The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-17
MACK LILLY ACQUITTED.
The Evidence Showed the Shooting Of
Black to be JuStiliable.

Lilly Went Into a Room and Black
Followed Him up With Knife-His
Plea Self Defense-Thomas Jones Not
the Man Wanted in Ware County for
Murder-Kelly's Case Continued I'm
til the December Term.
Mack Lilly, the negro who shot and
killed Joe Black at the Naylor house at
Tybee on June IA, was acquitted in the
superior court of the charge of murder
which had been preferred against him by
the Indictment of the grand jury.
From the evidence, Lilly's act was done
in self-defense, or was justifable under
the circumstances, and the jury brought
in verdict of not guilty after being out
only twenty minutes.
The witnesses for the state were A.
Mossdorf, G. Bartels and Kate Burdette.
Lilly and Black had a quarrel in the
kitchen of the Naylor house, after which
Lilly left and went into the laundry.
Black stood chopping on a block with a
meat cleaver and remarked something
about killing Lilly. Finally he started
toward the door and was warned that
Lilly had gun in the laundry, but this
did not stop him. and as he entered the
door Lilly shot him down. The question
was whether Black went at Lilly with a
meat cleaver, which would have justified
him in the shooting.
The witnesses for the state testified that
they saw no meat cleaver or knife in
Blacks hands when he entered the door.
From these statements, which were
made before the coroner's Jury which
held the inquest over Black, a verdict of
manslaughter was returned. Lilly, how
ever was afterward indicted for murder
by the grand jury.
LILLY MAKES A STATEMENT.
The witnesses for the defense said that
Black had carried a knife in his hand
when he went through the door after
Lilly; that Black had been forewarned
that Lilly had a gun in the laundry.
After the evidence was in Lilly was al
lowed to make statement to the jury.
He seemed pretty badly frighdtned, and
while making his statement shook like a
leaf He said that he had shot Black in
self defense, and that if he had not done
| so be believed that he would have been a
dead man himself a few minutes after
ward. He heard somebody say some
| thing about gun and then tell Black not
to go in the laundry. This put him on
| his guard, and when Black came
in the door, as he thought to
attack him with knife, he shot him.
Lilly says Black is the same man who got
| in a difficulty with him year ago and
who bit a piece out of his shoulder
| The speeches in the case were brief.
| The solicitor general made out his case on
| the statements of the witnesses for the
| state that they had not seen Black with
any knife or cleaver, while w. e. Nor
rison, Esq, based his argument on the
| plea of self defense made by the prisoner.
! The jury returned shortly after going
larrF . Il 1s,.N e -
BE WAS NOT THE MAN.
! Thomas Jones, who was acquitted on
| Tuesday of a charge of assault with in
tent to murder Detective Geo. Bossell
and who was held then on a telegram
from Sheriff Miller of Ware county say
| ing that he was wanted there for murder
was found yesterday to be the wrong man
| and was discharged.
| Sheriff Miller thought he was Thomas
Jones alias Columbus Newkirke, who
killed an old negro woman at Waycross
some time ago, and it seems that the
womans sister identified the negro here
as the murderer shortly after his arrest
| in this city Sheriff Miller was notified
and asked that he be held. Yesterday he
arrived in the city and went down to the
! jail to view the prisoner. When he saw
Jones he said he felt sure he was not the
man and Jones was discharged at once.
The case of Richard Kelly, charged
with assault with intent to rape, was to
| have been tried in the superior court yes
| terday afternoon, but Messrs. G. r. and
| J. T. Cam, attorneys for the defense,
| had to attend another trial and they
asked that the case be continued. 1t
went over at their request until the De-
cember term.
| This winds up the criminal business
in the superior court until next Deem
! Der.
| Motions for new trial in criminal and
other cases will be heard in the superior
| court on Saturday
In the case of Arthur Schaaf VS.. H M.
! Branch and others a consent verdict was
| taken in the superior court yesterday, an
| agreement in regard to the case having
! been reached. 1t involved a small lot OF
! land in the city.
The suit of Andrew Hanley VS.. Scott
| 81 Hawlsy, VIM. Kehoe gaunishee, was
| taken up again in the city court yesterday
and the taking of testimony occupied the
entire day. Mr.. Kehoe was on the wit
ness stand for about three hours The
suit involves compensation for extra la
| Dor to Scott & Hawley, the contractors
which was not specified in the contract.