The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-31
TINSDALE IN FOR LIFE.
Declared Guilty Of the Murder Of
David Young.

DdfIu lOuhS,
His Confession Made to Nathan nc
Gee the Monday After the killing.
The Evidence That Convicted Him.
The Confession Fully Corroborated
by the Testimony Which Preceded
It-Tinsdale Denied Making the Con-
fession, and Said He Knew Nothing
About the Murder Until he Was
Arrested-He Did Not Account for
Hims 4lf on the Day Of the Killing.
The confession of Sidney Tinsdale to
the killing OF David Young, Dec. II,
1892, made two days after the killing,
was all that convicted him, and
sent him to the state penitentiary for
life
The chain of evidence was strongly
woven leading up to the confession, but,
until this was reached. the identity of
the murderer was not made out. The
confession was the capstone which placed
the mark of guilt upon Tinsdale, it be-
ing corroborated almost in detail by
the circumstances mentioned by the other
witnesses.
The fact of the murder was made out,
| and the probability that Tinsdale and his
chum, a man named Cross, were the
guilty parties, but until the confession
came out in evidence there was nothing
20 fix the crime on Tinsdale.
THEY SAW DIFFICULTY.
D. J. Buttimer, Johnson Grant and
James Cobb were put on the stand by the
state to testify as to the difficulty, which
l led to the killing. Cobb and Grant testi-
! fed as to difficulty near the wood yard
of Grant u Young on East Boundary
1 street, the night Of Dec. II, 1892 They
heard the cursing, but could not
identify the parties. The parties
left there and went around to
Entelman's grocery. A pistol shot was
heard, and they went around to the spot
where David Young was found dead.
! Buttimer saw two men near the place,
and saw David Young walk out of his
yard. He could not see who the men
were in the darkness. He heard the
shot, and going to the place, found Young
dead.
Capt Dixon was put on the stand to
testify as TO the nature of the wounds.
Young was shot in the right breast as he
was coming out of his house
StOnewaIl jackson, Frank Smith and
Mr.. M. Rohrer testified as to the time of
the killing
CROSS WAS IMPLICATED.
This testimony showed that Wash
Cross was at work at the Jannery at
Pooler, and that Sidney Tinsdale spent
four or i've weeks with him there before
the killing, doing no work during that
time. Mr.. ROhrer, Frank Smith, Cross
and Jackson came to the city on Satur-
day, the day of the killing, to get their
money from Mr.. Tietjen. That night Mr.
Rohrer, Smith and jackson returned to
Pooler.
Cross and Tinsdale went to the depot
here, but did dot return to Pooler
Neither went back to that place after
that night. Monday night following the
day of the murder Mr.. John Allison, of
Meldrim, saw Cross and Iinsdale there
Since that time he had not seen either
one.
THE FATAL CONFESSION.
According to the testimony of Nathan
MCGEE and his wife, Louisa, both Tins
dale and Cross We're at their house the
Monday after the killing. MCGEE was
sick in bed at the time. Tinsdale and
Cross told him the particulars of the
shooting. He stated that they had been
drinking, that he had had q difficulty ir
Savannah, and had been compelled TO
shoot a man. He stated that the man
came out in the yard and pretended to
draw some weapon, when he drew his
pistol and shot him.
4
drim, and went up the Sam road Tins
dale stated yesterday that Cross had
been killed up there in the woods. Ac-
cording to the testimony of McGeee
Cross stated that if Tinsdale had not
killed Young he would have done So
MCGEE sent for Mr.. John Allison the
next day. and made known to him the
circumstances of the confession. Mr.. Al
lison came to Savannah and notified De-
tectiye Hanley of the matter.
DENIED ALL KNOWLEDGE OF IT.
Tinsdale, in his statement, admitted
being at Meldrim on the Monday men
toned, but he did not account in any way
for his wherea 1outs on the day Of the
killing. He stated most positively that
he never made any such confession as was
stated by MCGEE, and said that he had
never heard of the killing until after he
was arrested and read OF it in the news
papers. Further than this, Tinsdale did
not attempt to account for himself.
Mr. w. r. Morrison, for the defense,
claimed that Tinsdale was not the man
who committed the murder He said the
confession was untrue, holding to the
prisoners statement and claiming that
there was no hing against Tinsdale but
the most vague and indefinite circUmstan-
tial evidence.
Solicitor General Fraser made out a
much stronger case than was at first
thought would be possible The corrobor-
ative testimony having been put in, he
brought the confession with such force as
TO leave little doubt as to the prisoners
guilt. In fact, all the evidence tended TO
show that Iinsdale and Cross were
the guilty paroles. The case
was strong Que and there was
little room for doubt except as between
the statements of MCGEE and his wife
and that made by the prisoner in his own
defense.
The Jury was out scarcely an hour when
a verdict Of guilty with re 7ommeuda-
ito that Tinsdale be imprisoned in the
pcnitentiary for life was brought in
Tinsdale was sentenced at once.
AN AURORA SEEN AT RALEIGH.