The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-28
FATAL DUEL ON TRAIN
NEGRO TRAMP's DEADLY WORK IN
BRYAN COUNTY.
WAS STEALING A RIDE.
MoRTALLY WOUNDED PORTER JOE
KING AND ESCAPED.

Fired Upon Baggage Master a. De-
Grafrenreid on Platform of Rapid
1y Moving Passenger Train-king
Was Travelling second Class on n
Pass-Ran to BeIp DeGraffenreid
and Tramp's Revolver Was Turn
ed Upon Him Men Exchanged
shots and King Received IA Bullet
in the AbdOmen-Tramp Believed
to Have Been wounded, But Es-
capped in Darkness with n Com
pnniOn-Wounded Porter Died Be-
fore Savannah Was Reached.
Joseph King employed as a porter on
one of the commssary trains Of the Sea
board Air Line. was shot and fatally
wounded last night by an unknown negro
tramp at Stetson, a station in Bryan
county % miles from Savannah. The
negro who did the shooting escaped with
companion, but it is believed that he was
wounded. King was shot in the abdomen
and died near Meldrim, in Effingham
county. He stated that he was sure that
he had wounded his murderer
King was shot on the platform Of the
second class car while passenger train No
u was moving rapidly towards Stetson.
He had boarded the train at Americas and
was travelling to Savannah on a pass.
The railroad porter lost his life in an eff
fort to save Baggage Master A. DeGraf-
fenreid The tramp had fired upon him
from the car steps and King had gone to
his rescue.
Two negro tramps got on the trucks,
between the engine and baggage car, at
EIlabell and were seen by Conductor w.
r. Glenn. He ordered his porter, a ne
gro named Richard Ferris, to go for
ward and bring the two men in the sec
ond-class car. Ferris did as he was told
and the tramps were taken before the
conductor. One of them had 10 cents and
upon giving that amount to Glenn was
told that he would be permitted TO ride
to the next station, which is Stetson
The second man stated that he had no
money, and his companion did not have
enough to see him through to the next
stopping place. Conductor Glenn told the
man who had no money that he was
under arrest for stealing a ride on rail-
way train, which is a misdemeanor in
Georgia. The prisoner was turned over
10 Baggage Master De Graffenreid with
instructions to secure him in the baggage
car until Stetson was reached
The train was going at a rapid rate
when DeGraffenreid started for the bag
gage car with the tramp in front of him
The two men reached the platform of the
second class car, and the baggage mas
ter shut the door behind him. As he did
so the negro jumped to the step of the
car. and drawing revolver. started shoot
ing at the railroad man. DeGraffenreid
jumped into the door of the baggage car
and asked Conductor Glenn if he had a
revolver. He was told where he could
find one and shut the door when he went
to get the weapon.
King heard the baggage man ask for a
pistol, and hearing the shooting ran to
the platform. He stepped out of the car
door and the tramp opened fire on him.
The porter was armed and duel between
the two men followed at short range The
train had already slackened for the stop
at Stetson, and the last shot was fired
by the tramp as the engine came to
standstill He had fired five times and
King had shot twice. AS the last cart
ridge in his revolver exploded the tramp
either jumped or fell from the car step.
The commissary porter sat down and
announced that he had been wounded. A
ball had entered the abdomen, and he
ing away. The baggageman had not found
the pistol, but with the porter and con-
ductor, searched for the tramp. 1t was
quite dark, and the man may have been
in some ditch wounded. The railroad men
were unable to locate him, however. and
in the excitement his companion, who had
paid his fare of 10 cents, managed to es-
cape
King was placed in the coach, and a
telegram was sent to Savannah, telling of
the shooting and asking that physi-
clan be on hand to meet the train upon
its arrival at the Central depot King
lived thirty minutes and when the
train reached the city shortly before 10
O'Clock il was with his lifeless body.
Coroner G. Keller was summoned
and accompanied by Police Surgeon Os-
borne went to the depot. When he learn
ed OF the circumstances connected with
the shooting he announced that it had
occurred outside of his bailiwick and that
st was a case for the coroner of BRYAN
county. That official was notified by tele-
graph and will probably hold an inquest
il is not at all likely that the negro who
did the shooting will be arrested, unless
he was seriously wounded by King. As
far as is known King was unmarried. He
lived at No. 652 Factory street. corner Of
West Boundry