The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-19
WAS POLICE PISTOL
THAT CAUSED HAGER RoBINsON's
DEATH.
JANSEN NEVE'S WEAPON
HE HAD 1T WHEN KILLED BY DES-
PERADO ABE SMALL.

OF ROBINSON W ny
Richards-The Negro Held for MUIR
der, and His Pal, John Taylor,
Charged with Being an Accessory
Before the Fnct-TaylOr Told an
Untrue story to the Jury-He Wit
messed the Homicide, and the
weapon Used Was His-Cut Piece
From BIOOd-Stained Shirt-Negro
women Heard Richards Beating
and Cursang His paramour Before
Shot Was Fired.
The killing Of Hager Robinson, coll
ored, in Liberty street lane, near East
Broad street, Tuesday night, an ac-
count of which was given in the Morn
ing News, was branded as murder by
the coroner's jury last night. Sher-
man Richards, who fired the fatal shot,
was held for that crime, and John
Taylor, his pal, who was in the room
when the homicide occurred, was
held as an accessory before the fact.
The pistol that killed the woman
and sent bullets spinning past Supt
Reilly and several members of the
force was carried by Mounted Patrol
man Jansen Neve, when he was shot
to death by Abe Small, the negro des-
perado, south of the city several years
ago. The revolver is a Smith & Yves
son, A caliber, and it was noticed yes
terday morning that it was an old po-
lice weapon. An examination of the
number showed that it was last car
ried by Mounted Patrolman Eivers
a. fHaA
Neve used in trying to shoot Small.
The pistol was sold several years ago
with a number of others that were not
considered in just the proper condition
for use by the mounted men. The
weapon is now owned by the negro
Taylor, who claims that he purchased
1t at Denmark, S. c., from a cook on
the Seaboard Air Line. In his testi-
mony before the jury Taylor admitted
that he owned the revolver that had
done the bloody work, but claimed that
he did not know how his friend got the
weapon. Taylor's story in no manner
agreed with the accounts given by other
witnesses and the jury considered him
equally as guilty as the man who fired
the shot.
The testimony of the witnesses made
out a case of cold blooded murder,
without a single redeeming feature
One of the witnesses heard Richards
say that if he found that Hager want
ed to take up with some other man he
would put her and himself where no
one would ever be able to reach them.
The thought in his mind at that time
was probably murder and suicide. If
such was the case, he lost his nerve
as he did after his arrest.
Taylor was the first witness before
the jury, and claimed to have seen very
little, although he admitted that he was
in the room when the woman was
killed. Taylor stated that he was sit
ting in the room, with two of the
Robinson womans children, when Ha-
ger and Richards entered. He told of
their leaving the room together for a
few minutes on two occasions. Taylor
swore positively that Richards did not
stike or curse the woman, and that
they appeared to be quite friendly. Ac-
cording to the witness, he was sitting
by the window in a rocking chair, ea.-
ing a pear, when the fatal shot was
fired.
Hager was standing behind him, ami
was leaning on the back of the chair
with her hands on his back. Ricnal DIS
was sitting on the bed where he had
been for several minutes, and the bull
let went over Taylor's shout Ter and
struck the woman, according to his AZ
count of the ira gedy. He declared that
he did not see the shot fired, and that
Richards had 1T said a word before
the weapon exploded. The negro could
not account for the woman's lacerated
fingers and said that she must have
fallen down. The theory of the police
is that he was struck across theEi bv
Richards with the revolver.
Taylor stated that the women fell
upon his shoulder and that her blood
made large stain on his shirt. When
arrested yesterday morning by PATROL
man Jernigan, a large piece had been
cut from the negro's shirt, and he ad-
mitted that it was the piece that had
absorbed some of the woman's blood.
Taylor swore that he never saw Rich
ards with the revolver until after the
shot was fired. and did not understand
how he had obtained the weapon. The
witness said that when he came to the
city Monday he gave the pistol to
Hager to lock up for him.
Hattie Owens and Ida Foster were in
an adjoining room, and told the same
story of an unprovoked killing. The
Givens woman was talking to Hager
downstairs in the house when Taylor
entered and went upstairs. He was
followed by Richards. Richards went
downstairs a few minutes later and
ordered his paramour to her room. He
said that he was sleepy. and Hager
answered that she didn't have his
eyes. The Givens woman followed the
pair upstairs and went in the next
room occupied by Ida Foster.
The women heard Richards cursine
Hagar, and a few minutes later she
went in the room occupied by them
for the purpose of getting a package.
While she was looking for the parcel,
Richards cursed her. She started down
stairs for the bundle, but was order
ed back to her room by Richards. The
women heard Richards strike her sew
eral times, and heard Hager say that
he was hurting her. A moment later
they heard the shot fired. Taylor was
in the room at the time and necessa-
rily witnessed the assault, as we'll as
the shooting.
The witnesses swore that as soon as
the shot was fired Richards rushed out
of the house, and that Hager ran into
their room, bleeding from an ugly
wound in her right breast. She said,
MY God, Sherman has shot me and
I'm going to die" According to the
women, Hager ran down stairs, follow
ed by Taylor, who was putting on his
coat. Richards went through the rear
of the house and Taylor through the
front. The wounded woman ran down
the lane to East Broad street, scream