The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-23
DENIES STRIKING ARCHER.
sULLIVAN'S ANTE-MORTEM STATE
MENT TAKEN.

Shot HIM BuI says re DAu Not III
Him-The Wounded Mans COndi-
ton CriticnI-AppIication for BAIL
for Archer viii BE Made This
Morning Before Recorder Rnvenel.
Statements of Witnesses Taken by
Archer's Attorneys.
Application for bail for John L. Archer
who shot and seriously wounded Muragh
F. Sullivan, viii be made before Recorder
T. P. Ravenel in the Recorders court this
morning.
Sullivans condition remained about the
same yesterday but in the afternoon he
was reported as being somewhat better.
His condition, however was still consid
cred quite precarious. and the physicians
thought his chances for recovery were still
quite doubtful.
Dr. Dunn left Sullivan shortly before
midnight last night. When asked about his
condition he said he was somewhat worse
than during the day. though he is quite
conscious and talks now and then. DR..
Dunn implied in what he said, though he
did not state positively. that the chances
We're decidedly against recovery.
Coroner Goette took Sullivan's ante-mor-
TEN statement at midnight. The wounded
man was then perfectly rational, but was
weak and evidently failing rapidly. In his
statement he admitted having met Archer
in Kelley & Alleys place, and said that he
used language very similar to that attrib-
uted to him. but he denied having struck
Archer either there or in Abrams saloon,
where he met him a second time. When
Archer shot him he said they were about
four feet apart.
N fba haTraPEG all
being confined in a large and airy room
upstairs. Numerous friends visited him,
and every comfort that could be desired
was supplied. Many whom he has known
only slightly went to see him. Archer
was quite cool and collected, and white he
oonversed freely with his friends, he stu
said, as reported in yesterdays Morning
News that under advice of counsel he could
make no statement for publication.
The case was called in the Recorders
court in the morning, and many of the
witnesses of the unfortunate tragedy and
of matters connected with il were there.
On application of Mr.. W. S. Chisholm,
aouRse for Archer the hearing was
-<o-i...-eo-. until this morning.
associated with Mr. Chisholm for the
sefense are Messrs. A. c. Wright and Ed
ward S. Elliott They met at Mr.. CHS
holm's Office during the day and took the
statements of all the principal witnesses
of the shooting and Of subsequent events
Which were connected with il. This was, of
course, for The purpose of preserving the
evidence. and eXpediting the case what
ever turn it may take.
The story of the shooting as
given in the Morning News
was correct in every particular. Several
witnesses of the affair were seen. and
said they thought it would be useless for
them to make any further statements
about the affair as it happened just as WIS
stated in the Morning News
With regard to Archer's armng
himself 1t is stated that he did not go to
the Aessrs, Lattimore's store, but cent
there for the weapon, and was in mis- office
when it was brought to him. Two parties
in Archer's office stated that they
heard Sullivan curse him and threaten
him when he passed his office just after
the first difficulty. It is also reported that
he went into the office of Messrs. Bond
& Harrison looking for Archer.
Mr. w. H.. Feeey, who went into
Abrams bar with Archer, makes a
sort of negative statement with regard 10
the affair, it is said. He stated that he
heard some argument and heard the A.
p. A. question mentioned. He did not
know whether Sullivan cursed Archer
or not. He did not know whether
Mr.. Abrams urged Sullivan to de
sist from a quarrel or not, nor did he
know whether Sullivan struck Archer II
is said he was standing at the bar at the
time ABOUT GlSul lttl away lIOul DNiu-
van.
Two other witnesses who were in the bar
besides Mr.. Abrams, stated that they saw
Sullivan strike Archer with his fist. The
blow was on the head and the shots fol-
lowed in quick succession afterward. That
was the statement of MI. Abrams who
was behind the bar at the time.
Messrs. Alley & Kelly, the prOprietors
of the bar where the first difficulty took
place, both testified that the language
used by Sullivan was horrible in the ex-
treme, and should hardly be repeated,
much less published Mr. Alley said he
persisted in the application of these terms
TO Archer who left the drink that
had been served him and walked out of
the bar. 1t was just before this that Sui
Ivan struck at him, and Mr.. Alley could
not tell whether the blow hit him or not,
as It was warded off to some extent. Mr..
Archer's hat was knocked off, and ne
picked this up as he walked out.
The testimony viii probably all be pre-
scented to the Recorder this morning. A
request viii be made upon the strength
of the testimony for Archer's release
on bail In the event that Sullivan
lives Archer can be permitted to give
bail without any difficulty. Should he die
however, the petition for bail will still be
pressed, and it could be allowed in the
event that the homicide is adjudged by
the Recorder not 10 be a murder or
course, if it should be adjudged a murder
then an appeal would have to be made
to the judge of the Superior Court before
bail could be allowed. In the event OF
Mr.. Sullivan's death the Recorder will be
asked to declare on the strength of the
evidence that the case is not one of muir
der, and to allow the defendant to go on
bail.
The case has been the talk of the city
for the last twenty-four hours or more
While in one sense il had a political origin.
n no bo
tributed in any great degree to politics
alone II is said MIR. Archer hardly knew
Mr.. Sullivan, and had never spoken more
than half dozen words with him.