The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-05
PITTS REFUSES TO TALK.
COLLINPs CONNECTION WITH THE
THORNBURG MURDER.

The Case to he Investigated by the
Recorder TO-day-Pitts VIII he
Were Under Suspension in the Fire
Department-LiquOr Mt the Bottom
of Their TrOubIes-The Murdered
Man Buried by the knights
of Pythias.
The funeral of Adam Thornburg, who
was killed at his saloon on River street
Thursday night by Fireman A. L. Pitts,
took place from the rooms over his saloon
yesterday afternoon. 1t was attended by
Myrtle Lodge of Knights of Pythias and
a number of friends of the dead man. The
body was buried in the knights of Py-
thias lot in Laurel Grove cemetery.
Pitts and Collini are still held at the
barracks Collim is held on a charge of
disorderly conduct and firing a pistol in
the street. The charge was not entered
on the docket by the sergeant when Col
lini was brought to the barracks, as he
supposed that he would be held as ac-
cessory to the murder On this account
Collini was not brought before Recorder
Wilson yesterday morning. The charge
was placed on the docket during the day
however, and Collinfs conduct Thursday
night, including his connection with the
shooting will be investigated. Unless
some evidence in his favor is developed
the probability is that he will be bound
over as an accessory.
Pitts is held by the police as a witness
in the charge against Collini. but will be
sent over to the jail this morning.
Collini has only been member of the
fire department about six months. He is
a printer by trade. He has never been in
any trouble before, and his friends do not
believe he had any intention of injuring
old man Thornburg. There was no evil
dence at the inquest to show that he was
armed.
Chief Mcguire says that both
Pitts and Collini were under sus-
pension at the time of the shoot
ing. Colini was suspended by AS
sistant Chief Mouro Thursday morning
for drunkenness in quarters, and Pitts
was suspended by the chief in the after
noon because of a difficulty he had had
with citizen who went into the engine
house to use the telephone and interfered
in dispute between Pitts and a bill col
iector. 1t seems that Pitts cursed the bill
collector, an old man, and the citizen
whose name is Adams, reproved him for
it, One word led to another and Pitts
struck Adams blow in the neck. The
night was stopped by the other firemen
Pitts was very much worked up over this
affair, and thought he had been unjustly
treated To man of his temperament the
most natural thing to do, under the cir
cumstances, was to get drunk
1t was drink that brought Pitts to his
ways in the best of humor, but when
drinking he was ready to fight on the
slightest provoca ton ..,..
Chief Mcguire said he regretted Pitts,
unfortunate act. Pitts is nothing but a
big boy, he said, with a fondness for ex-
cltement of any kind" He is one of the
brayest firemen I ever knew" said the
chlef He would not let any man go
further into danger than he would him
self, and was always found at the most
dangerous spot. When l wanted man
to go into hot spot and stay there 1 sent
Pitts. He would never have had any
trouble If he had let liquor alone.''
Pitts pistol, which is in Coroner
Goette's possession, is a handsome pearl
handled weapon of the latest model. 1t
is hammerless, the spring which releases
the plunger being inside the trigger guard,
and not in the back of the handle, making
it capable of easy and rapid operation. 1t
is a 32-calibre.
Pitts was seen at the barracks by a
Morning News reporter, but he declined
to say anything about the killing.