke's yard when the plan of the murder
was arranged, but that he didn't take any
part in it, and went to church Sunday
night, remaining there until 1890 O'Clock
after which he went home. He said he
didn't know Meyer was dead until Monday
afternoon.
In few minutes Bacon said he had lied
but he would go on and tell the truth. He
said he was present at the arrangement
meeting Sunday morning and that Hey
ward first proposed the killing of Meyer for
the roll of money he carried. They all
agreed, he said, and he met Williams, Hey
ward, Blols and Cav Sunday night a little
after o'clock at West Broad street and
Duffy lane. Bacon said he was selected as
Waterman and not Gay. Williams went
over TO Garwes' corner to watch for Meyer.
| Hayward, Gay and Blois went into the fac
tory, and after Meyer passed down the
street and went home Williams jumped the
fence and followed him.
KEPT WATCH OUTSIDE.
~ was standing in the lane looking in 6
window and keeping a watch for police
man, said Bacon, 81 saw Williams catch
Mr.. Meyer. Jim Blois hit him in the head
| with a soda water bottle, Jim Gay struck
him with an ak handle aud Hayward cut
his throat When they came out Hayward
offered me IS, but wouldn't take it, and