The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-20
: BULLET IN HIS HEAD
TRAGEDY FOLLOWED CRAP GAME
AT THE RACE TRACK.
KILLING WAS UNPRoVoKED.
NEGRO COOK "ED" SLAIN BY "JOE
THE FOUNDER"

Shooting Occurred Near the Stables
md Appears to Have Been With
out Causc-A Dozen Negro Race
Horse Followers Were in n Crap
Game when "a Dispute over 20
Cents started Between Ed and Joe.
Angry Words Followed by a
CIinch, and "Joe the ROunder" Put
NuzxIe of Pistol to Back of Eds
Head md Pulled Trigger-BuIIet
Crashed Through Brain and Death
Was InstantnneOus-Mur Es-
capped, Although Police Were
Prompt in Reaching Scene of the
Tragedy.
With no more provocation than that
he was loser in a crap game. a regro
race horse follower and bully, known
as "Joe the Rounder." shot and In
stantly killed a negro cook calico Ed
al the race track about II O'Clock last
night. The murderer made his es-
cape, and no trace of him had been
found up to an early hour this morn
ing.
The shooting occurred near the sta
bles on the eastern end of the Far
Grounds, and the murderer lost no
time in getting into Dale avenue and
out of the reach of the officers, who
appeared on the scene a short while
later. 1t appears that there were IN
the neighborhood of a dozen negroes
engaged in a crap game at nickel a
throw. Joe the Rounder, who had
i
by F. E. Wickersham, and Ed, en-
ployed as a cook in the stables of II.
N Reeves, were among those in the
crap game.
Over n Game of Crap.
While no one would admit having
been engaged in the gambling game.
it was stated that a dispute arose be-
tween the two negroes over a bet of
20 cents, won by Ed. Angry words
were followed by a clinch, and it is
alleged that while the men were scuf-
fling with the advantage in favor of
The Rounder he pulled his pistol and,
placing the muzzle against the back
OF Eds head, pulled the trigger.
According to those at the race track
i. was a cowardly and unprovoked
murder. The men employed around
the stables were very mucn exercised
over the tragedy. and s4arche0 the
grounds thoroughly for the murderer.
They were armed and declared to the
lCIice that # they had found the
cooks slayer there would have been
another killing.
Police Hurried to Scene.
One of the men at the track prompt
" reported the homicide at police
headquarters and Desk Sergeant
Henry Baughn got busy. The detec-
tives were aroused, several men in
uniform were gotten out and Supt.
Reilly was called. Detective Frank
Wall and a representative of the
Morning News were the first from the
city to reach the scene of the trouble,
but the murderer had already made
his escape.
Sergeant Baughn had superintendent
of Transportation Duffy of the Savan-
nah Electric Company put a special
car at the disposal of Supt. Reilly and
the second party. With Supt. Reilly
were Sheriff John Schwarz and Pa
trolmen burden and Halford. The trip
on the trolley car from police head
quarters to the Fair Grounds was
made in record breaking time, but the
officers were unable to accomplish
anything. The rapidity with which
Sergt. Baughn acted when the homi
eide was made known to him was ia
vorably commented upon at head
quarters.
A Desperate Negro.
Supt. Reilly has some hope of land
ing the murderer, but not in Savannah.
The police are confident that the ne
gro took to the rods Immediately af-
ter the cowardly shooting. AS Joe the
Rounder, the murderer is generally
known and he was considered a bully.
He had been engaged in several quar-
rels at the track and was looked upon
as a rather desperate character. The
other negro seemed to have been pop
ular with those around the stables and
had the murderer been caught last
night at the race track he would prob
ably have been severely handled.