The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-22
SHOT DOWN WHILE FLEEING.
ELIJAH KEEBLER MORTALITY
WOUNDED II TRYING TO
EYADE ARREST.

AnEte hNltcA= lueen rom Ills
Body-The Coroner's Investigation.
KeebIer's Dying statement Charges
Murphy With Threats 20 XIII Him.
4 Verdict of WnnsIaughter.
Elijah Keebler or Kepler. a negro desper-
ado, well known % the police and the ma
gistrates. was shot and fatally wounded
yesterday while attempting to evade ar
rest. Several shots were fired at the fugi-
tive by Policemen T. c.. Murphy and Mar
tin McHugh, and he was also fired al sew
eral times by citizens who had Joined the
police in their purusit. Keebler in his state
ment to Coroner Goette before his death
said that he was struck three times by
shots fired by McHugh.
Kcebler was arrested FIVE months ago
by Policeman James Mcclure who had con-
siderable trouble in getting him. He was
wanted on a charge Of assault with in
tent TO murder. and jumped out Of a sec
ond story window 20 avoid arrest, but was
caught by Mcclure and lodged in the bar
racks. The next morning he was turned
over TO negro constable of Justice An
drews' court. The constable had just got
ten outside Of the salleport with his man
when the latter broke away and ran. MAX
ing his escape
Keebler had a reputation as a desperate
and the police have been looking for him
ever since. He heard that officer Murphy
had announced his intention of arresting
him and made threats Of what he would
do If the officer attempted to put his inten-
ton into execution 1t was a good thing
for Murphy that Keebler did not have a
pistol or the inquest would doubtless have
been held over the policeman instead OF
keebler
Officer Murphy met Keebler on CASTOR
street, near West Broad, in the morning
and called on INN 10 surrender. Keebler
replied with an oath and made off to-
wards the creamatory pursued by the Of
ficer. who was on horseback. The negro
got into the fields west of Laurel Grove
cemetery, and was pursued over a very
rough stretch Of country for nearly two
miles, until he was finally shot down be-
yond the Florida Central and Peninsular
shops. The shooting created considerable
excitement. Policeman McHugh, who
heard that Murphy was chasing a murder
err went to his brother officers assistance
and several other white men joined I'm the
chase. The negroes in the western part of
the city became very much excited after
Keebler was shot and followed the body
back into the city in a threatening manner.
They made no further demonstrations,
however
Keebler was taken to his mothers house
on Waldburg street, near Burroughs. DR..
Dunn was called and extracted two OF the
bullets. Or. Sheftall was afterward called
in and extracted third bullet. At least
two of the three wounds were mortal and
Keebler died at 4 o'clock. Coroner Goette
held the inquest al the police barracks last
night. Policeman Murphy was the first
witness. and told his story as follows.
II was on duty south of CASTOR street
about $40 o'clock. I ran upon this man
Elijah Keebler and said, II want to see
you He replied You - - -, you
can't see me at all. He ran his hand in
his back pocket and jumped over into
Cheathams field / ran him through Mr..
Walshs field to the canal bank. He
slowed up when he got on the canal banks
and then lodged behind a clump of trees.
When l got up to him again l ran him up
the canal bank. He ran down to the basin
and as / could go no further on my horse
l got down and chased him on foot. He
crossed the fence and / crossed right be-
hind him into big field. He turned on me
then and I shot at him. He had his dirk
in his hand, and said, You ----
will get you directly. He then broke into n
run through the brickyard and | followed
him on foot across the railroad track
called on two street car conductors to head
him off. He pulled his knife on two men
and threatened to cut them if they came
near him. Then 1 gave one of them my
pistol to so over and catch him if he could
They turned back and would not go. Mean
while had sent a boy after my horse. He
brought the horse, and l took after the
negro again. ran upon him lying under a
tree and told him to give himself up and
haa of 20 y 4
fence and l rode along the fence, telling
him he had better give himself up. He said
you --- -, IL will either be me or
you to-day" l then chased him across a
large field. He kept saying: You -,
keep on, keep coming. and I'll get you"
called on a young man who had a gun to
head him off He did so, and l got up to
him. He then took across to the
Florida Central and Peninsular railroad
shops and l lost him altogether. 1 then
went around by the Ogeechee canal
banks and the powder magazine and
found him again. AS l rode up l found
he was shot l fired about five times
in all, twice in the brickyard and once
in the field. I heard firing after l lost
him in the railroad yard. l don't know
whether I hit him or not. The first shot
l fired al him in the filed he seemed to
be hit, but ran about two miles after
that.
Policeman Martin McHugh said:
About 9:45 o'clock was at the police bar
racks on my way to my division. At
Jefferson and Charlton streets colored
boy told me that a policeman had a man
cornered in a field and wanted assistance
l went through the field till 1 came to the
crossing of the Louisville and Augusta
roads, ana was crossing the railroad
when I heard some parties on the rail-
road track say there he goes across the
track l inquired what the trouble was.
and they told me that Murphy had shot at
a man several times. l asked what the
trouble was and what the man
had done They said he was wanted for
killing one man and cutting another to
pieces. l followed on and got sight of
him crossing the Ogeeche canal When
he crossed the Florida Central and PENN
sular yard / was about 800 years away.
| lost sight of him there and ran west Of
the shops / heard two shots fired. AZ
ter l got west of the shops I saw him
going along a ditch. There were five or
six men close to him. They closed up on
him before he got to the end of the field.
and over twenty shots were fired l could