The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-01
BY HIS OWN PISTOL
STEPHEN CRAWFORD PROBABLY
FATALLY WOUNDED.
BULLET ENTERED HIS BACK.
FILL FROM STREET CAR AND RE-
yOLvER EXPLODED IN HIS
Pocket.

Peculiar Accident at West Broad and
Bryan Streets, which VIII Prob
ably Cost Young Man His Afe-A
Passenger ON "a West End Trolley
Car He Fell on the CObb4e stones.
Weapon Was in His Hip Pocket
and the Hammer Struck the
Ground--BuIIet PIOughed Upward
and Made a Serious WOund-Sent
in the Police Ambulance TO Savan-
nah Hospital for Trcatment-At-
I tending Physicians Hesitate to
Probe for the Dali.
tStephen A. Crawford, of No. 5N Park
avenue west, was accidentally shot, and
seriously wounded, in a peculiar manner
at West Broad and Bryan streets, about
ii o'clock last night. A ball from 81
calibre revolver, which ne carried in his
hip pocket, entered mis- back and lodged
somewhere in the abdomen. The wound
ed man suffered intensely until placed
under the influence of morphine.
Crawford was first taken into Dukes
drug store, on the corner where the
shooting occurred, and was later sent to
the Savannah Hospital in the police am
oulance. which had beeen summoned by
telephone. The man groaned continually
and en- route TO the hospital he begged
for some drug to deaden the pain, which
he said was in his stomach.
Crawford was a passenger on Westend
car No. q, and signaled the conductor to
stop at Bryan street. The car was go
ing north and the passenger prepared to
get off before the street was reached.
The car had not yet come to a stand
still when Crawford jumped to the
ground. In some manner he lost his foot
ing and fell backwards on the cobble-
stones. The fall was followed by an ex-
plosion and a cry OF pain.
The streets were crowded with pedes-
trians, and several rushed to the mans
side. An examination disclosed the fact
that the hammer of his revolver had
struck on one of the cobblestones. and
caused a cartridge to explode. The ball
entered the mans back, near his pistol
pocket and ploughed upward, lodging at
some point in the abdomen. The wound
lice were at once notified of the shoot
ing.
The car was stopped and the wounded
man was taken into the drug store by
the conductor and motorman. The troll
ley men remained with him until he was
taken away in the ambulance. Those of
Crawford's friends who learned of the 40
cident anxiously inquired as to his condi-
ton AT an early hour this morning he
was resting quietly, but no effort had
been made to locate the ball. The physi-
clans, after a consultation, decided to
await further Developments, before at
tempting to probe
Crawford realized that he had been Sc
riously injured and said in the ambulance
that he would not live 1t was with the
greatest effort that he talked and then
it was only to ask for some opiate He
could give no explanation as 40 how he
fell, except that it was an unavoidable
accident.
The young man is employed as a clerk
in the liquor house of c. P. Connery. on
ST. Julian street, near the city market.
He is well known and was an active ap-
plieant for position on the police force
several months ago. He was known to
many members of the force. and on more
than one occasion, in recent years, as
sisted the police and detectives in max
ing arrests. 1t had been his habit to
carry revolver.