The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-27
Ri CK ABSOLVED OF GUILT.
.-.,r oxt-y,,s JURY SAID THE KILLING
-, WILSON WAS JUsTIFIABLE.

a4-F Il
ms Advancing Upon Black With
p.,or " hen the Latter Shot Him.
AMY Few Minutes Required to
p.tnrn a Verdict-Negroes Re-
,,t,e ut Blacks ReIease-They
,,.toJ Wilson for His Connection
,,.i,b the small Case-On HIS Death
poa wilson Denounced His Slayer.
1.sa, Wilson. the negro who was shot
~ Willie Black Monday, died yesterday
inning. At 1890 o'clock last night a cor
or4rs Jury. impane!ed to determine the
,,,s,. Of Wilson'S death and the degree
If crime. if any, of which they thought
1s SLAYER guilty, brought in a verdict of
-...sab.r homicide and Back was set at
liberty
The evidence before the coroner at the
,,5pas. corresponds with aud bears out
me Story told in the Morning News the
d,y after the killing. There were four
witnesses examined, and though some of
,5em knew more than others about the
cune and hence could give better ana
,rore ineligible accounts OF how it oc,
.,rrsd when they attempted to relate the
same Incidents they related them alike
and there was no conflict of evidence.
The witnesses were Henry Meyer, son
nj the proprietor of the store in which the
s4o5rns was done; w. NJ. Gradick, Au-
GUS. Augustus and Andrew Williams, or
whom she first two are white and the
last two are negroes. They al agreen
,54t wilson was advancing upon Black
at the time he was shot, with a razor
drawn in his hand, and that it was neces-
sary for Black to shoot in order to save
his own life. They detailed also the cir
cums.ances that preceded the final and
fatal difficulty and testified that In every
case Wilson was the aggressor and had
done everything in his power to provoke
Black and bring on trouble.
Never testified that he had sold a small
piece Of liver 10 Wilson a little before
3 O'Clock in the afternoon and had charg-
ed him nickle for it. There was frag-
ment of beof lying on the block and this
h. had at Wilson's requeS, given him.
After the sale Wilson had stepped across
the street to the grocery and bar and as
his work in the butcher shop was over
ht had followed him. Wilson had placed
the package containing the meat upon a
b,uca aud a dog belonging to Black had
come along, smelt the meat and knocked
The package to the floor. Before the beast
could open il and get at the contents Will
son had plucked it away and afterwards
thrown it again TO the dog. Then he came
back into the store and the trouble with
Black began.
For half an hour he continued to inter
fare with Black, insisted that he should
pay for the meat and even after he had
done SO cursed and abused both the negro
aud Never and threatened TO beat them
to death. lie said he would get even with
both of them for the way in which he had
been treated and that if he had chance
TO do what he intended to do and was ar
rested, he would not be sent to the chain
gang, but would de with a rope around
his neck.
He followed Black wherever he would
60 and kept reviling and Threatening him.
For q long time Black paid no attention
to this whatever, but this course but
seemed to anger Wilson the more. At last
Wilson went away and brought back his
dog, a bull terrier, and attempted to have
II fight with the dog of Blacks that had
eaten the meat. To this Black objected,
as he did not think his animal a match
for the other, and said that if they got
to fighting, and he could not separate
them otherwise, he would cut them apart
He also said that if Wilson were man of
bis own size, the latter would not impose
on him as he was then doing.
Al this, according to the testimony or
Meyer Wilson drew a razor from his
breast pocket and started for Black, draw
ing back his arm as if to use the weapon
as he approached. Black stepped back
and as Wilson got close upon him raised
ms pistol and fired.
Wilson turned as he saw the pistol and
the bullet struck him in the side; as he
started to run away Black fired again.
Inc witness had not seen the pistol before
was drawn, and did not know from
"Nich OF his pockets or other place Black
Iad taken it, Testimony from the other
line
Inc jury deliberated only a few minutes
"hen a verdict of justiiable homicide was
rendered. Congregated on the outside of
'He coroner office were about fifty of the
negro residents of the vicinity of the
tragedy where Wilson made his head
quarters and where he was universally
ushked. 1t appeared that he did not pos
sess a very amiabie character and was in
tt-1ed 10 think that he was 1.-THE bully of
u4e town. and was ready to dispute his
- ~ ttS lllle WIN any ana all COM
eIs' When they did not come fast
them.
men TOO, there was Wilson's connection
"'ul Inc case of Abe Small, whom he had
zen sent on to Baltimore, when that muir
SIloI was arrested there, to identify The
negroes mad taken up SmalTs fight with
a.. unaeserved enthusiasm, and had made
VI MN a martyr and a hero For this
I1V9soH they We're extremely angry with
MnSoh tor the part that he played in the
49, lrlal and ultimate execution of the
at9s e' OF Jansen Neve, and he was ostra-
80, 80 OIL his own kind. They would have
9't'HS TO do with him, and even his
,rt IeI arove him from her house
,b"e negroes, therefore, were elated at
Wv, news of Blacks acquittal. and went
s1. way rejoicing. In the death of Will
mi .'iauy OF them saw the power of right
LAM 'elIIouton, and were accordingly jubi-
r, ana satisfied. A brother of the dead
W. san TO a Morning News reporter that
- ''yn naa solemnly sworn, on his death
- mat he had been unarmed when he
ts- Ittacked by Black. and that the lat
or s"ol nm without reason, provocation
e. use 1t Is certain that no razor was
T''i 4ould ahO11f tho p1ora nor an WI