The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-02
SHOT THROUGH CLOSED DOOR.
DREW RRAZIL KILLED AND MOSES
BRAZIL WOUNDED.

shooting Was Done by Henry John
son In the NeighbOrhood of "a Tur-
pentine still. Near BIOOmingdaie,
Fourteen Miles From the city.
The RraziIs Had Won Money of
johnson and His Friends in
Game of SI1in-He Fired n Load OF
Puckshot Through the Door of the
House in which His Victims We're.
Drew Brazil Ran Hundred Feet
aud Fell Dead.
As result Of the unp.easantness be-
gotten of q game Of Skin" conducted n
a shanty ne1r the village of B-o7m ng-
dale, Henry Johrson ii ed load of buck
shot through the door of a dwelling IN
which were Drew and Mos s Brazil XIII
ing the former and seriously woundng the
satter Al the part es are negroes.
Near the village of Blo7miHgdale IS a
turpentine still conducted by MIR. Mel
drim, and in this q large number OF me-
groes ore employed. Saturday is pay day
and Saturday night the unemployed ana
recently paid negroes are accustomed 20
VIII lie away the houts IN the seduct-ons of
the game Of skin. In this game most OF
them engage. and it is kept up until tie
small hours Of the morning and if money
lasts, and the meeting does not break up
in a row, an day Sunday. Naturally, the
country negroes have not had the oppor-
tunity TO learn the mysteries Of the game
as well as their more fortunate brethren
of the city, ard ii is the custom of some
of these latter 10 visit the stIs on the
night Of pay day and exchange their skill
for more solid commodities.
Saturday night Drew and Moses Brazil
left for Bloomingdale, about fourteen miles
from the city. Soon after their arrival
a game was in fun progress and every
one of the players was vastly interested
Minor quarrels between the players were
frequent but il was noticeable that the
stakes continued 20 flow, in an untnter-
rupted stream. into the pockets of the two
Brazils. This caused some unfaVorable
and jealous comment. Johnson was one
of the principal losers, but he seemed TO
bear his i'll luck with fair degree of
patience and equanimity, raised no out
cry and made no disturbance. When his
money was gone he Withdrew from the
game and the shanty in which It was be-
ing played, and was seen no more until
early in the morning, just before day
break. Then his appearance was tragic
and momentous.
The game continued in his absence, but
the fortunes did not change When about
all the money in the crowd had drifted
into the pockets of the Brazis, and those
players who had the little that was re-
naming had become chary of further dal-
lance with the pair of Savannah darkeys,
the game was broken up and most of the
party dispersed.
The Brazils continued to talk for some
time with number of the other negroes
They We're of about the same age, these
Savannah experts, though Drew IS said to
nave been the nephew of Moses. With
their friends, they were gathered about
the table In the center of the ROOM con-
versing in the most amiable and harmless
fashion. The door of the room was closed
and locked.
IL was at this juncture that johnson
made his tragic temperance. In the in
tervening hours he had borrowed from a
neighbor double barreled shot gun.
which he had loaded with buckshot and
slugs. Some negroes. who were standing
outside the house. saw him come up with
the gun, but attached no particular i'm
portance to the incident. He walked up
to the door, and, finding it closed. step
ped back ten PAGES and fired.
The buckshOt. of which the load was
composed, penetrated the planking of the
door and passed into the room. One of
the shot struck Drew Brazil just above the
heart. Mad with pain, he sprang to his
feet and through the window running
about 100 feet. where he fell to the ground
dead. Here he was found by the coroner
several hours later Moses Brazil was
STRUCK in the head and the left side and
is Sc, ously, though not dangerously
wounded. None of the other negroes was
injured.
After he had fired the one barrel. John
son seemed 10 be content. He stood calm
ly about, making no attempt to get out Of
the way of the other negroes a mob of
whom soon collected. but they in their
turn. made no attempt 10 molest him. He
did not enter into his reasons for shoot
ing into the house. though he announced
that Moses Brazil was the one he was
particularly anxious 70 bag. He did not
care quite so much about Drew. After
standing quietly about for some time
johnson threw the gun over his shoulder
and stalked away in the direction of his
house in the woods. Moses Brazil was
brought 10 the city and carried to his
home on West Harris street. where mis-
woods received medical attention.
Coroner Goette was notified of the shoot
ing and drove out 10 IRE scene shorty af.
ter II O'Clock. He found the body OF Drew
Brazil lying in the situation hat has bean
described. about hundred feet from the
house In which he bad teen shot. The door
had in II The hoi S through which nine
buckshot had entered the room.
The coroner's investigation Of the homi-
c'de revealed the facts substantially as
they have been given. lie made an at empt
10 arrest the man who had done the hoo,-
ing, but johnson had Jeff his home just
before the coroner arrived. and then was
not TO be fourd lie is known TO have rel
atives in Savannah. and it is expec Ell taat
he viii seek them and in consequence suf-
fer arrest here. The coroner WIN probably
defer holding an inquest until this pre-
AminaTy detail has teen accomplished.
SEPTEMBER WEATHER RECORD.