The Savannah morning news., 1902-11-08
DEEPER IN THE MIRE
OFFICERS SINK IN INVESTIGATION
OF BOURQUIN MURDER.
POTTER MAKES STATEMENT.
TALKED FREELY WITH SOLICITOR
ABOUT HIS WHEREABOUTS SUNDAY

Admitting That He Had Made
Threats Against BOurquin and
That the Man Was His Enemy. lie
Told of His Actions on the Day OF
the Murder-Went TO Court House
with His Son and saw Miller nj
Police Station, But Was Not De-
Tnined-Babe kersey Made a Clear
Statement and Told of Passing the
Dead Man in His Buggy - Both
Statements Satisfactory to the Of
hcers-MiIIer May Yet Prove an
Important Factor in the Case.
Submitting himself to a thorough
cross-examination by Solicitor General
Osborne, and answering frankly every
question that was put TO him. ". j.
Potter yesterday morning cleared his
skirts of any suspicion that may have
rested upon him in connection with the
killing of Gugie Bourquin and Fred
TAYLOR on the Dean Forest road sun
day. His son, Swayne Potter, was
with him before Mr.. Osborne and talk
ed as freely as his father about their
whereabouts on the day of the trag-
edy.
Potter admitted that he had made
threats against Bourquin, he recalled
the threats, remembered that some
years ago when Bourquin killed Willie
Farrel, a friend of the man who had
been suspected by some, he appeared
as leading witness against Farrers
slayer, had not forgotten that Bour-
quin prosecuted him in the state court
for shooting on Sunday but declared
before his God that he knows nothing
of the homicide of Sunday. Potter
proved a complete alibi and his man.
ner made a favorable impression upon
the officers who heard him. He was
taken to the police station house before
Joe Miller who had claimed 20 have
committed the crime, but was not de-
tanned. Miller said he never saw the
white man before.
Potter Admits Animus.
IF I had seen a man kill Bourquin l
would not have disclosed his identity,
and if they catch the right man l am
ready to give $40 to help hire a lawyer
TO defend him. Yet / did not kill him,
know nothing about the shooting, and
can prove it,
ms statement 1OtIeT Hldue TO IIle
officers at the Court House in the
morning and again repeated to rep
resentative of the Morning News. 1t
was considered a strong point in his
favor. in that it showed he was lot
trying to hide his real feelings. After
convincing the officers that he knows
nothing about the Bourquin Taylor
tragedy Potter repeated his story 20 a
represent tive of the Morning News
and submitted himself to a cross ex-
animation again He declared hat II
was only by the sr2ce OF God That he
" as not at the $50 Of thu shooting
Sur day and taat he had planned to
50 hunting.
Whore Potter Was.
Potter is a carpenter and Is employed
by T. c. Dixon. Saturday night, ac-
cording to his statement, Mr.. Dixon
expressed a desire TO have Potter take
him and a friend hunting Sunday
They were to meet at $50 o'clock in
the morning at Potter's home, No. COO
Stewart street. Potter and his son
got out the dogs and were ready at
the appointed hour, but the other two
men did not put in an appearance. At
$50 o'clock Potter says he suggested
to his son that they take the dogs
out for run anyway, and they left
AAlCli ltOillt vi DitN Clt'S. 1neN went 10
the Bedford place, five and one-half
miles on the Louisville road.
Potter SAYS that they spent quite
While al the Bedford home, talking
with members of the family, and that
at 10 o'clock his son returned to the
city with the Oldest of the four dogs
The other dogs, Potter says, he took a
short distance away and they chased
fox. At no time was he nearer than
mil 10 nd ha1 nF h.
Bourquin and the negro were killed.
He returned to the city a short While
later on his bicycle and was in his
house at noon. The trip back, he says,
he made in slow time, because the
dogs were tired and found difficulty in
keeping up with him. 1t was the first
Sunday since the end of the close
season for shooting birds. and Pot
ter says he passed many hunters and
dogs on the road going out and COM
ing back
Kersey Preached sunday
During the morning Babe Kersey.
who was never suspected of having
taken the life of either Bourquin or
the negro, of his own accord. called
upon the solicitor general. 1t had been
thought that he might have been able
TO throw some light on the homicide.
and the officers had been looking for
him. Kersey learned of this and of
his own Volition came to the city and
made a statement that satisfied the
officers in every respect
Kersey passed near the spot where
Bourquin and the negro were killed
and noticed the buggy. He did nor
however. at that time know that a
crime had been committed. He was
rldlng TO church to preach and must
nave passed the scene of the homicide
about half an hour after the fatal shots
We're fired. He stated that he noticed
the buggy near the embankment and
recalled having seen the feet of a man
protruding from the body of the vehi-
Gle.
Saw BOurquin's Body
He said that he was at first tempted
to go over and make an Investigation
thinking that train might mass
brighten the mule, and cause ii to
jump over the embankment with the
man. Kersey figured it out that there
was hunting party some where in the
WOODS and that the negro who had
been left to watch the buggy had fall
en- asleep. He went on to church and
preached a sermon without dreaming
OF the tragedy. Kersey could have had
no reason for wishing the death of
bourquln, and at no time was he sus-
pected of guilt.
Ihere We're 1--WE persons WHO the Off
GERS were anxious to interrogate and
II was determined to have them go TO
tne Court House and talk with the So
hcltor general. Fearing that some Of
lhem might refuse to make the trim
aiu SO as guard against any contin-
sehcy' on thursday morning the Off
GERS had Guillian Bourquin, the dead