The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-02
a MURDER TRIAL AT AUGUSTA.
WILLIAM GOODWIN IN THE DOCK
FOR KILLING NICK COfTER.

The Order of the Deceased That Ills
Antc-MOrtem Statement Should BE
Destroyed "A Factor in the Case
Favorable 90 the Defendant-The
City Council Increases the SaIa-
ries of Some of the City Employees.
Augusta, Ca, Feb, 1.-The steamer
Ethel. plying between Augusta and Sa-
vannah, brings new Of the drowning Of a
negro deck hand on her last trip. Robert
Turner, about 30 years old. He fell over
board
Little Jack Oswald, 10 years old, living
near the King min, Is the victim of
painful accident which may prove seri-
GUS He fell and struck his chin, catch
ing his tongue between his teeth and Bit
been unable to speak since the accident.
and it is feared his power of speech will
be permanently impaired, if not lost
A. A. Thomas of the big music house
of Thomas az Barton. while assisting in
pushes piano to-day, broke leader
in the calf of his leg and will be con-
fined to his room for some time.
Some weeks ago the dry goods store
conducted by 5. II. Myers, and known as
hands of Stewart Phinizy, receiver, there
being mortgages on the stock amounting
TO $57, 0OO. Since the receiver was appoint
ed the store has been selling out and to-
day the goods remaining in the store were
sold at public cutlery. The purchasers
were S. L. Lesser and w. l.. Hatcher
and their bid was IS, 800.
Mrs. G. II. Embree. wife of the United
States storekeeper and guager, died this.
morning, after a short illness, al her res
idence, at 539 Broad street.
The superior court began its adjourned
term to-day with the trial of the case of
William Goodwin, charged with the muir
der of Nicholas Cotter, in May, 1895. 1t
Is an instance of the laws delay. Good
win ran a small store on Fenwick street,
and between IL and u o'clock on the night
of May 18, 1895, Nicholas Cotter and sew
eral other young men were IN the. store,
and according to the evidence of Homer
Harris, Goodwin told them he wished they
would stop loahng around his store. This
caused some excitement, and finally Gull
minated in a difficulty between Goodwin
and Cotter in which the latter was shot.
There were a number of witnesses exam
ined on both sides. Edgar Johnson tes-
tilted to a quarrel between Goodwin and
Cotter, because the later was refused
sandwich, and said, looking around he saw
Cotter with an ak handle raised at Good
win. Then the two men disappeared from
his sight and he heard the pistol fire. He
saw Cotter stumble and heard him say
to Goodwin: wei old boy, you got me-"
Johnson heard Goodwin say: Nick I'm
sorry, but you made me do it,"
Judge John Vaughan, justice of peace,
told of a statement made to him at the hos
pital by Nick Cotter before his death The
statement was to the effect that the two
Goodwin boys had jumped him, and one
had stick and that Goodwin shot him
al he left gtn W
n copy of the statement, and started to
leave when he was called back. Nick.
Cotter said Il am going before my God
and don't want to make any statement"
The witness then tore up the statement
Dr. Fritz Wahl was present at the city
hospital when Cotter made the statement,
and he was in a semi-unconscious condi-
ton. Statements from him were prompted
by his uncle Nicholas Cotter. DR.. Wahl
said that when Cotter asked for the state
ment to be torn up, he said: Il am going
before my God and don't care to tell a
! lie"
The evidence was not concluded when
court adjourned until tomorrow.
There was a. meeting of the city council
tonight at which several important mat
ters were disposed of. First in import
ance was the appropriation of 600 for
an improved and enlarged system of water
works. This Improvement is estimated to
cost about 100000 and other appropriations
will be made as the work progresses.
Next in Importance was an ordinance pro-
viding for an issue of $4,000 A per cent.
bonds to redeem like amount of mature
ing bonds.
Somewhat in contrast with the action
of other cities in cutting down salaries,
council tonight increased the salaries OF.
the chief of police, chief of the fire de-
partment and superintendent of streets
and drains each $500, making the salaries
of the two chiefs each $1,000 and the sn-
perintendent $1,000 A petition from many
citizens advocating a reduction of taxes
this year was referred to the committee
| of the whole, but in the light of to-night's
appropriations the reduction is not prob
able.
petition for $1,000 to pay off the IN
| debtedness of the Industrial Home Tor
| Fallen Women and the appropriation Of
$40 per month for its support was also
referred to the committee of the whole.
Augusta is not going to give up her
franchise in the Southeastern Base Ball
| League without another effort to organize
! the club, and another meeting has been
called for tomorrow night to discuss ways
aud means.