The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-11-08
A NARROW ESCAPE
-gowp CAME NEAR LYNCHING A
NEGRO NEAR AUGUSTA.
MILITARY WAS ORDERED OUT,
,,rr hung on IDENTIFICATION ny
THE VICTIM.

,,omnn who Had Been Assaulted
promptly Declared Te Was Not the
,lan-HorribIe Crime Was Commit
..d while Miss Hairs Relatives
were Away at the PoIIs-Negro
Wns Released and Search for
criminal l. sian Being Made.
augusta Nov THE lie OF Morgan
cones hung hy n thread to-day and
rsuar's word OF identification would have
rs.ls him q target Tor scores OF weapons.
Tie military had been ordered by toe
Governor. 20 be IN readiness TO protect
fs mo. but had he proven 90 be the
esaty mon. he would never have come
ordsr their protecting care.
About Fix miles from Augusta on the
eHsdgevi,le road. Mr.. John Han has his
r-dcnce and a country store. Yester-
O.. afternoon he was al tho election pre-.
cat ana his wife had gone 20 town.
leaving their daughter. a comedy young
woman. Miss Willie Han. alone AT home.
uurrg the afternoon young negro
man .amc 90 the house where she was and
sad h- wanted 20 buy some crackers from
mo store. This was customary occur
renee and not dreaming Of harm, Miss
Hsl got the key and led the way 20 the
ttofa When she ard tho negro got in
SIDE che store. he drew a knife and de-
handed money. Having got the small
amount Ia the cash drawer. he than as
salltod Miss Hall. Afterwards ne insist
90 mat there was more money somewhere
in the residence and made her head the
way there. A second ASSAULT was made
in 'he house.
When her parents returned home. Miss
Hal told the terrible story and described
the negro He was dark gingercake color
with very slight kinky mus,ache. about
feet inches ana Weighing about IT'S
pounds.
The suspect Arrested.
Immediately word was passed. Among
the neighbors ana scouting parties were
soon on the lookout Neirhboriug sta
tons on the railroads were telophoned a
description. and this morning word came
that suspected negro had been arrested
al Harlem on the Georsia Railroad
In short time men from an over the
county assembled there. and when Miss
Hal arrived with her father on the Gcor-
gia train this afternoon to Identify her as
sailan, he was iu the custody OF a hun
bred men. resolved upon his speedy death,
II she accused him.
In the meantime Judge r. L. Crimson
Of the Superior colrt had ielegraphed the
Governor for troops 20 protect the pris-
oner from violence. and Gov Gambler had
ordered Capt. Reuki, with nfty picked
men. TO BE- iu readiness 90 answer Judge
Briusons call. The men who held the
prisoner only awaited his Identification.
but said the test must be fair one -
four other negroes were made 20 stand
with the suspect while Miss Hall looked
them over she promptly declnred that
neither OF them was the guilty man.
Prisoner Not Afraid.
The prisoner had not been az al excit-
81 after be- was told he would be- con
fronted with the young lady before any
thing was done 90 MIN. she will tell
you I am not the man" he said. for
never saw or heard 90 her In my life"
Il was fortunate for him that Miss Hail
was confident OF his innocence. for If she
had identified him as the guilty man
hc would have been rlddled az once with
out wasting for him 70 get into the hands
81 the law or the military. Men stood
around him with their hands on their
pistols. only waiting Il word from her
when convinced Of bis innocence, how
ever they took up collection and paid
Copes for his lost day and paid his fare
10 Warrenton. where ne said he was
going when arrested 90 suspicion. But
while the first arrest was a failure. the
effort 20 catch the real villain will he
kept up. II he Il caught the military Will
zoe be needed