The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-30
L0CKJAW KILLED HIM
HENRY FOREMAN, COLoRED, DIED
FROM KNIFE WOUND.
STABBED TWO WEEKS AGO
ALECk BOWEN, HIS AssAILANT
MADE HIS ESCAPE.

Trouble Occurred i'm Restaurant of
BOwen's Uncle on River Street and
Coffee AIIey-Was Kept From the
Police Until Half an Hour Before
Foreman Died-According to Wit
Desses the Assault WINS COwardIy
and UnprOvOked-A Week After
the Cutting a Physician Was EN-
pIOyed by the Restaurant PrOprie-
tOr-Tetanus Set in n Day or Two
Later.
| AS a result of a stab received two
weeks ago Henry Foreman, colored,
died at an early hour yesterday morn
ing from lockjaw. The wound was ad-
ministered by Aleck Bowen, also col
ored, who made his escape and who
has thus far eluded the vigilance of
the officers.
The stabbing took place in the res
taurant of Bowen's uncle, Nos. 617, 619
and 621 River street, west, on the cor
ner of Coffee alley. The place is by far
the largest restaurant for colored peo-
pie in the city, and Foreman was
boarder. He was employed as laborer
on the wharves, where the restaurant
man is a foreman. Witnesses found by
the coroner say that the assault was
unprovoked and that Foreman was sit
ting down when he was CO...
1t appears that the man was eating
his supper and that the restaurant was
crowded with negroes. There was not
a vacant chair when Bowen entered for
the purpose of getting his supper. He
did not appear to be in very pleas
ant frame of mind and with scowl
on his face looked around for seat.
He looked hard at Foreman, who was
eating his supper, and who paid no
attention to Bowen.
The man said that he proposed to
get seat and expressed desire to
have Foreman get up for him. The man
who was eating showed no disposition
to please Bowen, who then made a for
NAL demand that Foreman surrender
his chair. Foreman stated that he
would do nothing of the sort and that
he intended to take his time about fin
ishing his meal which he was paying
for Bowen again demanded the chair
and when refused the second time lost
his temper and plunged his knife into
Foreman's left arm, near the shoulder.
He rushed out of the place immedi-
ately.
The wound in itself was not serious
and Foreman took no care Of himself.
He entered no complaint against his
asSailant with the police, and the Off
GERS knew nothing of the trouble until
half an hour before Foreman died.
Several days after the cutting the
wound began to give Foreman consid-
nro frnt Il
the restaurant called in DIR. George w
Heriot. The wound had been neglected
and the Negroes condition was serious
at that time. Several days ago tetanus
set in and death followed early YES
terday morning. /.
Bowen's uncle agreed to pay for the
services of the physician with the I'M
derstanding that Foreman would not
prosecute his assailant. Papers were
drawn up, but whether they were ever
signed by the wounded negro is not
known. The assault, however, was
Kept quiet at the expressed wish of
somebody and was reported to the DO
lice only after Foreman had lost con-
seriousness, and his slayer had managed
to get out of the way. The wounded
negro had been kept at the restaurant,
and it was there that he died.
AS soon as the matter was reported
at police headquarters, Detective Wall
was gotten up but Foreman died be-
fore the officer reached the restaurant
1t was learned that the man who did
the cutting had been with relatives
several miles west of the city Saturday
afternoon, after it had been made
known that Foreman could not recover
from the lockjaw. Detective Wall and
Chief Deputy Sheriff Sweeney went at
once to the place, but were unable to
locate Bowen Coroner Keller was also
notified and made an investigation. 1t
was decided to hold an inquest, but no
time has yet been set for the formal
investigation of the trouble that re-
suited fatally. Foreman was native
of Beaufort, S. c., but has relatives in
this city. He was % years of age, and
his slayer is about the same age.