The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-15
MAY Be TRUE BILLS
GRAND JURY TO INVESTIGATE
EXPERIMENTATION MURDER.
FIFTY-FIVE WITNESSES ARE
SUMMONED TO GIVE TESTIMONY
TODAY.

w. J. Potter and His Son VIII APP
pear-When the killing Occurred
Potter Was Suspected and War
rants Charging Murder Were
Sworn out Against Him and His
Son, swayne-POtter Made n State
ment to Solicitor General Osborne
Then and Talked TO the Morning
News-Admitted That He DisliI<ed
Bourquin and said If He Had Seen
Shooting He Would Not Have Told
Who Did It-WOuId Even Give
Money Towards Defending the
Guilty Person.
The session of the grand jury this
morning, when the assassination Of
Gugie Bourquin and Fred Taylor, his
aged negro servant, will be under in
vestigation, win be lengthy one if
it is found necessary to hear all of the
witnesses that have been subpoenaed.
In all fifty-five people will answer
the subpoenas of the court and 1t is
not believed that so many witnesses
can be Intercepted at one session. 1t
is known, however, that the officers
figure on finishing up the investiga-
1ion during the morning. 1t may re-
quire more witnesses to convince the
grand jury of the guilt of any per-
son who may be under suspicion
than are necessary in convincing the
county officers.
1t is not thought that more than one
half of those witnesses under subpoena
will be Intercepted. The probability
of the grand jury returning one of two
indictments cannot, of course, be
known until the various witnesses
have told what they know in connec-
ton with the murder. Whether the
evidence that has been secured will
be strong enough to warrant indict-
ments is a question for the determine
ton of the grand jury and what may
be considered by the officers who have
worked on the case to be positive evil
dence of guilt may not be consid-
cred in the same light by the grand
jury.
Potter and His Son Summoned.
Among those who are under sub
pcena to appear at the Court House
and give testimony, are w. j. Potter
and his son, Swayne Warrants charg-
ing them with the murder of Bourquin
and the negro were sworn out in JUS
tice Naughtin's court several days af-
ter the homicide had been committed.
but they were never regularly execut-
ed. 1t was said at that time that Pot
ter had made certain threats against
Bourquin and he was strongly suspect
ed. He made a statement to the solic-
itor general and was never placed be-
hind the bars. At the same time Pot
ter made a statement to a represent
tive of the Morning News.
The man who was then suspected
frankly admitted that he had no use
for Bourquin and voluntarily stated
that If he had seen Bourquin killed he
would not tell who did it. He stated
further that If the guilty person
CHANGED to be arrested he would give
$40 to help employ counsel to defend
him. Potter told the Morning News
representative that it was also true
that he had been within about a mile
of the spot where Bourquin and the
negro are supposed to have been slain.
He went with his son to the Bedford
place on the Louisville road, and later
chased a fox with his dogs. All of
these things Potter told without hest
tation. He related that his son return
ed to the city in advance of him, and
that he got back home at noon.
Potter Not Surprised.
Potter said he was not greatly sur
prised when he was suspected of the
killing because he had never made a
secret of his feeling for Bourquin. He
said that Bourquin had prosecuted
him in the courts for trespass, and
had shot his dogs. Potter further said
that he was the main witness against
Bourquin when Farrell was killed by
him.
The outcome of the investigation by
the grand jury is awaited with inter
est by those who have followed the
case closely, and many predictions have
been hazarded. The officers will be in
a position to make the necessary ar
rests in the event that indictments are
secured, and it will all depend upon the
grand jury as to whether the case will
continue before the public gaze, or like
other homicides be forgotten.