The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-01-06
MURDERED IN
THE CITY JAIL.
Joe Dugger Killed by w.
T. Alexander.
AWFUL DEED CT A CRAZY MAN.
The Weapon Used was an Iron Bolt
Alexander an Ex-Member of One of the
Mississippi Regiments-Coroner's Jury
Return Verdict of UnprOvoked Murder.

The city Jail last Friday morning
was the scene of one of the most
shocking tragedies that has ever
taken place in Columbia. Between
the hours of 4 80 o o'clock and 5:45, Joe
Dugger, a white carpenter of this
city, who had been arrested on the
charge of drunkenness, was muir
dered by w. II. Alexander, an eX-
Mississippi soldier, whose mind is
said to be unbalanced. The facts in
the case are as follows.
Thursday morning Officers Craft
and Guest were called to the Guest
House on South Main street to arrest
Alexander, who had made an un-
provoked assault with a knife upon
Mr.. J. Hougn Guest. Alexander
was carried to the city jail and
fastened IN one of the cells, and a
charge of being drunk and disorder
ly and assaulting Mr.. Guest was en-
tered against him. Officer Guest
says it was not suspected in the
least at the time of the arrest that
Alexander was crazy, or else he
would have been taken to the
county Jail and given more secure
quarters; but thinking that he was
only indulging in an exaggerated
Christmas drunk, he was treated the
same as other persons arrested on
that charge, and confined in a cell
in the city jail. The door to the cell
was fastened by means of an iron
key, or pin, there being no lock; but
this pin could only be removed by a
person from the outside.
Friday morning about 2 o'clock
officers Goad and Lancaster found
Dugger drunk on the streets, and he
was carried to Jail and turned into
the corridor leading to the cells.
About 80 O'Clock officer Holcomb
and Lancaster went back to the Jail
and gave Dugger drink of water,
and everything was found to be all
right then.
Alexander having shown some
signs of being mentally disturbed
after being confined in jail, Dugger
was warned to leave him alone and
not go into or near his cell.
A few minutes before 6 o'clock,
city jail. keeper Theo. Green, accom-
panied by Harry Gillespie, the ne
gro porter, went to the cells to look
after the prisoners. Opening the
door, they found Alexander's cell
door open and Alexander excitedly
pacing the corridor, while Dugger
was nowhere to be seen. The City
Jailor spoke to Alexander and asked
him where Dugger was, but received
no Ineligible reply. 1t was yet
dark in the Jail, but approaching the
cell where Alexander had been con-
fined, the jailor heard groan, and
striking a match he was Mortified to
see the poor drunkard weltering in
his own blood. Unexpected and at
such an uncanny hour, it was a sight
to freeze ones blood, and Mr.. Green
will not forget 1t to his dying day.
In one corner of the cell lay Dug
ger in pool of blood, with his head
beat almost into jelly and his face
almost beyond recognition.
A physician was sent for immedi-
ately, but the unfortunate man died
before medical attention could reach
him.
Alexander was transferred to the
county Jail for safe Keeping, and
CoronerT. E. Lipscomb impanelled
the following jury of inquest, viz
M. M. Butts, Geo. l.. Adkisson, E
ID. Wilson, s. D. Herndon, J. F
Speed, J. p. White and j. P. Cald
well-and the following verdict wa:
returned:
ave find that Joe Dugger came to his
death from wounds inflicted by an iror
KEY, in the shape of IT. or pick, at thu
hands of one w. r. Alexander; who, il
the opinion of the jury after hearing
the proof from several witnesses, wa
feloniously murdered by the hands o
said w, t. Alexander without cause o
provocation.
ave therefore request that the sale
Alexander be safely confined anC
securely held under a States warran
pending a preliminary hearing"
Alexander was a member of Com
: pany X, First Mississippi regiment
, which was mustered out here las
month. His home is in Georgetown
Ga, where he was born and raised
He is apparently of unsound mind
and talks in a rambling sort of way
He has made several statement
! about the killing, one of them beini
that Dugger came into his cell ant
kept begging him for money ant
whiskey until he grew tired of beini
: bothered by him and killed him t
get him out of the way.
The instrument used by AleXan
der was the iron bolt used in fasten
ing the door of the cell.
3 Alexander has a brother, g.. A
t Alexander, of Montgomery, Ala
who has written to City Marsha
jackson, stating that his brother
: mind has been unbalanced at times
g and that he has been confined in tn
/ Alabama asylum twice and tn
y Georgia asylum twice.
He was given preliminary heal
: ing Saturday, and waived examins
d tion aad was bound over to the Gil
2 cult Court.
o Dugger was carpenter OF tn
city, and leaves a wife and sewers
Q children. He was addicted tn stron
d drink, but was entirely inotfensiy
n and would not wilfully have harme
anybody.