The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-03
MURDER PREYED ON HER MIND
A BRYAN COUNTY GIRLS FLIGHT
FROM A SCENE OF DEATH.

Georgia Ann TilIman's Strange Wan
dering in the Streets Explained.
She Confessed to Chief McDerInOtt
the killing of Her Husband Near
bryan County Three Months Ago.
l.. Fled From the Neighbour God
Haunted by the Memory of Her
Crime.
Georgia Ann Tlllman. the young white
girl from Bryan county, who has been
acting very strangely for the last few
days. told Chief McDermott her story yes
terday
The girl is a murderess, having killed
her husband in Bryan county about three
months ago. They had only been married
a little over month when the killing
took place She says that her husband
attacked her with knife and Ratchet and
that she used an ak in self-defense, cut
ting him in the head, The killing occur
red near Bryan court house and she was
arrested and remained in Jail about two
weeks. She was given preliminary trial
and released, she says.
Court is in session in Bryan this week.
afraid that she will be indicted by the
grand jury for the murder of her husband.
This explains her presence in Savannah,
and her strange actions here. She was
brought to the city Monday by her fatter
and left at the house of her unce, An
drew Bayo, on Jones street. Shs will not
stay there. however. She gives as her
reason that too many pec9le in the neigh
borhood know her and are familiar with
the story of her Crime She left the
house Monday Nigh and was found wan
dering on River street by a policeman,
who sent her to the barracks. She was
kept there Monday night, and the next
morning was turned over to her uncle.
She remained at his house Tuesday night,
bit yesterday morning was found in the
market, wandering about in an aimless
way.
Two or three policemen spoke to her
there, and finally one of them sent her to
the barracks. She refused to return to her
uncles house, and said that she wanted
to go home, but when her uncle offered to
send one of his sons with her to her
fathers she refused to go. Neither did
she want to remain in the police barracks,
and had to be kept constantly under sur
VIGILANCE.
The girl was a puzzle to Chief McDer-
mott and Assistant Chief Reilly, both of
whom took an interest in her They did
charge against her and no one had re-
quested that she be held for safe keeping.
The accommodations at the station house
are only a board and a blanket and the
available sleeping space is crowded every
night With tramps, who come in for lodg-
ing.
When the girl was first brought in she
told Chief McDermott that her sister was
charged with killing her husband in
Bryan county, but that some people
thought she did the killing. When she ac-
knowledged yesterday that it was she who
had killed her husband the officials be-
gan to see that there was method in her
madness. If she remains at the barracks
she is afraid the police will turn her over
to the Bryan county authorities.
The girls case, is a pitiable one. She
says that she is between 10 and IA years
of age, but is evidently older, probably 16
or II years old, and is densely ignorant
She told a Morning News reporter that
she had never been to school and that
she could not read or write. Her father,
Jack Tilman, she said, lives on the Ogee-
chez river, about sixteen miles from Sa-
vannah, and supports a large family by
fishing and farming. There were eight
children besides herself. Her husbands
name was Lonny Long, and the killing
occurred just month and two days af-
ter they were married. She spoke in a
very matter of fact way about It, but 1t
has evidently preyed upon her mind until
she is hardly responsible for her actions
She has plain face, but is strong and
well grown for a girl of 16.
Chief McDermott did not think it wise
to let her go and she was kept at the
barracks last night.