The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-07
HIS SHOT, WAS MOI EATAL.
}. c. DODsON THOUGHT HE HAD
KILLED A MAN.

He Found n Strange Negro Sleeping
in The woods. and in Attempting
10 Arrest Him shot Him, ar.I Then
Surrendered TO the POIIce-The
Coroner Went Out 20 Hold an In
quest, But Brought Back a Live
Corpse.
J. C.. D0dson, a young white man, Is
IN the police barracks 10 await the re-
suit Of the injuries OF William Jones.
colored. whom he shot while hunting
yesterday morning. The shooting occur
red near Cherry Hill, seven miles out on
the Florida Central and Peninsu.ar rail-
road.
Dodson arrived at the police barracks
in the afternoon and informed Chief No
Dermott that he had killed a man out on
the Florida Central and Peninsular road
The killing. he said, was In self defense
Coroner Goette was sent for. After hear
ing Dodson's story he decided TO go TO
the scene Of the shooting and hold an IN
quest and TO take Dodson along as the
chief witness Il was also necessary to
take him along in order that be might
pilot the way 70 the scene Of the tragedy.
The coroner and Dodson left the city
late in the afternoon in the coroner's
wagon, coffin being carried along to
save another trip. When they arrived
on the scene however the supposed dead
man was missing. They followed his trail
for a distance Of 20 to 80 yards. and
found him lying down with his coat for
a pillow. He appeared TO be badly hurt,
but was evidently in no immediate dan
ger OF dying. having already survived sew
eraI hours. Coroner Goette put the man
Ga his wagon and brought him back TO
the city. He was turned over TO DR..
Lloyd. the cclored city physician who
dressed his wounds and sent him to the
Georgia Inhrmary.
Dodson was also brought back by the
coroner and turned over to Chief McDer-
mott, who locked him up TO await the re-
suit Of the negroes injuries To "a Morning
news reporter VINO saw MN az the par
racks Dodson told an interesting story.
He has been employed on the gang which
ls laying the pipe 10 connect the Spring
field well with the city waterWorks. He
decided 70 so out 10 his brothers farm at
Cherry Hi and spend the day. He took
the early train out. After knocking around
the place awhile, he sald,and having moth
ing else 10 do, ne decided 70 take his gun
ana go into the woods. He had discovered
signs OF wildcat and took the dOgs along
ln the nope Of rousing the cat. Dodson said
that he had hunted around for some time
when he was surprised to hear someone
call his name. He looked up and saw Pom
some distance away. BastOn called TO him
TO come to where ne was which he did
Baston seemed excited and pointed out to
MIN something behind large log. When
asked what was the matter Baston said
there was man there Going
around behind the log Dodson
shed, with evidences of having been re-
Gently occupied. Lying close beside the
log was negro, apparently asleep Tho
man way lying on mis- face, Dodson
thought this suspicious, and decided to
wake the man up and take him in charge.
said, before the latter made anv move-
ment. When he did so, he reused up
very slowly and showed by his looks that
siumbers interrupted. Dodson asked him
what he was doing there. The reply was
that he was resting He then told the
him. Instead of doing so, the man began
TO edge away slowly, but keeping his face
toward Dodson. The negro had something
in his hip pocked which DodsOn took
70 be a pistol. He saw him make mo-
tion toward his hip pocket, as he thought,
and at the same time Pompey Baston,
who had been warning DodsOn that the
man was about to get away from him.
shoot"
Dodson had his gun cooked and ready
and at the negro's warning he promptly
fred a load of buckshot at the man in
front of him. The strange negro dropped
in his tracks, falling on his face Both
Dodson and Baston thought the man was
dead, but as they were both badly fright
ened, evidently. they made haste from the
scene, without stopping to learn II such
We're the case. This was about IL O'Clock.
Dodson went back to the house. ate din-
ner, and after discussing the matter with
his brother, decided that the best thing
for him to do was to come to the citV
and give himself up.
At the barracks the wounded negro gave
the name of William Jones. His wounds
We're in the right arm and side and
while painful did not appear to be Sc
rious. 1t was stated from the Georgia
Infirmary last night that the man was in
no danger of dying.
When found by the coroner and Dodson
Jones had no pistol or other weapon on
him. An examination of his camp Showed
that il had been occupied for several
days, probably two or three weeks. bod
son said that there were two bundles.
apparently, containing provisions in the
camp when he first discovered Jones
These bundles were missing when the
second visit was made His opinion was
that either Jones had put his bundles
and pistol away in some hiding place
or that he had a confederate who had
done so for him.
The wounded negro had a very disrep-
utable appearance, and the opinion of
those who saw him a the police barracks
was that it was more than likely that he
was an escaped convict hiding in the
woods 10 avoid arrest.