The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-01
MURDERED BY DETECTIVES.
SENSATIONAL FEATURES DEVEI-
OPED IN THE BASS TRAGEDY.


Death That Detectives Had IL i'm
for Him" and Meant 10 XIII Him.
lie Was TO Have Gone Before the
Grand Jury Monday and Presented
Their Names With Evidence OF
COnspirncy-Dr. shaw of Grady
Hospital Denies That BASS Come
mitted Suicide.
Atlanta, Ca. Aug. Slater hearing the
evidence to-day the coroner's jury found
that b. a. Bass, the commission mer-
chant whose mysterious death was re-
ported yesterday. was murdered.
Not since the Crowley tragedy and pos
sibly not In the history Of the city, has
murder case. 30 thoroughly entangled in
the meshes OF dark mystery. engaged the
public mind.
The charge is made openly that Bass
was the victim OF a conspiracy formed by
members OF the city's detective depart-
ment men who are charge with the up
holding of the law and the protection of
Hfe
The evidence In the case was barely
touched by the coroners jury at its ses-
sions this morning. the most sensational
parts Of 1t were purposely suppressed. Out
side detectives not in the service OF ths
city detective bureau, are at work on ths
case. and the theory that they are pur-
suing Is that Bass was murdered by, or
at the instigation Of city detectives.
Yesterday morning, shortly after Z
o'clock. Mr.. Bass was found lying ON
the sidewalk on Ivy street with a builes
hole In his head and "a pistol by his sides
he was taken to the Grady hospital and
later to his home, where he died at IL
o'clock At no time was he able to make
statement, but the detectives we're pos
tive In their diagnosis Of suicide frons
the start, which adds to the ugllness OF
the suspicion against them, though as yet
no arrests have been made
Bass troubles began several months
back, when he was indicted in the supe>
rior court Of the county for car break
ing and for receiving stolen goods Detec-
tives Conn, Mehaffey Bedford and Woot-
en- were responsible for these indict-
ments.
Believing that he was being prosecuted
ana made scape goat of by the detec-
tves, Bass intended to 30 before the
grand jury on next Monday and present
the names Of two OF the city detectives
~ :" NAtAA 81 Va AonHHIIatys IN lHAE INeV
mad offered TO pay negroes to testify
against him. II is said Bass lawyers have
aihdavits from the negroes approached by
the detective.
Mr. Bass friends and his ATTORNEYS
claim that he had complete defense and
could have disproven the charges against
him. The detectives, on the other hand
unite in declaring that they could have
convicted Bass easily. They say that he
was al the head Of an organized gang OF
car breakers and give as a motive for
suicide the fact that Bass was to be tried
In few days on the charges which they
claim they could have proven
superior court In which the indictments
against Bass stand viii not be convened
before the last Of October. His cases
would in all probability not have been
reached before late In December or jan
uary He knew this. his friends say, and
II ne had desired to commit suicide there
was no reason for him to have done so
at once. On the other hand they present
as a motive for the murder that the grand
jury Will meet on Monday and that Bass
had declared that he would seek to have
certain parties indicted by that body. The
detectives deny that they knew anything
OF the death OF Bass beyond what has
been discovered by themselves.
Early this morning the body wac taken
70 IhomasVils Mr.. Bass former home.
FOR burial. II as accompanied by his
family
The coroner's jury was summoned yes-
tefday afternoon, and after being impan-
eled viewed the body and witnessed the
autopsy BY Drs. Gilbert and Longno.
and then adjourned until this morning.
Ot1cer 9. +. Thomason described tha
hnding Of the body at 4:20 o'clock yes
terday morning. He was on the corner
OF Piedmont and Houston streets; at the
corner Of Courtland he met a negro boy
VINO ssid drunken man was on Ivey
street. Mr. Bass right arm was extended
along his side with pistol in his hand. the
finger ON the trigger. but not pressing
II. About two minutes later Bass moved
MS hand from under the pistol It dropping
on the sidewalk. The button hole of his
collar was torn out and his shirt was
torn down several inches. This seemed
to have been lately done. The oficer
smelt the pistol and testified that be did
not think 1t had been recently npad
The most sensational testimony was
given by &. 7. Hughes baker employed
by Q. w Jack on Thursday evening he
was with Bass on Decatur street. Bass
said to him.
"A friend told me that he was Informed
my life was threatened That's pretty
hard, isn't 1t? but all l want Is a good
chance"
lie said he was told a detective was
mad at him alsi had threatened his life
because he was afraid he (Bass) could
throw them out Of their positions by dis
proving their assertions about him. He
mentioned the detectives name, but wit
ness could not recall it. Bass was talk
ing 70 him as a friend and seemed to be
worried about the detective
Continuing his testimony, Hughes said
Bass told him on Thursday that a
friend had said that a detective had told
him the best thing he could do with
Bass was to kill him secretly.
DR.. Charles Shaw. resident physician
the (rradV hOepffa1 who axarofpaI
Bass testified to the location Of the
wound, and gave II as his opinion that he
had not killed himself. as il so the wound
would have been more ragged The 9TH
er physicians at the hospital agreed with
Dr. Shaw.