The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-17
CALLED 1T MURDER
CORONER,s JURY so DECLARED
OF FENDER KILLING.
WAS DANGER OF LYNCHING.
EVIDENCE AGAINST BROoBs IS CIR
CUMSTANTIAL.


He Would be Taken From Officers
and Lynched-COrOner Keller Did
Not Make out a COmmitment-NO
One Saw Fatal Shot Fired-BrOOks
Had shot n Barber Only Few
Minutes Before-He Stated Yester-
day That He Had no Pistol and
knew Nothing of ShOotinG-Ofh-
GERS Funeral This Afternoon.
Patrolman Harry B. Fender, who was
shot on jefferson street, near Perry street
lane, at an early hour yesterday morning,
mention of which was made in the Morn
ing News. died at noon yesterday. An
inquest was held in the Police Court room
last night by Coroner Keller. and at !
O'Clock this morning the jury returned a
verdict of murder.
The court room was crowded with spec
tators throughout the hearing and many
hung around police headquarters, even
after the verdict had been signed. Cor
oner Keller did not issue a commitment
last night, but decided that 1t would be
wise to let Brooks remain at the police
station until this afternoon. Those who
attended the investigation were excited,
and 1t had been whispered that If the
negro was moved to the Jail he would be
taken from the officers and lynched. DR..
Keller was made aware of this plan and
deemed 1t wise to let the negro remain
where he is.
The coroner's jury holds Henry Brooks
responsible for the killing of the patrol
man on circumstantial eviderre. AS far
as Is known, no living witness saw him
fire the fatal shot, and Fender never
spoke after ne fell on the pavement. This
negro was employed a waiter in Hicks
restaurant, and appears 90 be an inso-
lent fellow. He was seen in his cell by
a representative of the Morning News
yesterday and denied all knowledge of
the crime. lie stated that he had never
had a pistol and neither shot the officer
nor the negro Burns. He stated that he
was sober at the time and that his at
tention was first attracted by the firing
OF the pistol shots He ran, he said, 90
zee what the trouble was and was plac-
ed under arrest
Burns. the negro who was first shot
by Brooks, is from Augusta, and is pro-
prietor of a West Broad street barber
shop. He was attended by Police Sur
geon Osborne and his wound is not a
dangerous one. post norton examina-
ton was held by DR.. Osborne over the
remains OF the patrolman.
All of the witnesses in the cases were
placed under arrest by the police and
detectives yesterday morning and were
Te1A At All
inquest. The Lucas woman and the Glenn
ents lad are still he'd in custody. The
testimony of the witnesses was as fol-
laws:
Walter Burns story.
Walter Burns of SAT West Broad street,
who was also shot by Brooks, said: Il
was alta dance at Jones' bar on Margaret
and West Broad streets last night.
left there about 1870 o'clock this morning.
Brooks, a woman and a boy were COM
ing down West Broad street. Brooks
was raising sand. 1 passed them and
the woman said, Don't let this man hit
me- said, what in the devil is the
matter with you ALL. Brooks said, What
IN the - have you got to do with it
said, I have not got anything to do
with it, Brooks went down for his gun
ana said: - - il, don't have moth
ing to do with it,. 1 saw that he was
going to shoot. and ran across the street,
and turned my side to him. He fired
once, and when l saw that he had shot
me, / started to follow him, and he ran
across the street l told him that he
need not run, that I was going to hav-
him arrested. I lost him by the fruit
stand on West Broad street and Perry
street lane. don't know just where he
went. ] went into Perry street lane. east,
and had gone about thirty yards when 1
ard fnnrs nj 1I hot nh
were two shots. / came out into Jeffer-
son street. ! saw the policeman lying on
the street gruntlng, and another officer
had just come up to him. A coored man
pointed to me and told the officer to ar
rest me- but I told them that / had al
ready been shot. While they were try
ing to get the wounded officer up, two
colored fellows brought Brooks up there
The officer asked Brooks what he shot
for, and Brooks said that he never did it;
that he had never had a pistol I'm his life
heard Mr.. Fender the policeman, say
that the man who shot me shot him.
Brooks had high hat and a light over
coat on.
story of the woman.
Clifford Lucas, of 111k Oglethorpe avenue
lane east, said:
Il was at O social at the Brunswick
on West Broad and Margaret streets, and
left there some time after midnight |
was with Henry Brooks and Eddie
Clements. I was sober and so were the
men Burns put his hand on me at the
social and I tod him to leave me alone.
He had insulted my friend Sarah last
week. Burns went off and a party of US
went out in the hallway and had some
drinks. Brooks came up and drank He
asked me If he could see me home, and
told him yes. Burns came around me
several times. Brooks put on his over
coat and moved his pisto, out of one over
coat pocket into the other. Ed Clements
and up and said he would go with us.
When we got outside. Brooks took
his pistol out again, and he had 1t In his
hand. He didn't put it back in his pocket
when ] was there. We walked on and
Burns was behind us. and l told Brooks
It looked like Burns was following us.
Brooks turned around and asked Burns
II was his woman, or If he knew any
thing about me. Brooks told him he bet
ter go on about his business then. He
cursed Brooks and made some remarks.
Brooks asked him II he wanted to have
fight about 1t. He told him II he did
10 come on and shout. Burns reached
back like he had pistol, and before he
could get his hand out OF his pocket.
Brooks had shot him. After he shot him
j ran across the street into Perry street
lane. When the other SHOES were fired
j was IN Perry street lane between Rar-