The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-16

IS engineers. Office was the nrst witness
sworn after the recess 20 testify as 20 q
diagram be had made Of the nre head
. quarters and their surroundings at Aber-
corn and South Broad streets.
Mr. dIBiguon objected 10 the diagram
on the ground that certain people had
been located ahou- which Mr.. Schneider
knew nothing. Air. Schneider said he aid
AAq" or ms own knowledge ~ here keenan,
FELL Air. Fraser said be was willing TO
erase the indicated positions on the dia-
gram. which he did, and 81 was submitted
10 Air. uuBiguOu again.
More erasures We're made, and as a plan
of the exterior AR. duBignou consented
that d should go in as evidence Mr.
schneider then explained the diagram 10
the jury. He was closely Ques uOned as
TO distances, ana the possibility OF seems
certain actions from certain positions both
hy the state and the counsel for the Qe-
tense.
Mr.. r. J. Leuders. one Of the states i'm
portant witnesses, was near DIT. T.. II.
Nichols stoop at the time Of the hllins,
on his way home lie was attracted by
loud talking from Keenan, and Ponder.
He said he saw Keenan, shake his finger
iu Pouder's face. and heard him say, You
did, WnereupOn Ponder drew the pistol
from his bosom and fired upon keenan,
while the latter was retreating, with his
arm up before his face.
Leuders ran TO Keenan, to assist him.
but could do nothing but call a physi-
clan. Ponder. he said. was trying to pull
the pistol from his bosom while Keenan,
was talking TO him. Mr. Leuders was
certain hNe shots We're fired and that
NttAnM AiEHI mana was ND before MS
face and that his left hand was down.
lie was positive that while they were on
the sidewalk keenan, did not make any
ctOrt 10 strike Ponder. He said he search
ed Keenan, after he fell. and that he found
nothing. not even a pocket handkerchief
or a match upon his person. He had no
pistol or knife about him.
When Mr.. duBignon questioned Mr.
Leuders said he searched keenan, because
some one made the remark that he threat
ened 10 shoot Ponder. lie did not know
q rel rA H. Il No L no
what went on inside the engine house
with extended finger. Keenan,, he said,
TOOK a step toward Ponder. At no time,
ne said, was Ponder further from the en-
CINE house than was Keenan,. The shots
were fired toward the west. keenan, back
ing away from Ponder in "a nOrthwesterly
direction. He thought the first shot struck
him in the neck, as his head fell forward
Tor minute before he recovered him
self. He was positively certain that he
was the nrst 70 reach Keenan, after the
shots were fired, and kearney, he said.
there.
The state them closed. and the counsel
for the defense was given fifteen minutes
Tor consultation, at the conclusion of
which Ponder was put on the stand to
make his statement. not under oath. The
defendant made clear and full statement
OF the affair from the beginning.
Il regret that in defense Of my life /
was compelled to take the life of a fellow
man." he said. Il have always been a law
abiding citizen Of Savannah. l was edu-
Gated here"
He mentioned several firms he had been
employed by, saying for two years he was
employed on the fire department His
character he said had always been the
hest and since he was q years old he had
not taken a drink and he had never en-
tered a gambling room. He had always
tried, he said to be a model man.
Ponder then gave the whole history of
the difficulty between Firemen Laird and
keenan,. growing out of the may week pa
rade' which led TO row in headquarters,
and subsequently,. to their dismissal by the
ire committee OF council.
Ponder said he was summoned as a wit
ness. and gave the committee a history of
the affair. Mrs. Keenan, berated him
abou, the matter. he said, when he passed
her house. but he paid no attention to her.
. he heard no more of the matter. he said
until the men got their dismissal. Kear-
ney remarked that day: There's two good
men gone"
keenan, seemed to be in a good humor
that morning. In the afternoon / heard
him talking and saying he would be back
before a thousand years"
He spoke about Keenans remarks call
ing him a d.. puppy and saying his
parents before him were puppies.
Il tried TO keep out of a fuss with him,
because | knew it would do me no good.
Later when I was down stairs keenan,
cursed me- and told me he would get
even with me if it took a thousand years,
night
Il told Mr.. Kearney I intended to pros
ecute Keenan, in the morning. He said
he didn't care a d. if 1 did.
when l went up stairs / picked up
this old pistol / had in my locker, and
which was brought me by Mr.. Ed Will
ink to repair and blue the barrel The
cartridges had been in IT two weeks
knowing my life had been threatened
and fearing l would be waylaid on my
way to supper, l put this pistol in my
breast pocket for self protection. / sat
down afterwards in front of the engine,
ana had some conversation with Bob
Glass.
1T was about five minutes afterward
when Keenan, darted in under the ropes.
his face was white and almost ashy.
Rushing up to me, where l was sitting
down, he called me a 49, white faced -
-, and then struck at me.
darted down to avoid the blow and re-
ceived it on the crown of the head
was knocked to my knees and as I
attempted to rise, he struck me again.
AS tried to get under the ropes he
struck me third time, on the back of
the neck.
AS 1 got outside I turned and saw
keenan, following me with his hand rails
sd. put my hand to my bosom and told
MN not TO come any nearer. He put his
hand to his hip pocket, and pointing his
I've got one of them, too
lie was then facing to the northwest
ana 70 the southeast. As he contin-
ued to advance upon me / tried to fire
in the air, but the pistol didn't go off. l
hred again and he kept after me. He was
then facing northeast and l southwest
shots in the pistol as rapidly as possible
lie then went over and leaned against a
tree. l went back to headquarters and
anterward gave myself up to Policeman
Speght,'
Ponder then spoke of the statements of
Fireman Beranc to Chief McDermott to
the effect that he (PondeO had to shoor
keenan, to save himself.
Il did not want to shoot that man " he
said. Il had no malice in my heart TO-
ward him, and no desire to take human
life. didn't know / had hit him until !
saw him leaning against the tree. He al
tackled me and l only acted as | did IN
defend my life. l was compelled to do in
| know you gentlemen will treat nv case
fairly and impartially."
EN-Chief w. b. Puder, was put on tbo
stand for the defense one of the FIRST
questions was whether keenan, had made
a threat against Ponder in his presence
about an hour before the killing.
Mr.. Fraser objected on the ground that
it was an accommodated threat the de-
PENDANT not having been informed of If
There was some argument after which
Judge Falligant admitted the testimony
as going to show the state of mind of the
deceased at the time of the killing.
Mr.. Puder stated that he had met xee-
nan with Duffy that afternoon and thar
Keenan, made the remark that he was 90
ing down TO lick Ponder. Mr.. Puder tried
a fieCf1ada him fnf1iUo