The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-13
SLAIN IN THE DARK
WILLIAM BAKERS JUGULAR VEIN
SEVERED WITH KNIFE.
WILLIAM BUTLER HIS SLAYER.
NEGRO FROLIC AT SUNNY SIDE
ENDED IN A TRAGEDY.

Dance and Hot supper Was in Pro-
gress When the Light Was Blown
Outright in the Dark Followed
and william lizard Was Stabbed
in Several PIaces-ButIer Claims
the Work Was Done by Baker and
That He Disarmed Him and Adj
ministered the Fatal Stab--ButIer,
His Brother and lizard Arrested.
lizard Claims That He Does Not
Know Who Stabbed Him-POIice
Found 1t Difficult to Secure In
formation.
William Baker, alias Rad" was
stabbed to death in a general fight at
negro frolic at Sunny Side early yes
terday morning. William Butler was
arrested for the murder and admits
having used the knife that killed
Baker.
The police found it difficult to gather
particulars of the homicide and besides
the man who inflicted the fatal wound,
his brother Gabriel and another negro
named William lizard were placed un-
der arrest by Detectives Stark and
Murphy and Patrolman Fogarty. Il
zard was in the track of the fight and
was badly cut on the right arm and
in the back. He claims not to know
who cut him or anything about the
fight, insisting that the room was in
total darkness during the conflict.
4aII-
Sunny Side is the name of a negro
settlement where the government
hospital buildings were. The houses
were converted into dwellings, and the
| place laid off into streets. The tragedy
| took place at No. II G street, corner OF
Main, and the occasion was a ''hot
supper" and dance. All of the resi-
dents Of Sunny side attended the fes-
| tivities ana several negroes from the
| city went out. The Butler brothers,
lizard and Baker were among the
number. No one could be found who
would admit knowing how the row
| started. All of the witnesses, how
ever. agree that the real trouble start
ed when some one blew out the light
| and left the room in darkness.
Butler claims that he was drinking
cup of coffee in an adjoining room,
when he heard a disturbance and
| started for the door, which he found
to be locked. According to his story
the lamp was blown out about this time
and he went through an open window
| Butler says that he found his sister on
| the outside and that when she told
| him that she had left her cape in the
room he went back. All of this he says
occupied little over a minute. and when
he got on the inside again the lamp
had been lighted and he saw lizard
and Baker clinched on the floor.
The confessed slayer of Baker alleges
| that the man known as Rad was cut
ting lizard and that he struck the
man who had the knife with a chair
Butler says that the blow from the
! chair caused Baker to drop the knife,
and that he picked it up and stabbed
Baker in the right shoulder. He left
| the settlement Immediately, and did rot
know of the death of the man until
| he had been a prisoner at the police
station house for some time. Gabriel
Butler claims that he was not on the
| inside at the time of the trouble and
that he knows nothing about it.
! lizard said the hot supper" per-
formance had been going on quietly
enough for several hours, ana that no
trouble of any sort occurred until the
| light was blown out. AS soon as the
room was in darkness some one
! grabbed him and went to work with a
knife. lizard claims that he fell to the
| floor and that he could not tell who
was cutting him or what was happen
! ing because of the utter darkness. He
! does not know whether he was cut hY
Baker or how that individual received
his wounds. lizard made his escape as
soon as the lamp was lighted.
| The wounded negro was taken from
! the scene of the cutting to the house
| at No. 15 K street, and was dead be-
fore he could be put in bed. His jugu-
| lar vein had been severed and he bled
| to death before anything could be done
| for him and without making state
ment. There was also wound over the
| left eye and the skull was fractured
! by the blow, probably delivered with
| a chair. AS soon as the homicide was
reported at police headquarters. the
! city detectives and several patrolmen
were put to work. County Detective
! Charlton also visited the scene of the
killing, and much trouble was exper-
| fenced in learning who had done the
cutting.
When placed under arrest Butler was
| under the impression that Baker had
only been slightly cut and was not told
differently by the detectives until he
had voluntarily made a full statement
| about the ARRAY. Butler seemed
! greatly surprised at the result of the
row, and appeared to be sorry that he
| had made a full confession so early in
the game. He seemed to think that he
had done the proper thing in cutting
Baker, and said that he did it to save
his friend lizard. The knife used by
Butler has not been positively identi-
fled as having belonged to Baker and
| is In the possession of the police.
Coroner Keller viewed the remains
during the morning and gave permis-
sion for their burial. An effort will be
made during the morning to find other
witnesses to the homicide and an in
| quest will be held at police headquar-
ters this evening. The negro Butler is
well known to the police and enjoys a
reputation that may be of some aid
to him in his present trouble.