The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-03
TOM MURPHY'S GALLANT DEED
RAN DOWN AND ARRESTED A NE
GRO WHO HAD WOUNDED HIM.

One OF the Many Narrow Escapes
From Death That Murphy Has Had.
His AssaiIant Negro Hack
driver, John JOnes-Stabbed MUIR
ply in the Head just as He Made
the Arrest-FOIIowed Into "A Lane
and Captured-The POIiceman's
Wound Ugly, But Not Dangerous.
ARRAY Occurred in Henry Lane, In
tested With Negro HOOdIums.
Mounted Patrolman Tom Murphy had
last night another of his miraculous es-
capes from death at che hands of some des-
perate man he was attempting to arrest,
coming off this time with a wound two
inches long in the top of his head and
enough blood on the outside of his body 10
furnish forth the interior economy of an
ordinary man. His assailant is a negro
hack-driver, John Jones.
During the early part of the night the
nelghborhood of Henry lane between Guy
Ter and Cemetery streets was made hid
eous by the vocal contortions and gym
nastics of a crowd of negro hoodlums, male
and female, who gathered in the disorder
Nv houses with which the lane is infested
and cursed how&ed and blasphemed 70
their hearts content, and the unspeaka-
Bile annoyance of the decent and law abid-
ing element of the population of that sec
ton. The disorder of last night is not a
rare occurrence, but recurs with unseem-
w regularity every night in the week.
Murphys attention had been called 10
the noise and he had made several inves-
LEGATIONS, the disturbance ceasing, now
ever, Just as he approached each time.
lone negro woman was the only one that
he could find and she was unable or I'M
willing to tell him anything about the mat
ter. When he reached some distance from
the lane the noise and disorder began
again and continued with undated vigor.
About midnight he made his final descent
and this time bagged his game.
Leaving his horse outside the lane and
walking down towards its center, ne was
greeted with an outburst of profanity that
surpasses anything that he had heard be-
fore. and on the steps of one of the houses
discerned the form of a negro man, swear
ing violently and fiuently at nothing at all
and cursing everything that he could rot
see Murphy reached up and grabbed him
and as he did so the negro drew long
and ugly looking knife and struck VICIOUS
" down al the officers head. The blade
pierced Murphy's hat and glancing along
the top of his head made deep and ugly
wound above the left ear, from when the
blood began at once to flow profusely. But
of this the gallant policeman was totally
unconscious.
AS the negro cut he ran, with Murphy
IN close and hot pursuit. Turning into an
alley that runs between Henry lane and
the street itself, from Cuyler to Gene
tery. he continued his fight, his form
showing only when it interviewed between
the officer and the light at the other end
of the alley. Murphy ordered him TO matt
and drawing his pistol. threatened TO
shoot if he did not do so. Iae off1cer
meant 10 do il, but just as he was about
- ere distinguished the forms of two
other men and desjsted. Instead, he in
creased his speed and overtaking his
cnarrv struck him with his club in the
haclx Of the head and feled him TO the
Ground. After this the arrest was an
eaev matter. and Murphy carried the
nrisoner to the nearest box, rang for the
wagon and sent him into the barracks.
When his prisoner had been saleiy dls-
posed of the policeman turned MS atten-
ton TO himself and found that ms neaa
ana breast were covered with the blood
which was sill pouring from the wound
in his head. He got calmly upon his horse,
rode back into the lane ana
nicked up his hat and then TO
he office Of Dr. Howkns, where
the ugly wound in his head was dressed
and sewed up. His shirt. from shoulder
TO waist, was red with blood, but Muir
nhv was as cool as though he were on
parade. When his wound was dressed he
walked TO the barracks and went to bed.
OF adventures such as this Tom Mur-
phv has had more than his share, and
he has been picked out for destruction
bv half of the tough element Of the city.
His rigid adherence to the strict line Of
duty and his determination 20 suppress
crime and disorder wherever ne finds 1t
and without regard TO the danger he
brings on himself have made him as much
feared By his natural enemies, The Grim
inal class. as he is respected and depended
upon by his superior officers on the force.
-L----s--sp-s----
-Magistrate--Wh didn't you answer to
your name?
Vagrant-Beg pardon, Jedge; but for
goc wot name l gave las night
Magistra te-Didnt you give your own