The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-05
-cDoRTY BOB" NOT jim GAY.
s,vANNAH NEGRO TO HANG IN
sWAINSBORO.

claims to Be One of the Murder
Of August Meyer, Who Was
1T IN the Penitentinry for Life.
pnt the story Easily DisprOved.
I'll known to the Savannah De-
..tves as Robert Cummings,
MAS sporty Bob" and Was Twice
80 In for BursIary-EvidentI
4 ,,o,ed to Save His Neck, But the
s.orv Will Not Benefit Him.
n ...r- cummings, othe wise known as
4 80 Fob" a Savannah negro, wei.
- m the rolce and detectives Of the
is in the Emanuel county jail at
.-.iosb,ro un5er sentence 10 Lang Dec.
md there seems to be no reason to
,,,b, Thai the ntence will be carried out
4, The da e named.
cummings Old a remarkable story to a
INC News representa-. i've who was in
inch 70 last week. The Morning News
van learned from Sheriff Flanders thar
~. regro claimed to have been concerned
!. the August Meyer murder IN Savannah
,s,sn or ght yeas ago. and decided to
,..r what he had TO say. tn hiking po 81
M, some rev light might be thrown on
mat tragedy.
The neg1o who was convicted under his
,-e-6ouvm of Spor.y Bob, said III his
me WIS m Gay and hat he was one
- he ouar ct ha tJok a hand in he
never murder. He proceeded 10 give
5.ia1sd accoun, OF the CT c INST noes Of
be ll}irg. showing cons deraEle famili-
artv vi h lie Sc, but l ck.ng n few
IL ri n n h. q q ~
,orie7 woman named E liza 10 the scene,
LING Ieen induced to axe par, by Ma
rim Reward VINO tod m that he in
,,rded 10 make a raise that night. UNI
4 ,.ipes or Cav. as he claimed TO be, as
srred of cou Sc, that he did OF have any
"A in the actual killing, but at he nd
ne woman wal ed outside in Duffy st eet
hpe unil Mfr.on He ward and Ed Bacon
,me out and told him u at they had d-ne
me lob They al o Id hin, he aid, thas
oe 81 is. wh) worael for Mr.. Meyer, had
III the window open so that they could
get in. but sad th7t he did no Bio
until they we've al in jail together. He
vas arrested shortly after the xii ng, he
sid.
The negro was correct as to the names
Of the parties engaged in the murder, with
tbe exception Of the woman, who was the
notorious Queen Martin, who escaped con-
yi.ton for the Meyer murder, but was
recently convicted of manslaughter for
killing her paramour and sentenced TO fif-
teen years in the penitentiary. The evil
d4nce against the Meyer murderers was
almost circumstantial, and the cases were
long drawn out. Joe Blois was finally
hung. Marion Hayward died in Jail, and
jim Gay and Ed Bacon were sent to the
pmi,entiary
Claiming himself to be Gay, Sporty Bob
said that he was sent to the mines at
Coal City and was afterwards transferred
the Chauahoochee brick yards, from
which he escaped about three years ago
by filing off his shackles. He said that
be returned to South Georgia, engaged in
drifting timber to Darien, visiting Savan-
nah TWO or three times without being rec
gnized and finally going to Emanuel
county, where he killed a negro named
George Perdue last June, for which crime
be is now under sentence of death.
Even if the story were true it would
rot help him any, as even a lifetime term
10 the penitentiary would not save him
rom the gallows. 1t was evident that Bob
had this idea in mind, however, for when
be had finished his story he inquired:
Boss what do you think they are goln'
90 about 1t? VIII they take me back TO
the penitentary to serve my time out?"
lie was informed that he had nothing
10 nope for from his source, ard that he
n+'-lll "s wei make peace with his
Maker and prepare to bid this vain word
1aie|el Upon hsa'irg this he at once
acknowledged that he was rot jim Gay,
put that the story had been concocted by
MN IN the hope that ii might save him
from the ga,lows.
INVESTIGATION at this end of the line re-
Vealed that "Srorly Bob" IS vel known
10 the savannah detectives. His right
name IS Robert Cumm ngs. He was ar
rested FOR burglary by Detective Henry
N'therhon about the time of the Meyer
murder and was probably in pail at the
same time with this bloody gang, who
were very much of a feather with himself
10 TINS way he doubtless learned the de-
.als 81 the crime. He was convicted of
burglary, and sentenced to five years in
me penitentiary After serving his term
ne went to Waycross, where he was short
pressed for burglary and sentenced
agan to the peniteutary, but after serving
aNouI year escaped from the camp at
IAe Chatiahoochee brick yards He then
returned 10 this section of the state. and
committed the murder in Emanuel county
"hicA IS now about to result in giving the
proper fnis to his career. Jim Gay, whom
cummings tried to impersonate, Is still
serving his life sentence in the penilen-
tiary