The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-09
CRIMINAL OR VICTIM?
is YOUNG TINDALL MURDERER OF
FATHER AND SISTER.
OR VICTIM OF SUSPICION =?
EVIDENCE OF HTS CRIMINALITI
SAID TO BE STRONG

heart Asserting HIS Innocence.
Seemed Indifferent to the Death of
Both of His Near RELATIONSHIPS
His Sweetheart Not 10 Desert Him
Now.
Irwinton, Ga, Aug. s-The evidence
against James Tindall the 16-year-old boy
who is in Jail here for killing his father
with poison last week, makes a very
strong case against the lad. At first he
had the sympathy of every one, and no
one was willing TO believe that youth of
his tender years could be guilty of such
a horrible crime as he is accused of. But
to-day there Is a mass of evidence against
him, and even his uncle aud near rela-
tives have doubts of his innocence.
About ten days ago this boy shot and
killed his 10-year-old sister At first II
was believed that il was an accident, but
1t now seems that it was willful murder.
The mother and father were absent from
home, and the boy broke open his fathers
trunk and helped himself to peach brandy.
The little girl told him that she would
tell his father. and he, with an OATH is
supposed TO have shot and instantly killed
her. He claimed that 1t was an accident.
and it was accepted as true. Since the
death of the father different version of
the affair has leaked out.
Death of the Father.
A few days after the death of the little
girl the father, who was in i'll health,
took dose of medicine which he had been
taking for some time. and in few min
utes went into commissions and died in a
very short while. An inquest was held,and
the evidence before the coroners jury
showed that this boy had bought a dose
of poison that morning. saying that he
wished 10 poison rats. The father
stomach was sent to Atlanta and analysed
and showed that the same kind of poison
the boy had bought caused the death.
1t was also shown that the lad had told
his sweetheart the night before that his
father had whipped him for going to see
her so often, and that # she would keep
quiet that she would hear some serious
trouble at his home before many days.
When his father was a corpse. he show
ed the utmost indifference. and because
some one did something TO displease him,
ne said that If anyone fooled with him
that there would be another dead man
stretched out in a few minutes.
He is small for his age. but a very in
tellisent boy. He does not appear to care
for his coninement and acts as If he has
never had any troube in his life He
sp axis of the death of his father and sis
ter with the indifference of an utter
stranger. He denies his lllt and says that
ne VIII come clear as soon as court con-
venes. Pe has no one to assist him in his
trouble, as all his relatives repudiate him.
A Touching Letter.
There Is but one thing that touches his
heart and that is the little girl he claims
as his sweetheart. Your CORRESPONDENT
read a letter he wrote 10 her, and it seems
strange that one so void Of love for his
own kin, could psn such note so full
of love and feeling. In cramped boyish
hand and poor grammar he penned her the
following ncte:
My Dear Sweetheart: A few days ago
l was free lad. at home with my loved
ones, enjoying the sweet pleas
ure of your confidence and
love. but to-day / am a prisoner the in
mate of murderers cell, charged with
the death of my poor little sister and my
kind-hearted father. There are no loving
hands to tend me in my sorrow; no eyes
look upon me, save those OF the curious
and unsympathetic, who stand and gaze
IL
There are no words of comfort or consoIa-
tion spoken, and l only hear the cruel
words of condemnation as I am denounced
as vile and guilty wretch. And In this
dark and dreary dungeon, where the sun
light never comes, no music greets me
save the grating of the iron bars when
the jailer comes to admit some one to look
upon my wretchedness.
Says He Is Innocent
"A short while ago, when / was with
thee when ! had "A. little sister and a low
ing father, little did think that IL wouId
soon be thusi Sister dead father buried
and / locked behind the prison barsi O.
God, have mercy on an innocent child
Thou knowest that / am guiltless of this
horrible crime. How could / have killed
my little sister and poisoned nv father
who raised me?
"Oh, my sweetheart, come and give me
one word of comfort. DO not desert me
now when all others have turned their
backs upon me, but come, oh come and
bring a ray Of sunshine and one spark
OF hope to this dark and lonesome cell
They tell me that you, too, have forsaken
mel But | cannot-will not believe that
you will ever forsake the boy who loves
you so, and who is being prosecuted as I.
II may be tried and convicted. | NAV
hear the awful feutencs Of death pro.
nounced upon mo, and die uron the gall
lows. But God will know, ahd | want you
TO know, that an innocent lad paid an un-
just debt"
Then. In that chid-like simplicity. he
closed with that little prayer, Now Law
mo IN eIa