The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-20
SLAIN WITH A KNIFE
JOHN SCOTT KILLED BY HIS SON.
IN-LAW, WM. JOHNSON.
LITERALLY CUT TO PIECES.
KILLED AFTER CURsING his WIFE
AND DAUGHTER.

johnson Made His Escape-JOhnson
Is Said to Have knocked His
Fathcr-in-Iaw Down with "A Rock
Before Using His WeapOn-Scott
Was Drunk and 1t Appears Start
ed the TroubIe-Tragedy Occurred
in RobertsviIIe-Had Not Been Liv-
ing with His Wife and Went TO
JOhnsOn's House TO Express Him.
self in PrOfanity-FinGer and
Thumb Cut on and other Serious
wounds Madeline Fatal One WAS
stab Just Above the Heart-Cor-
Oner VIII Hold an Inquest To-
night.
While in drunken condition and after
having cursed his wife and daughter in
a shameful manner, John II. Scott was
literally cut to pieces by William w.
johnson, his son-in-law, shortly before
O'Clock yesterday afternoon. The cutting
took place at Sims and Wilson streets,
end was witnessed by a large number of
people. johnson made his escape, and is
supposed to have left the city on pas
senger train over the Seaboard Air Line.
Scott did not die until o'clock last night,
but did not regain consciousness and
made no statement.
Scott and his wife did not live together
because, it is said, of the husbands pro-
clivity for strong drink. Mrs. Scott lived
with her daughter and son-in-law at No.
433 Wilson street. Scott lived only a
short distance away at No. 443 Wilson
street 1t is said that he was mean and
surly when under the influence of liquor
and he did not enjoy very enviable rep
utation. The police say that he was quar-
relsome, and that his profane tongue got
him into more than one row.
1t appears to be undisputed that Scott
was drunk yesterday when he went to the
house of his son-in-law and cursed Mrs.
Scott and Mrs. johnson. The women
were not alone and Johnson became en-
gagged in the row when he took the part
of his wife and mother-in-law and remon-
strated with Scott for the strong language
that he was using. The women say that
the two men became engaged in wordy
alteration which led up to a fisticuff
fight. Scott was much the larger man,
and according to one set of witnesses was
getting the best of the tussle when john
son pulled his pocket knife and began
using 1t freely.
There are some witnesses who say,
however. that the accident did not hap
pen just in that manner. They aver that
Scott was drunk and had cursed the wo-
men. but that johnson was never assault
ed by his father-in-law. These people say
that the young man became angry at the
language used by Scott and hurled a
brick at him when he started down the
street. The first rock missed the marx,
but a second one went true and knocked
the intoxicated man down
1t is charged that when Scott fell to the
ground johnson ran up and began using
his knife with force and rapidity. He cut
and stabbed until the weapon was taken
from him by a bystander. After johnson
had realized what had been done he left
in the direction of the Seaboard Air Line
shops, where he was employed, and is be-
lived TO have taken train that left a few
minutes later. The bloody knife was
turned over to Patrolman Frank Smith,
and is held at police headquarters.
over half an hour later the police
learned of what had happened from a call
at headquarters for the ambulance to re-
move the wounded man TO his home Su-
perintendent Reilly hurried Detectives
Murphy and Wall to the scene of the hom-
icide, and the officers followed the man
had been seen a few minutes before the
train left, and the officers returned to the
city confident that he had already left the
city by rail.
DIR. r. q. Norton was summoned to at
tend the wounded man and announced
after a hurried examination that Scott
could not recover. He had already al
most bled to death, and had lost con-
scouspess. The dangerous and fatal
wound was a stab just above the heart.
The second finger of the right hand was
completely cut off, as was the thumb of
the same hand. The right wrist and ell
bow were cut to the bone and there
was a deep and ugly cash across the
left breast. Several arteries were cut
i'm two. The wounds were bandaged, al
though the physician realized that his
SCOTS death was reported to Coroner
Keller who made hurried investigation
in which the above facts were elected
from witnesses to the homicide. An in
quest will be held tonight at the ooro-
ner's office and half dozen or more wit
nesses will be examined. Both Mrs. Scott
and Mrs. Johnson will appear before the
jury.
Scott was As years of age and a native
OF North Carolina He was a railroad
fireman and was well known on the West
side. His chief fault appears to have
been his Unsuitable desire for strong drink
johnson is a young man and has been
employed as a cor inspector at the Sea-
board Air Line shops. He worked at
night and was seldom seen on the streets
in Robertsvlle. Scott will be buried to-
day in Laurel Grove Cemetery.
MRS. ELLEN r. PRICE DEAD.