The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-09
KNIFE THRUSTS AND BULLETS.
xrGRO PRISONERS MuRDEROUs
ASSAULT ON TWO OFFICERS.

,,uiom ThOrntOn's Desperate At
,,ot ia XIII COnstables LiIienthnI
md Naughtin While Under Arrest
:. Justice Naughtin's omce-The
ea,Iure of an Officers Pistol TO
wire saved the Prisoners Life-A
,,vcIv Chase Through the Streets
a Futile Attempt TO Escape.
There was a lively sensation yesterday
.,,.rnoon in the neighborhood of Bryan
a,3 whitaker streets caused by a negro
u1o had made his escape from Justice NJ
Nsughtns Office.
THE negro was William Thornton, appar-
s,nv about 25 years old. who had been
crested short time before by County
netective Wetherhorn and Constable NJ.
7nisnthal of Justice Naughtin's court
when he was arrested on st. Julian street,
roar the market he submitted peaceably
He said. however, that his name was not
william Thornton, but William Jones. The
officers took him to the magistrates office
He was at no time violent and the officers
had no reason to think he would show
the desperation that events indicated he
felt. When they reached the Justices
court room they went with their prisoner
into the Justices private office at the rear.
Detective Wetherhorn left the negro with
Constable Lilienthal and Tom Naughtin,
a brother of the magistrate, while he went
to find some one to identify him, although
he was certain of his identity himself
Soon after the detective left, Constable
l. 81 To H..
of handouts. This detraction of the Of
fcers attention was what Thornton was
looking for. AS soon as he saw he was
unobserved he slipped his hand to a
pocket, whipped out a heavy, long and
thick bladed knife and opened 1t with his
teeth
Both Naughton and LflienthaI saw the
knife as it came open and both sprang
for the negro, who at the same time rose
from his chair. Naughtin, being the clos
er, was upon him first, and clutched for
the knife. Lilienthal ducking down and
catching the negro by the waist to throw
him. As he did so, he looked up and saw
the knife flash around Naughtin's left
shoulder and strike into his head just be-
hind the ear.
Seeing the effective use to which the ne
gro was putting his knife, the constable
released his hold and reached for his
pistol He pulled it quickly and pointing
it at the murderous darby,
pulled the trigger. The revol-
yer, a 9S-caliber, refused however, to
fire, and to that fact Thornton owes his
life. The weapon was presented directly
at him as he graff1ed with Naughtin, and
at that short distance the bullet would
have found its mark.
Thornton jumped away and started for
the door, knocking a cripple down as he
tlTOuRb the Az 10 no
ed through the door Constable Lilienthal
again snapped his pistol at him. On
gaining the sidewalk, the negro turned
to the west, and ran to Barnard street.
with the constable and Naugh-
tin, whose coat and shirt were
covered with the blood from his wound,
in hot pursuit Lilienthal also bore a
mark of the fray in three-inch cash in
the right sleeve of his coat. The blade,
however, did not reach the flesh.
On gaining Barnard street Thornton ran
up till he reached St. Julian, where Detec-
tive Vetherhorn saw him and Joined in
the chase. The officers had by that time
been Joined by number of Others and
the man-hunt became exciting. The fugi-
tive ran up st. Julian to Whitaker and
down Whitaker to Bay lane the crowd
close at his heels. As one of his pur-
suers would get too close, Thornton, who
still held the knife, would turn and make
a lunge with il, causing the most forward
Of his chasers to fall back. He would
then turn to run again. As he entered
Bay lane Constable Lilienthat fired at
MIN, the bullet striking the corner of the
building as he ran around it. When
Thornton reached the rear door of Glea-
sons livery stables he ran through, and
out again on Bryan street, crossing Bry-
an, ne ran as far as the Chatham Bank
building, where he was stopped by City
Court Bailiff H. NJ. Morgan, who was
passing. The negro was exhausted by
this time, and yielded readily to the bail
H. lie was loud In his abuse of the off,
GERS and asserted his prowess and read
mess to fight any of them. He was taken
pack to Justice Naughtins office, follow
ed by large crowd. All that were not
there on business were debarred entrance
but the street was blocked, the rumor
that one man had been shot and another
cut having quickly spread.
Inc negro was arrested at the request
Of w. A. Pledger of Atlanta, who was on
ms BOND for $500 on the charge of burglary.
he mad jumped the bond, and Piedger
wanted him arrested so that he would be
released from the payment of the forfeit
ca pohd' The negro was in Savannah
some time ago, employed at one of the
restaurants. He left here for Florida hut
detective Wetherhorn had heard of his
return. Justice Naughtin entered a
charge against Thornton of assault with
intent to murder his brother, and the ne
gro was sent to jail.