The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-06
HIS WIFE GAVE Hill AWAY.
Span c, Tilley Thought 10 Be The
SLAYER Of James {. COIdin5.

Taken Back to Barnwen County,
South Carolina, Yesterday-H Was
Arrested by Detectives Wetherhorn
and HUMPHREYS on Information Fur
nished by His Wife That He Was in
a Plot to Kill a Man Named Walker.
He Was Located in Savannah, Where
His Arrest Followed Yesterday
Morning.
Detectives Wetherh0rn and HUMPHREYS
arrested yesterday negro man named
Span Tilley, the supposed murderer Of
Mr.. James c. Colding Of Appleton, S. c..
and yesterday afternoon the culprit was
taken back to BarnweI county and put
in Jail
It will be remembered that Friday, Oct
q, Mr.. Colding was found dead on one Of
the roads near that place, and il was first
supposed that he had fallen from his
horse. which he was riding at the time,
and had received wounds in falling from
which he died. An examination Of the
wounds. however, by DR.. Bellinger
showed that ne had been struck by some
heavy instrument, presumably a large
stick, and his testimony with that Of
others before the CorOner's jury resulted
in a verdict Of murder by unknown
parties.
HAD KILLED THE WRONG MAN.
There was no clew whatever TO the
murderer at the time and it was sup
posed, as the killing had occurred late in
the afternoon, that the criminal had been
mistaken in the man he was hunting
If Tilley is the man who committed the
crime. and circumstances indicate that
he knows something about il, such was
the case, and there was mistake about
the murder
Tilley's arrest was the result of a PC
culiar trail which the authorities took up
and his wife was, perhaps, as largely in
strumental in accomplishing il as any one
else. Tiiley was in that part of the cOun-
try Just before the murder, but since that
time he has not been seen anywhere in
that neigh borhOod. His wife mad left
too, and she came TO Georgia and went
out in Burke county, where she is still
Tillev and his wife have had several
quarrels, and she was very ready TO tell
all she knew about the matter.
WAS AFTER A MAN NAMED WALKER.
The South Carolina authorities had in
mind the fact that Tilley had left Just af-
ter the murder and his wife was missed
also. The story she tells fixes the guilt
upon him. She says that Tilley told her
that il was fixed up to kill a man named
Walker, and that two negroes named
Cohen wanted this done on account of
some grudge against the man of that name
They had obtained her husb band S services
to do the work, so she says
This is the substance of the story told
by Tilley's wife. Another circumstance
in the case is that Tilley was seen with a
heavy loaded stick a short time after the
murder is thought 10 have been commit
ted, and Just before he disappeared from
that part OF the country.
he DENIES THE STORY.
He was kept track OF and finally located
In Savannah. Deputy Sheriff Armstrong
Of Barnweu county was sent down TO
work up the case and to bring back the
culprit. When he arrived here, which
was last Saturday, he secured the services
Of Detectives Wetherhorn and Humphries
and they soon had their man located He
was arrested down in the Old Fort YES
terday morning ana Yesterday afternoon
was taken back to South Carolina. where
he readily went without a requisitiOn, in
charge Of MIR. Armstrong.
Iilley denied the entire story. He SAID
that he had been in Barnwell county
about that time, and he did not deny
having beaten his wife. He had also
heard of the killing of Mr.. COlding but
further than that he pretended an entire
ignorance of the story as told by his wife
II the laws OF South Carolina are similar
to those Of Georgia, Tilleys wife cannot
testify against him, and the most impor-
tant witness in the case will be wanting
1t IS understood, however, that there are
others who cOrrOborate her story in al
most every point
There is reward of 800 offered by
Gov Tillman for the arrest and Convic-
ton Of Mr. Colding's murderer, which
will be divided among these officers in
case 1t can be proven that Tilley was the
man wanted.