The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-04
DEBT MADE HIM DESPERATE.
RUsHTN TELLS WHY HE SHOT
LILLY At SUNDAY SCHOOL.

Meant to Kill Him at the Postomee.
But His Courage FaiIed-A Note in
Bank which Rushin Could Not
Meet the Cause Of the Trouble.
Made Ample Preparations for sui
eide ~ Well as Murder.
Thomasville. Ga. Aug. 5.-The killing
OF J. F. Lilly by John T. Rushin al Met
ealfe, in this county. yesterday. an ac-
count OF which was sent TO the Morning
News last night. has created sensa>
ton throughout the county, where both
men were widely ana favorably known
After shooting down Mr. Lilly, SIR.
Rushin went home Immediately. got two
glasses Of wafer. a shotgun. pistol, razor
and pocketknife. all Of which he laid on
the table IN his room. together with four
ounces Of laudanum.
He then locked up the room securely.
and took half the laudanum, according
10 his own account 4 little later he took
half OF what was left and in few minutes
took the balance. declaring that he would
Kill any one who attempted 10 enter the
room. This frightened of everybody, and
he was molested very little.
The sheriff went down Immediately from
this city 10 Metcalfe. which is ten miles
away. being the first station on the Mon
ticello branch Of the Savannah. Florida
and Western railway, and a quiet pros
porous little community, noted for the so
briefly ana conservation Of Its people.
0riol- ahom none stood higher than the
Two men -sl-erned in mis- awful tragedy.
on arriving at the scene Of the murder
81 CHI o.
him into the room, but the gentleman re-
fused. when the sheriff went alone. lie
found Eushin sleeping from the effects Of
the drug, Notwithstanding he had vomitcd
freely A negro, who had previously
served on the cnain-gang, had already en-
tered the room through a windoW, ana
taken away all the arms, but the sheriff
did not know this until ne had entered,
the negro following him.
The sheriff shook kushin, whom he
knew well saying, John, John gct up
and holding one hand, telling the negro
at the same time TO grab the other one,
which he did promptly. Rushin opened
what they were going to do
with him. The sheriff said he was
going TO take him 10 Townsville.
Rushin thought this was unnecessary,
and begged that ne might be let alone
to die with his family, TO whom he was
greatly attached.
He was brought to brownsville ana
locked in cell al the JAN. He mas since
talked freely with the sheriff. and the
Information communicated in this cOrre-
spondence was gathered from him direct.
Some six or seven years ago, when Met
calte was hrst founded, Lilly was inter
ested in the real estate there. Rushln
lived near by, and decided 70 move to the
little village, where many other Of the
farmers We're congregated on account or
the cow enienceS offered. The side Of the
town ~ which Lilly was not interested
was building up more rapidly that Ltllys
part, so Rushin says, and 70 secure rush
in on his land, Lilly oncrel TO sell him on
easy terms and to lend him some money
10 build, saying, according to Rushln, that
he would not push MIN about payment
Be this as IL may, the debt having run
on for several years, Lilly finally sold tns
note TO the Bank of Thomasville, and
about two years ago the bank commenced
to push Rushin for the money. The de-
pressed condition OF things made II Inn
possible for Rushin to pay, ana It WAS at
that time that Rushin, according to his
own statement, formed the resolution 10
kill Lilly and commit suicide. 1t was then
that he bought the laudanum for that pur-
pose.
Time rolled on, however, and he could
not nerve himself up 10 the point Of COM
uniting murder. The bank was still
pressing its claim ana the matter was
about to come to a focus Rushin came
TO town during the first Of last week to
try and make arrangements to get the
money. lie saw a NUMBER or parties, nut
did not make arran gements satisfactory.
He returned TO his home IN Metca!fe, ana
brooded over his troubles, saying that
neither he nor his wife were able to sleep
at night
Once more he decided to STAY the man
on whom he placed the blame Of his pres
ent condition. lie borrowed the shot gun
and pistol, and thought day and night how
he might best carry out his murderous
design. He knew that Lilly was in the
habit OF going to the postotice every
Sunday morning, and he Went to the
postoftice yesterday morning with the in
tention of shooting him at that place. lie
says on seeing Lilly his heart failed him,
and he could not shoot. Later he knew
that Lilly would be at the Sunday school
at the Baptist church that afternoon, so
he decided to kin him at that place. This
he actually did in the most trasical and
brutal manner. as has been told.
Inc high standing Of these men, the fine
character they bore, ana the mild manner
ed man that Rushin was always consid-
cred, has made the tragedy more astound-
ing and shocking than it would otherwise
be. Rushin does not seem to be crazy.
He talks lucidly, but the circumstances
would indicate that his mind was uDhing-
ed, at least temporarily and partially,
when he was driven TO commit this dread
ful deed.