The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-28
THE BLACK "WILD BILL"
Loved to See Blood TrickIe and to
Pick His Guitar.

Pick His Guitar.
Charleston, S. c., Aug. 27.-The kill
ing of "Wild Bill" the desperate, 9TH
erwise known as William Johnson, the
hghwayman and murderer, has caused
the greatest feeling of satisfaction to
prevail in the mining section above the
city, Nhere the negro held high carni-
val of crime. When he toppled over
from his hiding place on the rafters of
his cabin, with a rifle ball in his brain,
there was no one to shed a tear of re-
greet, for the community had reason to
| rejoice because he was dead. For
weeks a posse had been tracking him
through the swamps and the wild
| country, but nimble and fleet of foot
he cut through the briers and the I'M
derbrush and escaped. Finally, when
| cornered, he slipped into his little cabin,
| where he had spent days and nights
| scheming and planning the daring
| deeds which made his name notorious
| throughout the country. The posse
moved up close to the cabin and called
on Johnson to surrender. He answer
ed with rife ball, which went whist
ling by the officers and lodged in the
trunk of an oak tree under which the
men were standing. The shot was re-
| turned, and for a few moments the lead
| poured through the cracks in the hut,
making it hot and dangerous for the
| desperate who was fighting like
panther at bay.
In a little while, however it got too
warm for the wild man, and he climbed
| to the rafters where there was less
/ danger from the bullets. But even there
| he was not secure, for a Winchester
rifle ball cut through the dry wood and
| ploughed deep into his head He fell
| from his high perch and was cropping
| in a pool of blood when the officers
pushed open the door, which had been
| barricaded and chained.
Johnson died as he had wished. If
dey git me-" he said to one of his
black companions. "deyll have to cut
| me down wild desc boots on my feet.
| Dis niger don't die in no soft bed"
The desperado's death was a fitting
end for his life~of crimes He had robbed
! others of life, and he had shot down
| helpless and innocent men simply for
| the joy 1t gave him to see them in the
| agony of death, and his pistols and
| his rifles seldom barked without call
| ing a moan from a victim. A smile OF
| supreme happiness spread over his
| ginger colored face when he could
| stand by one of his victims and watch
| him die. When the last shudder, the
L
| come, told the murderer that the work
| was complete, he would turn on his
| heels and move slowly to the swamps
| and no one dared to follow The phos-
| phate negroes feared him, but they
| were not brave enough to plan for his
| death, because they realized the con-
| sequences If the attempt should fail.
johnson was hiding from the officers
| who were tracking him for the murder
| of William Burns. There We're other
crimes marked in the register against
| him, but he was wanted on the specific
charge of murder. Burns was killed
| near the Bolton mines while he was
leaving a friends house after sere-
| made. 1t was dark, and Burns walked
behind a man who stumbled rs that
| you, Johnny Walker?" asked Burns,
and before another word was passed
| Wild Bill wheeled and fired, the ball
striking Burns just below the heart and
cutting toward that vital organ. The
other negroes knew that IL was a de-
liberate murder, a murder for which
there had not been the least cause or
provocation, but they were not willing
to raise the point with Johnson. He
was armed. as was his habit. and they
thought more of their personal safety
than the vengeance for crime.
Johnson escaped after this killing,
but he appeared at the edge of the
swamp a short time later, and got in
more troubles before going back to his
retreat. He sat down to a game of
Skin" and there was enough liquor in
him to make him wild and dangerous.
IF my card is turned" he said, II will
kill you," and he looked at Tom Smith,
one of the players. Smith shuddered.
The card was turned, and, true TO his
word. Johnson whipped out a revolver,
stuck IL close to Smith and fired. The
ball entered the mans neck, and the
blood trickled out in a little stream
The sight of the red blood, which was
changing the color of the sand, seemed
to fire the Negroes heart, and he Jump
ed quickly to his feet. In another
pocket he had a second revolver, and
this came out like a flash. with both
weapons pointed he called on the play
ers to drop their cash into his hat,
and his fingers toyed with the triggers
as the players hesitated. One negro
showed a sign of resistance. and a bull
let whistled so close to his ear that
he showed his money into the hat. and
was glad of the chance to do II. The
other players contributed freely, and
then Johnson put the money in his
pocket.
Don't you niggers follow me-" he
said, as he backed away. Desc guns
can hit far an If you follow, people
will be walkin' slow behind some OF
you in de morning."
The players did not go after the
money. You niggers oughtn't play wild
dat wild Niger" said Smith, who was
wounded, FER eff he can't win de money
he'll steal it," and that seemed TO be
| the way he got his living.
, When he was not shooting craps
} or shooting at negro players, johnson
! gave his time to his old guitar, which
he picked in the day and in the night
) and from which a sweet melody came
/, floating through the swamps This in.
strument was his dearest friend. There
1 was no man In the phosphate country
who was brave enough to say that the