The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-16
A MYSTERIOUS KILLING.
Joe Smith Found Under a Wharf
With His Throat Cut.

He Was Taken to the Georgia In
Urinary, Where He Died a Few
Hours Later-Told One of the Men
He Was Assaulted on the Wharf by
Two NeRroes-When Found He Said
He Had Been Cut and Thrown Over
board-Cases the Detectives Would
Do Well to Investigate.
Joe Smith, West Indian negro. who
came to Savannah on steamer about
five years ago as deck hand was found
on the rafters under the old Dixon coal
wharf, at the foot Of Habersham street,
yesterday morning with his throat cut
from ear 10 ear.
He was first seen by two negroes in a
row boat, who were passing. and they
called out to him. He failed to answer,
however, and they took him for dead
They went up to the dock at the foot Of
Lincoln street and reported the matter,
when Abram Brown, colored man, who
was working there, offered TO 20 down
and see about it.
SAID SOMEONE CUT HIM.
Brown went down to the place with the
men and found the man, as they had
stated lying on the rafters with his
throat cut, His foot was hanging over in
the water. When Brown found him he
had blood on his hand, and all he was
able to say was. They cut me and threw
me overheard"
They did not stop TO inquire into the
mystery of how man who had Deen
thrown overheard with his throat cut
could climb upon the rafJers under the
hut ala -
brought him up TO the dock and reported
the matter to Ofhcers Fleming aud Bos-
tick, who summoned the police am bulance
and had the man taken out to the Georgia
lntlrmary.
DID NOT LIVE LONG.
Smith reached the infirmary about 9
O'Clock yesterday morning, where his
wound was dressed by DR. NJ. 7. Davis
He was restless and suffered from the cut
very much until some time between II
and u o'clock, when he died.
William Christopher, one of the nurses
at the hospital who attended Smith while
his wounds were being dressed and Just
before he died, said the wounded man
made a statement with regard to his
death but was unable to give any account
OF his supposed Slayers or the motives
which they might have had for killing
him.
Smith stated according to christopher,
that he had been met near the wharf
where he was found about o'clock Fri
day night, when on his way home, by two
men, who assaulted him and cut his
throat. This does not agree in any way
with Smith IS remark to Brown, to the
effect that the men cut his throat and
threw him overheard. He told CHRISTOPHER
that he did not know the men and could
not understand the motive they had in as
saulting him.
BRLIEF THAT HE CUT HIMSELF.
Coroner Dixon was notified of Smiths
death and began TO look about for some
evidence on which to base an investiga-
ton. This, however he was unable TO
find and no inquest was held There was
no clew whatever as to how the negro
came to his death, but the belief Of some
or those who inquired into all there was
OF the evidence TO base an op,n-
ion on was that he cut himself,
whether accidentally or not is not known.
The fact that there was blood on one of
his hands which had not run down from
the cut partly led 10 this belief, though
he may have put his hand to the wound
after 1t was made by some other party
The killing is another one of those mys-
FERROUS cases which have occurred fire.
quently in Savannah during the last year.
There have been three or four
cases of a similar nature during
the year, and no particular
effort to track the criminals has been
made on the part of the detectives. In
TACT the officers of the law seem to take
no trouble whatever in looking into such
crimes as these, and while murders, rob
berries, burglaries and assaults of various
kinds are committed the perpetrators are
often never caught because little effort is
made to ferret them out and capture
them.
NO REASON FOR A MURDER.
Smith came to Savannah from the West
Indies about five years ago. He has since
worked on the wharves around the city,
and has done such odd Jobs as have fallen
IN his way. He was au inmate of the
Georgia lnhrmary about three weeks
ago being a victim Of the dropsy, and
since being discharged has been out of
work. II il is case OF murder, 1t seems
that IL must have been a mis-
take, as there is no known reason
why Smith should have been the
victim. Those who know him say he is a
quiet, peaceaolc man, and that he had
nothing whatever worth stealing He
lived IN South Broad street lane, between
jefferson aud Montgomery streets. His
wife said he left nome Friday morning.
saying he was going TO get work, and
would return that night. She thought 1t
rather queer that he did not come back
but knew nothing Of his fate until she
heard OF his death yesterday morning.