The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-26
DIED WITH PISTOL IN HIS HAND
LEVI RUTLEDGE SHOT DEAD BY
POLICEMAN GUILFOYLE.

His Pistol Aimed at Policeman Jer-
nigan's Heart When GuiIfOylc
Fired-The Bullet Cut Short an Ug-
~ Oath to XIII the Omcer-Rut-
ledge Pursued to His Home and
Hid Under a Bed-Said He'd Kill
rest Him-A Verdict of JustifiabIe
Homicide.
Levi Rutledge, colored, was shot and
killed yesterday afternoon by Policeman
Joseph GuRoyle. The killing occurred
in Rutledge's house, at Bay and West
Boundary streets. Policeman Guilfoyle.
with Policemen Jernigan and Schroeder,
had gone into the house to arrest Rut-
ledge. The latter resisted and attempted
to shoot the officers. The verdict of the
coroner's jury was that the killing was
justiiable homicide,
According to the testimony brought out
at the inquest Rutledge had niece who is
married to Clarence Fields. Rutledge,
Fields said, came to the latter's house
in the morning and carried his wife off in
hack to spend the day. He objected
to this, when, he said, Rutledge tried to
doing so by two men holding him while
Fields got out of the way.
Fields reported the matter to Policeman
Jernigan, who was on duty in Yamacraw.
with Guilfoyle and Schroeder, and asked
for Rutledges arrest, on the ground thar
he was afraid of his life, as Rutledge had
threatened to kin him on sight. The, Off
GERS went to Rutledge's house to make
the arrest. but did not find him there.
About o'clock Fields again reported to
the officers that Rutledge was at home,
and insisted that he be arrested.
Rutledge ran a restaurant at Bay and
West Boundary streets, and also lived
there. The officers went there, but Rut-
ledge had been warned of their approach
and could not be found The officers were
warned before entering the house that Rut-
ledge had threatened to shoot any police
man that attempted to arrest him. They
searched the lower floor without finding
any one, and were about to go upstairs
when Policeman Jernigan thought TO ex-
anime a small bed which was showed close
~ up under the stairway. A woman named
Mary Harper, Rutledge's mistress was ly-
ing on the bed, apparently asleep. She was
covered up and Jernigan, thinking it was
Rutledge, called out to the other officers
not to go upstairs, that the man was there
He looked under the bed and saw Rutledge
y
case Seeing that ne was discovered Rut-
ledge raised up partially. bringing his head
and shoulders above the edge of the bed.
Jernigan saw he had a pistol in his hand
Don't move, or / Will kill you" he said
to Rutiedge.
You will kill me, you -
or I'll kill you. I'm game" said Rutiedge,
raising up still further with his pistol
aimed at Jernigan.
Policeman Guilfoyle fired two shots in
quick succession, the first shot striking
Rutledge in the forehead, above the right
eye. The. second ball went through the
board staircase, not far from where Po-
licenan Schroeder was standing. Rutledge
tumbled forward on the bed and died in
q short time. The woman who was lying
there was too frightened to move. The
officers told her to get up, and pulled the
bed out from under the stairway. Thinking
there might be trouble with the negroes
in the neighborhood. Jernigan instructed
Schroeder and Guifoyle to guard the door
of the house while he went to the nearest
box and teseDhoned for assistance. This
was done, and the open wagon, with eight
patrolmen, were sent down at once. Al
large crowd gathered, but there was no
trouble.
The officers failed to get RutIedse's pjs-
tol, and when they went to look for il af-
forwards they could not find. II is believed
that Mary Harvey the woman who was
lying on the bed at the time of the shoot
ing. secured the pistol. When Coroner
Goette examined the body he found
twelve 32-caliber cartridges in the pockets,
showing that Rutledge was "heeled."
kutledge was an old acquaintance of the
police. He had been arrested a humber OF
times, and recently finished q sentence OF,
tn gang Tor stealing cotton. He was NOT
considered dangerous, except when drinJx-
ing. which he had been doing during the
day. AS the witnesses were easily got al
Coroner Goette held the inquest at night
at the police barracks, the result heinz n
verdict of justifiable homicide.