The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-04
KILLED IN A FIELD
NEGRO THIEF STEALING CABBAGEs
WHEN SHOT DOWN.
BUCKSHoT RIDDLE0 HIM.
WILLIAM SCOTT SLAIN ny FRANK
HELMLY ON HERMITAGE FARM.

HeImIy Was watching the Field
when scott Advanced - Planter
Fired shotgun while sitting on
Ground-NegrO's Breast Was Per-
forntcd by the ShOt-BOdy Remain
ed in Cabbage Bed Until Morning
when Coroner Keller Was Notified
of TrnGedy-CorOner's Jury Said
Homicide Was JustihabIe-Second
Negro Killed in NeiRhbOrhOOd OF
Hermitage I'm Two Years.
william Scott a negro, 60 years old, was
shot and instantly killed night before last
by Frank NJ. Helmly, at Daniel w Zip
perer's Hermitage truck farm. Scott was
stealing cabbages, when a load of buck
shot was sent crashing into his breast,
and he was perforated with lead. Helmly
reported the tragedy to Mr.. Zipperer. and
1t was decided not to notify the coroner
until morning. AS soon as the matter
was reported in the city Coorner Keller
went TO the scene, and an inquest was
held at Mr. Zipperer's house yesterday
morning Mr.. Helmly was the only wit
ness before the jury and a verdict OF
Unsuitable homicide was returned.
Mr.. Zipperer said that for several weeks
his cabbage field had been visited by ne
croes and many of the cabbages were
stolen. The other truck farmers in the
vicinity of the Hermitage site also suf-
fered, and the farmers lost much sleep in
watching for the thieves Every Night
when his hands stopped work Mr.. ZIP
perer permitted them to go in the field
and take home cabbage apiece. His
purpose in doing this was to give them
no reason for stealing. Scott had been
working on the Hermitage farm on and
off for several years but had not been
employed in three weeks. He was sus-
pected of being the thief who was visiting
the fields and it was known that he
had taken bags of something to the city
on the mornings after the fields had been
robbed,
1t was up to" Helmly to watch Sat
urday night and, armed with double
barrel shotgun, he took a stand on the
edge of the cabbage field near an old ne
gro cemetery The farmer selected this
spot so the lights in the city We're in
fun view and he could see any one who
passed between them and where he had
stationed himself. He kept his gaze on
the field of greens and had no thought
OF the woods in the rear or the rows of
cabbage on his right and left
In his statement to the coroners jury,
Helmly said he was sitting on the
ground looking across the field when he
heard a noise to his left. He had been
at his stand for an hour and was rather
h.
caused the noise. The cemetery in his
rear did not cause him to shudder, but
when he saw a negro about twenty-five
yards away, and coming in his direction
he cooked his gun and was prepared for
business. The negro had bag full of
cabbages and another he had not yet
filed. Hlemly told the jury that he called
upon the man to halt, but that ne con-
tinued in his direction. The watcher pull
ed the trigger and the entire load of
shot entered the negros breast. Scott had
his hand in his trousers pocket, but turn
ed and fell on his face. Helmly saw that
the man was dead and then went to Mr..
Zipperer's house. He had been aroused
by the shooting and advised Mr.. Helmly
10 go to sleep and said that he would
notify the coroner in the morning.
Coroner Keller found SCOTS body
where it had fallen and it was cold and
stark. The negro's right hand was in
his front trousers pocket, which con-
tanned a closed pocket knife. The cab
bages had bene cut with this and it had
been replaced in the pocket. 1t may
have been SCOTS intention to use his
knife on Helmly, or he may have
believed that the command TO halt was
from his rear. His face was buried in
the dirt and his head rested between two
large cabbages. An empty bag was I'M
der him, and the one filled with the veg
etables that cost the negro his life was
al his side.
The killing of Scott was not known by
the negroes in the vicinity of the Hermit
age farm until after the arrival of the
coroner, and hundreds gathered in the
field. During the morning It was feared
that there might be some trouble, and
those attracted by the body were kept on
the move by the planters. A negro was
killed two years ago in the cabbage field
of Mr.. NJ. l.. EXley, near the Hermitage
farm, and for long time the planters
were not troubled with this class of
thieving. 1t was never discovered who
killed the negro on that occasion, and
the coroner's jury investigating the homi-
eide so reported at the time. The killing
of Scott will probably put an end to cab
bage stealing, for time, at least.