The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-06
HIS OWN EXECUTIONER
A Convicted Muir
derer Suicides.
ELIJAH SHUNAN'S CRIME.
Forced His Sons to ASSaSSinate
An Enemy.
THEIR CONFESSION THROUGH FEAR.
The Real Murderer
Convicted.
HIS DEATH FROM POISON

The Shuman murder trial in Bryan county
ended night before last with the conviction
OF the father. Elijah Shuman, and the
acquittal of his three sons. The jury rec
commended the old man to life imprison-
ment, but he cheated justice by suiciding In
his cell in jail yesterday morning. He pre-
ferred death to life term in the mines.
The case was one Of the most celebrated
and sensational ever tried before the courts
in this section, and probably has had few
equals anywhere in the country. For
devilishness in conception and cold -blooded-
ness in execution the assassination of John
B. Butler in Bryan county. March 10 last,
by the male members Of the Shuman fam
lily. can hardly be surpassed. A cruel, vii
famous and cowardly father compelling his
ignorant and illiterate sons to murder
man from ambush without cause or provo
cation, and then trying to send his sons to
the gallows, is the picture presented by the
trial.
THE sHUMAN FAMILY.
Elijah Shuman, his three sons, Judge B.,
John and Cyrus. and three daughters, lived
were educated. They were devoid of all
religious training. The father. brute
by nature, was inhumanly severe in the
rearing of his children and had
them SO much in fear Of him that he had
only TO say the word, let 1t be lawful or I'M
lawful, and it was promptly obeyed.
March 10 old man Shuman was sitting on
his porch talking with W. f. Futch, a
neighbor. The two sons, Judge and John,
came in from hunting and told their father
that they saw John Butler firing the woods
Shuman had cherished q grudge against
Butler for long time, and when told the
story Of the burning Of the woods he got up
from his seat and turning TO his son Judge
said: " Get your pistol, 60 10 the branch
PUT THE PISTOL IN ORDER.
The young fellow went into the house and
returned with pistol The father took it
from him and examined the chamber. 1t
worked stiff, and he oiled it with kerosene,
handed it back to Judge and repeated his
message, saying: IF you don't kill him I'll
kill you.n The son walked off, and after
waiting quite awhile without hearing any
report Shuman ordered his sons Cyrus and
John to take gun and follow their brother
giving them the same injunction 20 kill
Butler
Shortly after Shumsn asked Futoh TO go
with him to the branch TO see what the boys
were doing. Futch declined, saying he
didn't want TO get into any trouble. Shuman
went alone and found Cyrus with the gun.
Judge and John were with him. The father
made Cyrus draw the load of small shot
from the gun and reload it with BIB shot
He then ordered him to remain there and
kill Butler, and IL he failed he would kill
him. The old man went home aud John
got out Of the way also.
THE FATAL SHOT.
Later when Butler passed on the road
Cyrus killed him. His body lay in the road
until the next morning when 1t was dis
covered by Miss Shuman, cousin of
Buffers At the coroner's inquest the Shu-
man boys and Futch were arrested. charged
with the murder. At that time Futon made
no statement. The following week q pre-
liminary trial was held and Futch told
everything that had transpired at
Shuman's home. The result was
that Futch was released and old man Shu-
man was jailed in his stead. After being
in Jail few days the father sent for Jailer
Dukes, Rev. Mr.. Griner and h. W. Olf, a
well-known citizen, saying that his son
Judge desired TO make statement.
The prisoners were taken upstairs and the
son made confession exonerating the
father and taking the blame on himself
Shuman seemed delighted, and asked that
Solicitor General Fraser be apprised of his
sons confession 80 he could be released.
A CONFESSION FROM FEAR
The parties to whom the confession was
made had their doubts OF It's genuineness
however, and decided to wait awhile. Next
day Judge called Mr.. Olif, who was in the
Jail, and pushed through the bars of his cell
60 him piece OF copy of the MORNING
NEWS, on the margin Of which was scrubbed
in badly spelled English, The confession
made was a lie. Pap made me do it."
The trial began Wednesday morning be-
fore Judge Falligant. The four prisoners
were represented by r. f. G. Smith. Solic-
itor General Fraser and Senator p. w
Williams appeared for the state. The jury
was secured without much trouble. The
state put up Futch, who told the story pub
ished above, and couple of negro prison.
ers who were confined in the
Jail with the Shumans repeated
conversations which took place
between the father and sons concerning the
killing of Butler in which the boys had
said they we're going to tell the truth about
the old man compelling Cyrus to kill him.
CHARGED IT UPON HIS SONS.
When the state rested its case the defense
offerd no witnesses except the prisoners
The father was first put upon the stand. He
made long, rambling statement, denying
having anything to do with the murder and
trying to put all the blame 90 his sons. He
said he had been meligned without cause
ard begged the jury not to believe the
stories told about him.
When he concluded Judge Falligant
turned to the boys and asked if they wanted
to say anything. Judge jumped up quickly
and replied that be did. He related the
brutal affair to the jury, and John followed
him in a corroborative story. Cyrus didn't
make any move TO go on the witness stand
and Judge Falligant asked him IL he de-
sired to make any statement.
ITS 10 use." replied the prisoner in q
despairing way.
His brothers and attorney got around
him and induced him, after much persua.
sion, to go on the stand
YOUNG sHUMAN's STORY.
In faltering voice and with frightened
appearance, the boy detailed to the jury
how he had scot Butler. Cyrus said he
never would have killed Butler, only for the
fear that if he didn't do as he
was told his father would kill him. The
boy was evidently telling the truth. without
an attempt to conceal anything that would