The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-14
MYSTERY AT FORT VALLEY.
A Cold and BlOOdlCSS Body Cut in
Twain,


Have Boon a Human Body Stark in
Death-The Railroad Company and
Employees Exonerated-A Veil of
Conjecture Envelops the Case, and
Uncanny Disclosures Foreboded.
Fort Valley, Ga, Aug. 13.-The usual
quiet of this place on Sundays was broken
by the announcement that well-known
negro had been killed by train in front
of the Harris house this morning about
1;20 o'clock. AT an early hour quite a
crowd had gathered around the corpse
to view the mangled remains, and as time
went by the crowd increased until it was
estimated that between 400 and ZOO were
present
AN INQUEST PROMPTLY BEGUN.
Coroner Hurst arrived about o'clock,
secured a jury and began the investigation
Engineer Fort McAfee was the first wit
ness examined, who stated in substance as
follows: II was engineer on a freight
train coming from Columbus and going to
Macon stopped at the junction, where
the switchman came from the rear of the
train and changed the switch and let me
in. then pulled through the switch and
stopped for the switchman to get aboard
as l started up again saw a bulge be-
tween the tracks and something white
just outside the rail.
HE THOUGHT IT WAS A NEW TIE.
"This thought was where a new tie
was put in, and paid no more attention to
it until felt my engine strike some
thing. was running only about
two miles an hour, and stopped my train
after running a few feet; got down from
my engine and told my fireman to bring
light, that l thought we had run over a
person.
HAD RUN OVER CORPSE.
found the body of a person between
the rear of the tender and the car next
to it. felt the body and found it was
cold. In a few minutes my conductor and
porter came up; they examined and
felt the body. About this time negro
man came along, and / sent him for Mar
shall Cooper, who reached the spot in a
short time, when requested him to feel
the body, which he did, and he found it
cold too'
Fireman James Young, Conductor Floyd
substantially the same evidence, except
that they did not see the body until after
the engine had passed over it.
THE JURY SET TO THINKING.
This evidence caused the jury to wonder
somewhat, and they called in DR.. j. w.
Mitchell, one of Fort Valleys most
prominent physicians, who is acknowl-
edged to be a fine surgeon, and has had
much experience as a railroad surgeon in
examining mutilated bodies, to make a
post mortem examination.
MYSTERY SURROUNDING THE CASE.
This examination resulted in finding
two fractures in the dead mans skull
made apparently with a sharp instru-
ment, which Dr. Mitchell says might or
might not have produced death In his
opinion, the deceased might have run off
after receiving the blows and died from
blood CLOTHING on, or concussion Of, the
brain, or from apoplexy as a result from
being drunk, as it was shown from other
evidence that the deceased was drinking
in the earlier part Of the night.
THE VICTIM A HARMLESS PERSON
The dead negro was named Fred Pres
ton. and was favorably known as an inof-
ensive, polite negro, processing profound
respect for his white superiors. Thematter
was very thoroughly investigated by the
coroner's jury, and some facts were
brought out which do not care to give
the public just yet. The following ver-
dict was rendered:
VERDICT OF THE JURORS.
eve the jury find that Fred Preston
came to his death from wounds inflicted
by unknown hands, and our opinion is
the Central railroad did not cause his
death"
an. G.. GREENE, Foreman"
EVIDENCES OF A BLOODY CRIME.
After the verdict had been rendered. a
party of searching negroes found a streak
of blood some ten feet in length
on the freight depot plat
form, leading in the direction
up the track where the engine struck
Preston's body There was no blood
found between the edge of the platform
and where Preston's body was seen lying
by Engineer McAfee, nor was there any
flow of blood from the body after it had
been cut in twain, which is another evil
dence that the body was dead before the
engine struck it.
WHAT WAS AFTERWARDS DEVELOPED.
1t was brought out that Preston was
seen last night between IL and IL o'clock,
and also who he was with, and it is inti-
mated that arrests Will follow I;
but up to 5 o'clock none has been made.
Your correspondent knows who these
parties were, but for sufficient reasons
withholds their names.
STARTLING REVELATIONS LOOKED FOR.
The better class of negroes have the
further investigation of the case under
consideration, and there may be some
startling disclosures in the near future.
A personal inquiry among them reveals
the fact that they are not satisfied TO let
this matter drop as it is. If there are no
arrests made now the matter WILL in all
probability be taken up by HOuston's next
grand jury.
KILLED ABOUT MIDNIGHT.
II is very evident that Fred Preston
was killed between IL and 1 o'clock
and it is not believed that any one in the
crowd he was last seen with had anything
to do with his DEATH many believing he
was murdered and put on the track, or
else received the fatal blow and ran from
his assailants and fell dead there. His
handkerchief was found with considera-
BILE blood on it, stuck in his vest pocket.
Crowds of negroes remained around the
spot the greater part of the day.
AS TO THIS ACCOUNT.
Fearing some smart Alec who may desire
to be known as appointment and lead
ing man will see proper TO say
this report is false or exaggerated, your
correspondent desires to denounce any
such report as itself untrue in order to
save your space and the expense Of insert
ing a cross report from any one l was
Tho fr,-o.s,,I f,oro In pf flp