The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-09
KILLING IN A COURT HOUSE.
n. u. LANIER SHOT AND FATALLY
WOUNDED by H. S. PERRY.


Lanier Shot Down While Under tho
Protection of Law OfHeers and Af-
ter His AssaiIant Had been ApHnr-
emily DIsRrmed-rvo Cavalry Re-
vOlvers Taken From Perry, But He
Had Third With which the Deed
Was DOne-Lanier shot Willis
Probably Unarmed and with HE
Back Turned.
Atlanta. Ca. March S-N. B. Lanier was
shot twice and fatally wounded this morn
ing in the DeKalb county court house. by
II. s. Perry, the latter's wife being the
cause OF the tragedy.
Perry charges that Lanler ruined his
home, the inference from letter writte.R
to Lanier on the subject being that he and
Mrs. Perry were crimlnally intimate. liz
contradiction to this, however, Perry, af-
ter his arrest claimed that Lanler hak
tried to mako an assault upon his wlfes
and as a still further reason for the trou~
BILE as it appears from a note written to-
Perry by Lanler and from the statemenu
of mutual friends, Perry had employed
Lanier TO watch his wife. whom he sus-
pected and the latter had instead of spy
ing upon her. told Mrs, Perry what her
husband wanted him to do, and also gava
her information concerning Perry's con~
duct, which enraged the latter beyond
control. when he learned of the turn the
affair had taken. Perry. who formerly
lived at Winder, where he was chief OF
police. and later an express messenger or
the Georgia road and the Central wltd
which latter road he continued until the
first OF last November. has been running
a commission business on Edgewood aven.
ne; his wife kept boarding house.
Lanier was In Perry's employ and was
boarder at the house; for some reason.
however, he left Perry's employ a week on
so ago and has since that time been doin4
nothing.
Last Friday, Perry wrote a letter to La
nier I'm which he denounced him in the
most abusive language and notified him to
leave the city by 3 o'clock that night Ira
the letter Perry said that Lanler had de-
stroyed his happiness by coming between
him and his wife. He told Lanier that
he must go far enough away to be foreveH
out of his sight and hearing, upon penal-
ty of serious consequences If he failed to
obey
Lanier sent back note OF a few lines
and did not know why he should abuse hin
so, all he had done being to tell MRS.
Perry of the life her husband led, but new
erthe.ess he would obey.
After sending this note, Lanier went GUS
of the city 10 bis uncie's home at EDGE
wood on the DeKalb county line. He re-
mained there Saturday and Sunday ana
was on his way to his fathers home near
Social Circle, this morning, when he fell
into Perrys hands and the shooting oc-
CURED.
1t seens Perry was more enraged aa
Lanler than ever upon receiving his note.
on Sunday morning he set out TO find him.
having first armed himself for a deadly
encounter lie located him at Edgewood-
Lanler learned that Perry had got onto
his trail and at once made ARRANGEMENTS
to get further away.
This morning Perry went to the union
depot and boarding the Georgia trains
started back to Edgewood again, expect~
ing to meet Lanler en- route. He had arm
ed himself with three big pistols of tha
cavalry type. At Decatur Lanier ap~
proached the train, and got aboard, en-
tering the ladies' car Perry at once went
out and called to Lanier to come out oE
the ladies' car; he said he wanted to taIlo
to him, and intended to kill him. Lanier.
who was greatly frightened. left the can
and just as the train reached Ingleside.
he jumped off and ran. Perry followed
and drawing a pistol fred three times
at the fleeing man, but missed each time.
Lanier took refuge in the house of a
man named Fussell. Perry tried to get
at him there, but was prevented, and
shortly Deputy Sheriff Mitchell of De-
Kalb county who happened to be at In-
gleside when the train arrived, came up
and with the assistance Of Russell and
others, placed Perry under arrest. He was
searched and two pistols taken away fronA
him. Lanier was then taken out of tho
hottga and "a sapiIrQd taxa hOffl1
men to the Decatur jail-three men, who
had been deputized by the sheriff, accom>
panied them.
on the way Perry made several att
tempts to get at Lanier again and the dep-
uty lsheriff had to take out his pistol and
threaten to use 1t on him to keen him un-
der any control, so wrought up was he-
When the party reached the court house,
at Decatur both men were taken insides
while Sheriff Austin was sent for.
At this time Perry suddenly jerked
away from the men who were guarding
him and taking out the third pistol, which
no one suspected he had about him, quick%
ly fired two shots at Lanier, who waa
standing with his back turned. One shod
penetrated both lungs and the ether enter-
ed his thigh.
After the shooting Lanier made a state
ment. which was sworn to- In which h9
denied having made any assault upon Mrs
Perry or that he had had any improper
relations with her. Perry also made ~
written statement covering the circum-
stances as given. He said that he would
come out all right on the trial. being JUS
titled In the shooting and his only regre1
was that his aim had not been good enougn
TO kill Lanler instantly.
Mrs. Perry, who was seen at her housa
on Piedmont avenue refused to talk abouh
the affairs. She did not seem 20 be sur-
prised at what had occurred and mani>
tested but little feeling about II.