The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-08
SLASHED IN HEAD AND FACE.
ALEXANDER CUT by BRITTON IN A
DISPUTE OVER DRINKS.

DimcuIty Occurred in the Saloon OF
Ell Veruki on barnard street,
Where the Two Men, with Some
Friends, Had Been Drinking and
Playing Cards TOGether-WOunds
Produced Nearly Attended by Fa-
tai Conseauences-One of the
Gashes Missed the JuguIar Vein
by n Fraction of an Inch-Twenty-
six stitches Taken to Close the
Gashes.
A stabbing, the consequences Of which
escaped being fatal by very narrow mar
gin only, took place in the saloon of Eli
Veruki on Barnard street and Congress
lane, at $50 o'clock last night. II began
in a dispute over game of cards and
ended in Benjamin Alexander receiving
four cuts in the head and face. from a
knife, welded by Tom Britton, with des-
perate and deadly intent.
Both the men are young and, it is said
hold good positions. With several other
friends they had been playing cards and
drinking together in the saloon, and they
had ali reached a stage of apparent high
good humor. There was no indication OF
row in the breeze, other than that al
ways attendant upon a too free Indulgence
in the cup that cheers. If this gentle
zephyr was moving it did not at all dis
turb the serenity of the participants in
the quiet game.
How the difficulty originated It is hard
for those who witnessed il to tell and
thrice hard for anyone else to discover
or surmise. 1t had its first inception, how
ever, in a dispute over a round of drinks
that both Brtton and Alexander said
should be paid for by the other There
were high words and menacing gestures
and these at last became too much for
Britton 10 endure.
With a quick and sudden motion he
drew knife from his pocket and COM
menced to slash Alexander across the face
The attack seemed to be totally unexpect-
ed, and the man who was being cut and
the others who were in the game seemed
alike unable to do anything to stop ii.
Alexander was endeavoring to ward off
the furious gashes at his face. while the
others appeared to be paralyzed with as
constituent or fear. AT any rate they did
nothing.
AT this juncture the proprietor Of the
bar, NerulSl, appeared on the scene and
succeeded in separating the antagonists
and pushing Britton out of the door. AL
eXander was sitting in a chair covered
with Blood and Dr. George NJ. Norton was
huTiedly summoned.
An investigation of the mans wounds
showed that he had escaped death by
very narrow margin. The four wounds on
his face and head were wide and gaping
and the facial and temporal arteries had
been completely severed. BY a fraction OF
an inch only had one cash OF the knife
missed the jugular, the severing of which,
when done With the fury thai Brltton had
exhibited, would have meant almost GER
tain death. The others wounds wee SUI
ficiently ugly and to close them and get
Alexander IN presentable condition, TWEEN
ty-six stitches were necessary.
After Britton had been pushed out of
The door he disappeared and was not seen
again. His exact whereabouts are not
known, and the case was not reported to
the police, so that they have made no in
vestigation. The story, as given, is gath
cred from talks with those who espouse
AeXauders side of the controversy and
it may be that Britton viii have differ
ent tale to tell. should judicial examina-
ton of the case result.