The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-22
SLAIN WHILE DOWN
KILLING OF JOHN H. SCOTT CALLED
MURDER.
HACKED UP BY SON-IN-LAW.
WM. w. JOHNSON CHARGED WITH
THE COWARDLY CRIME.


COroner's Jury the killing of His
Father-in-Iaw Was without the
Slightest ProvOcation-ScOtt Was
Drunk and Unarmed when Cut to
Pieces by JOhnsOn-The Elder Man
Had Fallen on the Ground when
johnson Pulled His Knife and Be
gan Sending the Blade Home-xVit-
nesses All Told Pretty Much the
Same Story and the Jury Had No
Hesitancy In Rendering a Verdict
of WiIfuI Murder-The Police The
DRY That Killing Might Have Been
Justified Appears to Have No
FOundation-JOhnsO StiII at
Large.
The killing of John H. Scott, at Sims
and Wilson streets Sunday afternoon as
described by witnesses before the coro-
ner's jury last night was as unprovoked
and cowardly a crime as has occurred in
Savannah in a long time. According to
the stories told by the witnesses to the
tragedy, William W. Johnson, Scott's
son-in-law, literally cut the elder man TO
pieces while he was on the ground, and
in helpless condition.
That the killing was willful and DELHI
crate murder it did not take the jury
moment to agree upon, and a verdict in
accordance with the testimony was sign
ed Although the police appeared conf
dent of his capture Monday, johnson is
still at large, and as far as is known, is
no nearer arrest than the day after the
homicide. The detectives are not in
clned to tell just what they base their
hopes upon, and as far as is known there
is no likelihood of the arrest of SCOTS
slayer at an early date.
The witnesses examined by the jury
were James D. Horne of No. 513 Sims
street. c. w. Collins of No. 421 Wilson
street. Jasper Gill, Jr., of No. $50 Sims
street, 7. j. Harrison of No. 432 Wilson
street. and Miles Owens of No. 425 Will
son street. They all told pretty much
the same story, and the killing as de-
scribed by the witnesses who appeared
anxious to tell the whole truth, was a
colo blooded act. just where the police
got the idea on Sunday that johnson may
have been justified in what he did is
quite mystery. Certainly there was not
one whit of evidence to bear them out in
this altogether remarkable theory.
From the evidence Scott was drunk and
unarmed while Johnson was perfectly
sober. Johnson approached his father-in-
law, who was talking to three men on
the corner. One called SCOTS attention
to the fact that johnson had two bricks
and the intoxicated man turned around
A member of the party grabbed Johnson
by the right arm to prevent him throw
ing the rocks. 1t seems that the young
man is left-handed, and that he hurled
the first brick, but missed his father-in-
law.
Scott started for Johnson, who ran
across Sims street. He turned and threw
the second brick and again missed his
mark. In lodging the missile, however,
Scott fell and johnson rushed at him
with the open knife. The man on the
ground threw up his hands to ward off
the blows. This accounts for the fact that
ringer was cut off completely and other
wounds were made on the hands and
arms. The bleeding hands fell to the ED
erly mans side and johnson sent the
blade of the knife into Scott's breast.
just above the heart. This was the fatal
wound, and according to the witnesses,
Scott never spoke after the knife had
been sent home.
The men who had been standing on
the corner ran up for the purpose of pull
ing johnson off. Jasper Gill, Jr, was the
first to reach the pair and johnson turned
upon him and made two vicious swings
with the bloody weapon. The blade
struck the brass buckle on a belt worn
by Gill. When johnson saw whom he
had tried to cut he gave Gill his hand
and stated that he had not intended to
cut him.
One of the most remarkable facts con-
nected with the homicide is that johnson
was in the hands Of several men, was
disarmed and yet was permitted to make
his escape. The witnesses were not able
to explain away this fact any more sat-
isfactorily than with the statement that
they were somewhat excited and did not
think that Scott had been mortally wound
ed. The witnesses stated that a patrol
man arrived on the scene only few mo-
ments later. and at that time johnson
had only reached an open field just west
of the city.
The homicide occurred within the JUS
isdiction of the police, and Supt Reilly
says that he will make every effort to
have the guilty man arrested. The coun-
ty authorities, too. are active, and Coun-
ty Detective Charlton is also endeavor-
ing to locate Johnson. The man whom
the coroner's jury says is guilty of MUIR
der has quite a number of friends. and
the authorities realize that he cannot be
found wit bO11f off