The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-30
HAD LIVELY CHASE
POLICE SPENT HALF THE NIGHT
LOOKING FOR A NEGRO.
HE WAS CHARLEY WHITFIELD,
WHO FIRED THREE SHOTS THAT
STRUCK HIS WIFE.

Whitfield One of the Walters at the
Casino, Ran for Liberty After
ShoOtimg-The search Carried on
for -Four Hours by Superintendent
of Police and the Detectives aud
a Negro Spotter Was Seen in
ThunderbOlt and Was Aided by n
Friend to Escape-The Third Time
He Tried to Kill the Woman.
The police had the liveliest kind of
a time last night looking for Charlie
Whitfield, a negro who shot his wife
at her home. No. 500 Bolton street, east,
about $50 o'clock.
Standing only a few feet away from
her, he emptied his pistol. three shots
taking effect. Immediately he ran, and
at o'clock this morning was still at
liberty. The alarm was sent to police
headquarters by a citizen, and in a few
minutes Detective Stark was on the
scene accompanied by the telephone
officer. Detective Murphy arrived a
few moments afterward and the chase
hogan.
The information was that the negro
had run in the direction of the railroad
tracks east Of the house and, reaching
them, had disappeared. The officers
searched the power house and car shed
nearby, and though the fugitive had
been seen in the rear. he was not
caught. Next word was brought
that he had a paramour on Vine street,
and two of the officers accompanied
by the superintendent, who had arrived
upon the scene himself, went to the
house There was evidence that the
man had been there. His coat and
vest were found hanging on the door,
but there was not soul in the house.
The woman and all anticipating the
visit of the police, had gone.
Several officers were left around to
search, aided by a colored man, who
knew Whitefeld we'll. and the chief
and the others went back to the bar
racks Hardly had they arrived when
word was received from Mayor Nelson
of Thurderbolt that the wanted man
had been seen in that vicinity. He said
he would have posse and would meet
a force from the city to search the
grounds and the adjacent marshes.
Supt Reilly, accompanied by the
detectives and two newspaper repor-
ters, boarded the cars and went out to
the Casino. In the meantime it deVel-
oped that Whitfield had attempted to
reach Thunderbolt on car COS. The
conductor, having heard of the
shooting, was tipped off by a
coiored man who knew the fugitive.
Ee had gone up to tell the motorman
and to get him to aid in the capture,
and Whitfield, taking alarm from his
actions, had jumped from the car near
the rifle range. Later he had been seen
at Thunderbolt Mayor Nelson was sit
ting in the rear of the Casino and had
seen him come running past. The
Mayor called to him to stop, not know
ing what was the matter, but the man
kept on in the direction of the bath
house. When the force from the city
arrived, there was a long consultation
while the colored man brought along
for the purpose of identification was
dispatched in the direction of the bath
house. He returned without finding
any trace of Whitfield.
The party, reinforced by Thunder
bolt Officers Clark and Crawford, di-
vided, and going in opposite directions
searched the entire place There was
every evidence that Whitfield had been
which had been left open, it is sup
posed, by one of the servants around
the place who was a friend to the
man. 1t was midnight before the hunt
was abandoned in that direction
though the officers have set their nets
and have every reason to believe he
viii be apprehended in a short while
The woman shot, Sophie Styles, was
hit by three of the bullets, one pene-
trating her left arm above the elbow
the second breaking the bone
in the left leg above thy
knee, and the third hitting her il
the side. It is not thought that the
wounds will prove fatal She refused
TO be taken to the hospital, and wa.
attended by a physician at the house
where the shooting occurred Hel
story of the affair is that she wa.
called to the door by Whitfield, who
claimed that she had some clothes O
his. An alteration followed. and sht
threatened to go TO the corner for hel
brother, and then Whitfield opened
fire. She fell on the porch outside o.
the house, and her assailant ran off.
Whitfield. who is a waiter at IN,
Casino, bore good reputation, ant
never had any trouble. IL is said, unit
ne married the Styles woman. No
long ago he cut her severely with
knife and several months ago was pre-
vented from cutting her throat witt
razor By officer Clark Of Thunder
bolt Finally they agreed 20 separate
-=s-~e-~-