The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-08
PONDER GUILTY OF MURDER.
THE CORONER's JURY FINDS A YER
DICT AGAINST HIM.

stories of the Witnesses of the
Tragedy.
The coroner's jury brought in a verdict
- 2.45 o'clock this morning Of wilfun
/ murder against Thomas B. Ponder for
the killing CT Frank Keenan,. The jury
was out about three-quarters Of aP hour.
having heard evidence from $50 until
o'clock
The inquest, which was adjourned at
o'clock yesterday morning. was resumed
at $50 o'clock last night. a number Of
witnesses were examined, but no new
light was thrown upon the case.
The evidence did not MAKE out as good
case for Ponder as his friends bad ex-
! pected. the preponderance Of evidence
/ being against him. Peter Beranc. who
was present when the difficulty began.
/ testified that Keenan, only struck Ponder
/ one light blow on the side of the head
This was a surprise. as Beranc was ex-
/ pected to support the testimony OF Glass
I to the effect that keenan, assaulted Pom
I der. striking him two or three blows.
The testimony of the other witnesses.
| who VIII be the witnesses for the state.
was contradictory on many small points.
Ponder's statement was the chief evil
/ dence OF interest before the inquest. The
prisoner looked pale and detected. but
told his story in a straightforward man
ner going very carefully into details ana
taking care to see that the clerk got down
everything as he stated.
After having concluded the statement
he signed it without having it read to him,
| but afteTward on the advice of his AZ
torney, Mr.. W. W. Osborne, withdrew his
signature. Mr.. Osborne explained after
ward that his reason for advising Pom
der TO withdraw his signature was that
small errors in the way Of punctuation or
of omission of words, which would be
overlooked at the time the statement was
made, might cause misconstruction to
be placed upon certain portions OF the
statement when introduced into court
as evidence.
Acting Mayor Screven, Alderman vii.
link, chairman of the fire committee, ana
several other city officials remained until
the conclusion Of the hearing, shortly be-
fore O'Clock. There were a number Of
the friends of keenan, present, who
watched the evidence very carefully.
verdict of murder was generally predict
ed by the crowd at the close of the hear
ing, and 1t was expected that the jury
would announce such a verdict within FIVE
minutes after retiring. There was some
disappointment expressed as the time
passed and the verdict still remained I'M
known.
Keenans friends claimed that such Z,
verdict was justified by the evidence
Ponder's friends claimed that this was the
only verdict they could expect from the
jury.
At PAS o'clock the jury came out and
announced that they had reached an
unanimous verdict of willful murder
against Thomas Ponder for the killing of
Frank keenan,.
The court room was filed when the in
quest was resumed at s o'clock.
Chief Puder was the first witness. He
said that he met Keenan, little before
6 o'clock In the afternoon of the shooting
in company with Duffy.
Keenan, said: 81 am going down there
to lick Ponder"
Il told him that he must not 20, that
IL was a bad place for him 10 CO." said
Chief Puder He seemed to feel much
aggrieved over something Ponder had said
before the fire committee. lie said that
Ponder had testified that he was drinking
on the day after the parade But l have
more in me now than l had them he said.
He seemed to feel very deeply, and tears
were running down his checks l told him
that he must not so to headquarters. ana
he replied that If | said so he would not.
Duffy came up while we were talking,
and the two walked of together. Keenan,
had no stick or other weapon in his
hand. I did not see Ponder afterwards,
but drove to No. engine house. where l
was when the shooting occurred.
Chief Puder was asked a number of
questions by the jurors as to the number
of men in the headquarters building and
the rules for their government. In an
swer to a question as to what kind of a
bn ba
anything but a fgurehead. He was a
born fireman" the CHIEF added. Il CON
slider Mr.. Ponder as good a man as I've
got. H is a. very good man as an engi-
neer. He does not have to do fire duty"
Chief Puder said he had never known the
fremen to carry pistol before Firemen
had the right to make arrests in case of
emergency he said.
Peter Beranc, an employe of the tele-
phone company, who was present when
the killing occurred was the next witness
He said he was at the house when Keen
an came in shortly before o'clock. He
walked directly up to Ponder pointed
his finger at him and said
You contemplate - - -, am gong
to lick you and struck Ponder once on
the left side of the head 1t was not a
hard blow. 1t was more of a slap. Ponder
went outside under the rope and l saw him
! draw his pistol. keenan, went out under
the rope also. was at tue corner OF south
Broad and Abercorn streets. 1 stepped
around the corner as the first shot was
fired and kept on down Abercorn to the
next entrance of the engine house, and into
| the engine house to the entrance where the
| two men had gone out. met Ponder COM
| ing in with a pistol in his hand. Glass
said, Ponder, give me the pistol and go to
| the barracks Ponder replied, 1 viii. when
| l get my coat He got his coat and came
out and asked Glass for the pistol. He met
/ Policeman Speight, handed him the pistol
/ and went on to the barracks"
! On being cross ques toned, the witness
! said he saw keenan, slap Ponder only once.
| Keenan, had no weapon that he saw. He
| did not hear Glass say anything. Ponder
/ got out of the engine house as quick as he
! could after keenan, hit him, and Keenan,
/ followed right behind him"
! Beranc said he did not think that Pom
| ders life was in danger at the time. He
1 heard Ponder say that Fitzpatrick had
! got Loud and keenan, would get Ponder"
| This was said about five minutes before
| Keenan, came in the door.
| Dennis Williams, q negro plasterer. who
was at work across the street when the
| killing occurred was the next witness.
]