The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-13
how BREWER WAS CAPTURED
(conunred from Eighth Page)

posse from a house o mile distant, and
Brewer was driven 10 Johnston station.
Sheriff Lyons knew thar the negroes or the
vicinity looked upon Brewer With a Ger
tain awe and reverence, and that they
might be persuaded 90 attempt a rescue
For this reason he did not deem it wise
10 wait the coming of the next train from
Savannah 10 take his prisoner TO Jesup.
Therefore he took the first tran for this
city. arriving here early yesterday morn
ing and taking a train a short time later
for Jesup.
DEVELOPMENTS showed that the sheriff 8
fears of iynching were not .groundless
Twice before the train that bore his posse
and prisoner TO Jesup reached Johnston
station II was tagged and once again aft
or it had passed that place. The sheriff
was confident that this was done by par
ties of negroes. who wanted chance 20
rescue Brewer. No stop was made, how
ever, the conductor having been asked to
ignore the signals.
The news OF the capture caused great
excitement at Jesup, and everybody was
agOg with interest The prisoner was TAX
en- off The train and escorted by the sher-
III to the jail. The citizens of the town
were inclined to doubt the news they had
heard until it was confirmed by the evil
dence of their own senses. They saw the
man and recognized him Then they knew
that a report Of the capture of Brewer was
at last true, and that he was no longer
ranging abroad to terrorize a wide section
by his name.
Col J. f. Stone was up last night from
Jesup. He said that there would be every
chance i'm the world of a lynching bee being
attempted If there were any other man
than Sheriff Lyons there to protest Brew
er. The people were greatly incensed
when he perpetrated his crimes, and moth
ing but the belief that Sheriff Lyons would
die before giving his prisoner up prevented
some of them from taking a summary ven
geance
Brewer viii not die from his injuries,
but may live to decorate a gallows DR..
j. G., Tuten examined and dressed his
wounds, and he says he win get well.
Brewer talks of his experiences freely. He
begged TO know who had betrayed him to
The officers, but no one would tell him.
The man thought it was the woman he
had killed for striking the light, but this
was not the case.
Reports of deeds accredited to Brewer
have been received from many points. His
name was on the lips of all when crime
that had a breath of mystery about it was
reported. He has been heard from all over
the country. 1t was said that he had re-
formed and had gone as missionary TO
convert the people of Africa; that he had
gone to California; that he had joined a
colored regiment and had gone to Cuba,
but Brewer told Col. Stone that he has
not left Georgia since he committed his
crimes in 1889 Twice he says, he has
been to Savannah, and twice he was back
in Jesup, once on the very night after he
lead the rioting. Nearly all of the time
he has lived along the Altamaha or the
Ocmulgee.
1t was on Christmas day of 1889 that
Brewer lead the Jesup riot He brought
il on by firing off his Winchester in the
streets of the town. Marshal B. r. Leg
gett armed himself with a Winchester,
and Mr.. Tom Reddish accompanied him
armed with a shotgun on a hunt for Brew
or, who was terrorizing the place. The
negro in the meantime had been met by
Mr.. William Austin, who tried 90 induce
him TO leave the town. He and Brewer
were walking up the railroad track when
! the latter turned and saw the two men
! who were hunting for him approaching.
Remarl1ing that Leggett was the -
scOundrel he wanted, Brewer faced about
and went to meet the men. They allow
ed him to walk right up on them without
firing In the meantime Deputy Marshal
w. NJ Barnhill had heard of the trouble
and was hurrying up with a Winchester
Brewer saw him and shot him dead. Leg
gett turned to run, the story goes, and
Brewer shot him through the leg
as he made Off. Turning to Reddish, he
took his gun away from him and beat
him over the head with it, saying he had
a good mind to XIII him, too.
Brewer left with another negro who had
| called out to warn him of the approach
of the deputy marshal, and the two made
their way up the railroad. A little fur
| Their on they were joined by others until
| a large mob had assembled. In the mean
time, the whites were arming, and sew
! eral Of them soon appeared on the scene
| A battle eusued. in which Mr.. w. S. Wood
was shot through the jaw and his nephew
| William Wood. who was on a visit TO him
| from Ridsoiand, 5. g, was killed by a
| bullet through the BRAIN
Rewards were offered for the apprehen-
sion of Brewer, but all efforts to arrest
! him proved unaVailing. Il is said these
rewards have either been Withdrawn on
! that they have become ineffective through
their having been offered such long time
| ago
! Bob Brewer was reared near Lumber
| City. He is 43 Years old, and a mulatto
1t is said he has Indian blood in his veins
| In stature he is six feet His frame i.
well knit and he weighs 1865 pounds Strong
| and agile and with an unfailing eye for a
| rifle or gun, he has been an antagonist &c
| be feared.