The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-12
WANTED TO LYNCH DODSoN.
OGEECHEE NEGROES WORKED Up
OVER THE KILLING OF OLD
MAN WILLIAMS.


the killing Was Accidental and
the CorOner's Jury. Which IncIud-
cd Two Negroes. brings in Yer
diet 20 That Enect-There Would
Have Been Trouble Had DOdsOn
Been Present at the Inquest, How
ever - Williams Nephew Badly
Hurt by a Locomotive while on
His Way to His UncIe's Home.
The killing Of William Williams. col
ored. by J. Z. Dodson. on Mr. c. NJ. Gun
ningham's place on the Ogeechee river.
Saturday night, an account Of which APP
peared in yesterdays Morning News. was
investigated yesterday by Coroner Goette
The verdict of the jury was that the kill
ing was accidental.
The only witness before the coroner's
jury was Mary Wiley. the dead mans
sister. She stated that her brother came
upon the piazza Of Mr.. Dodson's house
late in the afternoon. He had his gun
with him, a double-barrel-breechl
and was talking with Nj. Dodson about
guarding the watermelon patch. Williams
had set his gun down and taken seat
on the piazza. Mr.. DodSon was also sit
ting on the piazza He picked up the gun,
saying as he did so:
Billy. is this gun loaded2'
The old man replied that it was not
Dodson unbroeched the gun, and seeing
that there were two shells in the barrels,
snapped the gun together again. The
gun was not at the safety cock, and the
plungers being down, both shells cXplod-
ed The double load entered Williams
side and he fell over, mortaly wounded.
He lived only about ten minutes, and
made 40 statement of the shooting. The
only thing he said was. ask a negro man
who ran up to help him TO pray for him.
There We're four white men and two ne
groes on the jury, and the verdict was
unanimous.
In spite of the testimony of the dead
mans sister and Mr.. Dodson's own state
ment 10 the same effect, the negroes on
the plantation and that vicinity were
very much incensed at the killing, and
made threats against Mr.. Dodson's life
AS stated 30 the Morning News Mr.. bod
son left the place and came to the city
Saturday night on account Of the threat
ening attitude of the negroes. He sought
Coroner Goette at once ana made state
meut OF the killing TO him, ii being sub
stantially the same as that made by the
dead mans sister at the inquest. He
agreed TO meet the coroner at the depot
at o'clock yesterday morning and go out
with him TO the plantation for the pur-
pose Of being present at the inquest. He
arrived at the depot some time before
the departure of the train. The fact of the
killing was known to some Of the negroes
around the depot, and when they saw
DOdson they began to discuss the killing
In an excited manner.
About a dozen of them called upon Po-
liceman Counihan, who was in the neigh
borhood TO arrest DOdson, stating that
he had murdered man in the country.
Policeman Counihan, who knew nothing
of the circumstances of the case, put
Dodson under arrest and started to the
barracks with him, followed by a large
crowd Of negroes. They had gone only
a short distance when they met coroner
Goetto on his way TO the depot. The lat
ter explained to the officer that Dodson
had already surrendered to him and was
on his way to the inquest. Upon hearing
this statement the policeman turned him
over 30 the coroner.
In spite of the feeling exhibited by the
negroes the two negroes on the jury read
lily signed the verdict. When Coroner
Goette arrived in the city last night he
was met by John Cuthbert, brother OF
the man who was killed who inquired
very excltedly as TO the verdict. He was
very much disappointed when informed
that It was in Dodson's favor. To
Morning News reporter who was present,
Cuthbert declared that DOdson had at
tempted to kin his brother once before,
having shot at him in the house where
he was killed, the BAH being still imbed-
ded in the woodwork. The trouble be-
tween his brother and DOdson, Cuthbert
declared, was that Dodson was new
conner, while his brother had been fore
man of the place for twenty years. bod
son, who had come there as overseer, he
said, could not get along with his brother
and had stated to several parties since
the difficulty a, year ago mat he'intended
TO kill Williams.
Those negroes out there are afraid to
testify against the overseer," he declar-
ed, because they are all afraid OF being
discharged"
Cuthbert declared that he would bring
the case before the grand jury. There
were several negro men with him, all Of
whom seemed TO take his view of the
case.
The killing was indirectly the cause of
what may result in The death of another
member of the family. Jack Barnwell, a
nephew of Williams, decided yesterday
morning when he heard of his uncle's
death to walk out to the place. He start
ed out from the city early walking along
the Savannah, Florida and Western rail-
way track. He had gotten as far as South
over when he was struck by freight en-
CINE in charge of Engineer Spellman. He
was knocked some distance from the track
and badly cut about the head. AS he was
taken TO his home in LePageville It was
difficult to get exact information as to
his injuries 1t was reported that he had
both ears cut off and that his skull was
crushed. The sergeant at the police bar
racks was telephoned by the railroad peo-
pie to send the police ambulance TO take
the wounded man to the Georgia Infirmary
but as he was some distance out of the
city the sergeant declined to send the am
bulance except upon the request of a
hospital physician which was not made
John Cuthbert, Barnwelrs uncle, said last
night that his nephew would probably die
He had not seen him, however.
Coroner Goette left for Burroughs sta
ton on the o'clock train, accompanied
by Dodson and his brother. After thinking
over the matter, however, he concluded
that Ii would be unwse to take the two
men to the scene of the killing and advised
them to leave the train at another station
which they did. Coroner Goette was con
WINGED from the manner in which Dodsor