The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-05
SHOTS FIRED IN THE DARK.
A DRUNKEN MAY SHOT At TIE o.
:. :. C0MPANE-s GANG.

:. :. Co1IPANY-s GANG.
shots Were FIRED when the Gang
Was Crossing the Bridge-One Man
said 10 Have Been HIt, But lie
Gould Not Be Located-The Detec-
lives Arrested the Man Who Fir
cd the shot-Tic Work ON the
wharf
an attempt to iHtimidate the colcred
employees q thc Ocean Steamship Com
pa1y was made last night
The wharf gang had quit work and was
coming across the River street bridge
al $50 O'Clock when one or two men,
standing in the shadow Of the wall Of the
Savannah brewery. fired hve shots. wheth-
er in the air or at the rowd is not posi-
lively known. The gang of laborers rush
ed back across the bridge Ike q flock Of
frightened sheep.
The police on the wharf We're notified
and at once communicated with the po-
lice barracks. Chief lIcDermott was in
his office. Ordering the sergeant on duty
10 send the detectives and a squad Of men
10 the scene, the chief jumped into his
buggy and drove promptly to the scene.
When he arrived the greatest confusion
and excitement prevailed. Many OF the
negroes. and some Of the white watch
men in the neighborhood, declared that
a SQUAD OF men with Winchester rifles
had fred at them from the wall Of the
brewery and the ice house across the
street.
The police arrived shortly and order was
restored. The men in the gang declared
that one man had been hit by a bullet,
but If this was the case he could not be
found after a diligent search.
The detectives found the trail Of ne
gro who had been seen in the neighbor-
hood with a big pistol in his hand short
IN before the shooting occurred, ana VINO
had been heard TO make threats OF what
he intended doing. Detectives hlley,
Scully and GodbOld went TO the man 5
house on Bryan street, between Ann anu
Farm streets. The house was dark, ana
there did not appear TO be any one az
home. The detectives started throus p
the house when somebody made break
out the back way, ana they pursued in
the dark. All they could see was d man
making desperate eHoils 70 set "a" az = 4,
All three of the detectives hred. DuI inc
man succeeded in getting into the street.
He was pursued to the corner OF BY AZ
and Farm streets, where ne trlppeu anu
fell and was captured.
AT the barracks the prisoner gave the
name of Friday Graham. lie is one OF the
crowd who We're dissatisfied with the re-
cent schedule of rates put IN force on lne
wharf and who refused TO 20 TO work on
account of IL. He had been drinking; ne
asserted vigorously that he knew nolhlls
about the shooting. When asked why ne
made such a desperate effort TO get away
from the officers ne said tnat boy nau
told him that Mr.. McDermott was aIIeI
him, and that he ran 10 keep from nelns
arrested. II was evident that Graham knew
more about the shooting than ne cared 10
tell, and that he was afraid 10 trust MINI
self to talk The detectives are satished
that Graham is the man VINO ala the
ii is Believed that the prompt action Of
the police in restoring order and search
ing for the guilty parties will have very
salutary effect In preventing turlher OUT
breaks on the part OF the dissatisfied Ia
bOrers
Mr.. ]. NJ. Barnard Jr., general agent
Of the Ocean Steamship Company tolu
a Morning News reporter last night lhdt
the situation was simply as mas been sta-
ted, that the company was determined 10
put on a permanent gang of 100 men, VINO
Will be paid every Saturday night Tor
their weeks work, and receive extra pay
for overtime, as heretofore. The matter
is entirely optional with the men, as they
can either join the regular gang or con-
tinue 10 work at the old rates OF so much
per hour, as they may elect.
Fifty men so far have Joined the per
manent gang, and the company desires
to obtain the other fifty men, giving the
preference to the old hands. The report
that the company was employing out OF
town men, Mr.. Barnard states, is ahso-
lutely without foundation. There are a
large number of unemployed men in Sa-
vannah and If the old hands refuse to work
the company can easily obtain men to take
their places. The permanent gang of fifty
men was at work yesterday morning. and
$50 outside men We're helping at the usual
hourly rates
The shipment of eight carloads Of veg
etables consigned to the Ocean Steam
ship Company, over the Florida Central
and Peninsular railroad, arose from the
fact that all vegetables consigned to the
company are tagged with directions 10
ship by rail at once if it is not possible
10 make room for them in the ships cargo
The Kansas CITY. which left on Sunday
night carried heavy cargo, and did moi
have room for the eight carloads which
were accordingly shipped via the Florida
Central and Pennsular, as per directions