The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-05

Joseph Richardson's Slayer Charged
With Murder.

The Coroner's Investigation Of the
Lovers Lane Tragedy The Story Of
the Shooting Told at the Inquest,
The Fatal Shot Fired From Holmes
Coat Pocket.
Jos Richardson. who was shot by Jerry
Holmes at negro ball on Lovers lane,
east Of the Savannah, Florida and West
err Railway Tuesday morning, died yes
terday morning at 3 O'Clock at his home
on Charlton street, near East Broad.
Richardson was shot through the left
lung, and died from hemorrhages Of the
stomach
The shooting was about a girl, and APP
pears to have been unprovoked. At least
the provocation was not sufficient to war
rant the attempt at wilful murder.
Holmes, who did the shooting escaped
and has not been heard from since
The facts as brought out by the
coroner's inquest yesterday make out
plain case of murder against Holmes
Acting Coroner Sheftau was notified of
Richardson's death at o'clock and i'm
Inediately proceeded 10 impanel a jury
for an inquest The following jury was
secured: by J. II. Cue, foreman; 3.
Weetz, G.. $. Frierson H. L. Bennett,
Dennis Nugent, A. w. Darrell, Joseph
Campos, c. f. Mallette, Edward Coleman,
G. c. Dixon Thomas Ford. and 7. F.
McNally.
THE INQUEST.
The jury viewed the body at the house
on Charlton street and adjourned to JUS
tice Sheftall's Office where the witnesses
were examined. According 10 the testi-
IL 70.
done the shooting because Richard
sen ainterfered with his girl.
Holmes took girl named
Mary Mills to dance on Lovers lane
Monday night. He called the figures for
the dance. Sometime after midnight
Richardson approached the Mills girl and
asked to have a talk with her She re-
pulsed him and he used some rough Ian
gaage, and attempted 10 kick her, it was
said Holmes was told of the affair, and
about l O'Clock he stopped calling the fig
ures and approached Richardson and
asked him to step one side with him.
The Mills girl was with Holmes, and the
three, Holmes, Richardson and Mary
Mills, walked to one side of the room under
the stair case leading to the upper floor
Holmes was said by the witnesses
to have had his pistol concealed in his
coat pocket and had his hand in his poclz-
ct on the pistol
FIRED FROM HIS COAT POCKET.
The two had hardly gotten under the
stairway when he fired his pistol from his
coat pocket, the ball striking Richardson
in the breast He then made his escape
and has not been seen since.
Richardson was carried to his home on
Charlton street, and DR.. Smalls q colored
physician was called TO attend him He
administered anOdyneS to relieve the
= CtTffapinUu and npDhA1 for tho b1qllrt
but could not find it. DIR. h. l.. Weed was
afterwards called in at the request of a
benevolent society to which Richardson
belonged. DR. Weed saw there was little
hope for Richardson's recovery, but did
what. he could for him.
Mary Jones, Maggie Williams aud
Henry IimmOns, who were at the ball
testified as to the circumstances of the
shooting. Timmons said that Richardson
had been drinking and had a quarrel
with the Mills girl. which had just ended
when Holmes came up The girl said to
him: Where were you when those boys
were trying to kill me?'
THE CRIME PREMEDITATED.
Holmes went out but returned shortly
afterwards with his pistol in
his coat pocket. He then called
Richardson under the staircase
and shot him Timmons assisted in car
84AlEs AAlGildAuSOh W HIS lOuSC- ne Shlu
the wounded man told him Holmes had
shot him for nothing
One of the witnesses testified that the
Mills girl said after the shooting that she
wished Holmes had killed Richardson, in
stead of merely wounding him,
Mary Jones' testimony was to the effect
that Richardson cursed and abused the
Mills girl. The latter went to the floor
manager and asked to have Richardson
elected, but afterwards danced the set
out with him. Richardson had been
drinking.
The jury brought in a yerdist to the
effect that Joseph Richardson came to
his death by a shot wound inflicted by
Jerry Holmes, and that the jury consid-
cred the same murder