The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-27
KILLED IN A QUARREL
NEGRO BOY SHOT HIS COMPANIONS
FATHER THROUGH THE HEART.
CAPTURED AFTER HOT CHASE
ELIJAH SHAW THE SLAYER; MAT
THEW JOHNSON HIS VICTIM.

Johnson's Son Had Been in a Fight
and shaw Separated Them-AnGry
Words With the Father Followed
by an AssauIt-Witnesses Say That
Shaw Threw Rocks at johnson
and Abused Hip-The Man struck
the Boy, the Lad Drew His Pistol
and Fired Two ShOts-JOhnsOn
Died Instantly and His slayer
FIed-Fired n Musket Loaded With
Peas at His Pursuers-Corne in
House and Arrested by Superin-
tendent ReiIIy-CInims Self-De-
Tense.
Mathew Johnson was shot through the
heart and instantly killed yesterday morn
ing by Elijah Shaw, on Stiles avenue near
The lampbiack factory. Both parties are
negroes. Shaw is under arrest. He was
taken in charge by Superintendent Reilly
Immediately after the killing, and was
sent to the police station and assigned 10
a murderers cell.
Shaw is about IS and Johnson was about
Sc years old According to statements
made to the detectives by witnesses the
shooting was the result of a fight between
Shaw and Johnsons boy. The witnesses
say that Johnson separated the boys and
that Shaw became angry. He was in
solent and abused Johnson for stopping
the fight and said that the father had no
right to interfere in scrapes of that sort.
Johnson did not like the manner in
which he had been addressed by one so
much younger. and plainly said so. 1t is
alleged that the boy continued with his
abuse, and that johnson grabbed hold of
him. The police witnesses charge that
Shaw threw several rocks at johnson be-
fore they got together.
The young negro pulled away from the
older man and whipping out a S2-caliber
revolver, fired two shots at johnson. The
first bullet missed it's mark, but the sec
ond shot went true and johnson fell to
the ground, with his life blood flowing
from a small puncture just above the
heart. The lad had been employed to watch
his fathers field near the waterworks,
and as soon as he saw Johnson fall he
ran in that direction.
Stiles avenue is a thickly pop
ulated section of the Westside,
and motley crowd chased Johnson's
slayer. An old musket which Shaw
claims was loaded with pease. was in the
field, and he quickly grabbed the wea-
pom. and turning upon his pursuers, fired
Two or three in the crowd complained
of feeling a singing sensation, but
no one was seriously injured. Reinforce
ments had arrived by this time, and many
of those in the chase were armed with
every conceivable sort of weapon.
In the meantime a telephone message
had been sent to police headquarters and
6upt. Reilly jumped in his buggy and
drove rapidly to the scene of the homicide.
He arrived a moment after Shaw had been
penned in a house by the crowd. and
placed Johnson's slayer under arrest The
prisoner was made to get in the buggy
with the superintendent and was driven
rapidly to the police station before the
CROWD had recovered from the excitement
of the chase. Had Shaw fallen into the
hands of the crowd he might have been
severely handled.
The prisoner was seen in his cell by a
Representative of the Morning News. and
talked freely of the killing. He stated that
he was in the field and saw Johnson's
boy and another youth fighting. He says
that he separated the combatants and
that Johnson came up at that time and
grabbed him by the collar. According 10
his story he told Johnson that he was
foolish to become engaged in an alter
cation over childrens quarrels, and that
although they were fighting then they
would be friends the next day.
Shaw says that Johnson continued to
choke him and struck him on the face
fu-n or rod To mill
away from him and get off some few
feet" said the negro. Some boy called
him a name and he must have thought
it was me. He came back at ma and
choked me again. l pulled away then and
fred one time at him. The bullet missed,
and as he was still coming l shot again.
He fell then and l ran TO the field. There
were only three cartridges in the pistol
and the crowd following me had also all
sorts of guns and pistols. l picked up the
musket loaded with peas and fired at
them. They ran away and l went into a
house and waited until the chief came. l
surrendered myself then and gave him
my pistol. johnson had beat me and
that is why / killed him. live at No.
429 West Boundary street, and johnson
lived on Stiles avenue"
After Superintendent Reilly had left
headquarters the detectives and Coroner
Keller were notified OF the homicide. The
city officers hurried to the scene of the
killing, but the alleged murderer had al
ready been taken in custody by their
chief. DR.. Keller made. an examination
of Johnson's body and gave permission
for its burial. Witnesses were secured
by the detectives and an inquest will be
held this afternoon.
The police are supersttious when II
comes to homicides. They say that the
records show that murders in this city
travel In threes and that the spell Is
broken by suicide. The officers believe
firmly that before the week IS out some
citizen will commit suicide and that
there will be no more tragic deaths in
Savannah for some little while. Yester-
days was the third killing In a week. and
all three Of the alleged murderers are I'M
der arrest.
DuU Arurn AT WxrEgTEN