The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-23
CODBOLD TURNED DOWN.
The Council Says the Mayor Was
Right in DiSmiSSils Him.

Force For His Assault on Bennett
The Mayor Condemns the Elk
officers Conduct in Strong Ian
guage-Other Matters Before the
Council.
The council was in session until after
II O'Clock last night, hearing the appealed
case OF ex-Policeman G. S. Godbold, who
was dismissed from the force by Mayor
McDonough for besting Thomas J. Ben
nett on the night Of Sept %.
The mayor was sustained and Godbold
lost his case The decision of the city
council was not unanimous. but the dis
senting votes were on account of differ
ence as to the law and not as to the evil
dence. George W. Owens, Esq, repre-
sented MIR. GOdbold and W. X. Leaken,
Esq. appeared for Mr. Bennett.
A number of witnesses were called by
both sides. A letter was received
from Susie jackson, the colored woman
who testified against GodbOld in the
police court, which attracted cOnsidera-
bic attention. Susie intimated in her
letter that her testimony IN the police
court had been biased in favor of Ben
nett out of friendship, but she did not
care to repeat her testimony, and had
concluded to skip town.
Il think | had better leave and go back
My sister and aunt are both poorly and
have sent me money TO come home with.
You must excuse me from the court, and
you need not put the case off on my ac-
count, for l don't never expect to come
back here any more
The aldermen concluded to accept
Susie's advice and not postpone the case
on her account
BENEFITS STORY.
r I. g,rr.k J..
told the story of his beating by Officer
Godhold substantially as stated in the
MORNING News on the morning after the
difficulty. Bennett said that the men
came to the door and knocked, and when
he answered they asked for Alice. He
told them no Alice lived there. They
threatened to kick in the door, and he
told them he would have them arrested
He went down TO the door intending to
call an officer. When he came out upon
the stoop Godbold attacked him with a
billy. After receiving two or three blows
he struck Godbold in the face. knocking
him down. Godbold then called for help,
when another man came to his assistance
He was then choked ana beaten into in
sensibiity, and when he recovered, found
himself in a badly beaten up condition,
with some of his teeth knocked out and
otherwise damaged. He said the jackson
woman had told him that Godbold had
offered her so to leave town.
Bennett had a picture of himself, with
his head all bandaged up, which was
strikingly realistic and was passed around
the council table.
There was a little controversy between
MIR. Owens and Mr.. Leaken as to certain
questions asked by Mr.. Owens, bearing
on another case of Bennett, as Mr. Leal6en
claimed.
Viola Whitaker, the white woman who
was living in the house with Bennett al
the time of the difficulty, was the next
witness for Bennett. Her testimony was
not important.
Maggie Johnson, colored girl, who
saw the difficulty from across the street,
gave very thrilling account of the fight,
describing how Godbold hammered Ben
nett with the billy. She cried murder "
The other witnesses corroborated Ben
nett's testimony, but added nothing new
tothe case.
GODBOLD's SIDE OF IT.
Richard Thornley,, who was with God
bold on the night of the difficulty, was
the first witness for the defense He
was the one who raped on Benefits
door and asked for Alice" Bennett
cursed him and came down to the door
cursing. he said Godbold asked him
what was the matter and said he would
go back and explain.
As Bennett came out the door he asked
GodbOld what in the - he wanted s"
and struck him in the face knocking him
back against the banister The men
then clinChed and shrugged awhile. God
bold called to him: Are YOU going
to let this man do me this wayl"
and some man called out from
the window of an adjoining house to sep
arate the men. He attempted to separate
them, but was unsuccessful and con
HlnOpn IN LOT tho RCb
After awhile Godbold knocked Bennett
down and picked up a pair of knucks,
which he had been using
Godbold then picked up his hat, which
had been dropped in the fight, wiped the
blood off OF his face, and left. The wit
ness said he had called at the house
about a month before the fight and found
four women there. That was the reason
he said he went to the door and called fol-
Alice.
II. d. Walling, who was with Godbold
and Thornley, and saw part of the diff
Guilty, corroborated Thornleys story as to
the beginning of the difficulty.
William Whitman, colored, who sale
he saw the fight, testified that Bennett
struck the first blow. He also corrobo
rated Thornley's testimonyas to the fight
The aldermen seemed to doubt very
strongly if Whitman saw the fight.
SAW THE FIGHT FROM A WINDOW
Cyrus West, colored, who lived OF
Orange street, near where the difficult
occurred, told what he saw of the fght
from his window. Bennett struck tn,
first blow. He saw no one strike Bennett
but Godbold West was very positive il
his testimony. 1t was very much in God
holds favor. He testified that the house
was of bad character He said that Their,
were four women living there while Ben
nett lived there
GOdbOld made his statement He sale
that he had been detailed to do some car
penter work around the barracks BY tn,
the chief of police, and not being on duty
on the Saturday night in question ht
went down to Yamacraw to see friend
He met Walling and Thornley,. He ranl
up the wagon for Detective Bossell. VIII,
had made an arrest, and waited with hin
until he had sent in his prisoner. HI
then started for home down Ann street
He corroborated Thornley's testimony Al
TO his stopping at the house on Orang,
street, and as to Benefits cursng him
Thornley, started away and he concluded
that he would 90 back and apologize a.
he thought it was a respectable house
When Bennett opened the door he ex
claimed, What do you want here2 VOL
- - ~ and struck him in the
face with pair of brass knucks, knoclzin,
him back almost over the railing Bennett
then struck him again and they clinched
be got ont his billy and fOngbt bav