The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-02
TO OFFER REWARDS
FOR THE CAPTURE OF THE oGEE-
CHEZ MURDERERs.
vIGILANTES MAY ORGANIZE.
IF A STOP is NOT PUT TO LAwLEss-
NESS.

Grand Jury Recommends a Reward
of $3.50 by the state and $3.50 ny
the County for the Capture and
Conviction of the Murderers of the
Old German, Schrenk, His Clerk,
YOung Dover Fountain and of the
Unknown NegrO-Judge Barrow's
Comment on the Recent Crimes
ogeechee District.
With the prospect of a reward of $500
for the capture of any one of the Ogee-
chez murderers, there is a greater
probability that the perpetrators of the
recent crimes in the Ogeechee district
will be brought to justice.
The feeling among the people in that
section of the county is intense. Since
the death of young Dover Fountain
who was mortally wounded while de-
Tending his mother against the negro
robbers who broke into their houme at
night, following the murder of the old
German storekeeper, Michael Schrenk,
and his clerk at Whiskey
Hill, there have been open
threats of lynching, if the
murderers were caught. The
sheriff's deputies have followed
every clue, but so far only
one of the negroes, James
Stewart who has been positively iden-
titled in connection with the Fountain
murder, has been captured. The negro
Richard Young. who gave young Foun-
tain his fatal blow, is still at large, and
the officers are without any clues so far
as known to the authors of the
Shrenck tragedy, or to the slayer of the
unknown negro found dead near the
Georgia Car Works. The county au-
thorities realize that every effort must
be made to put an end to lawlessness,
or the people will take the law into
their own hands.
The grand jury at it's meeting yes
terday recommended a reward of $ZoU
by The Governor and $3.50 by the
County Commissioners for the arrest
of and proof to convict the slayers OF
either Michael Shrenk, the old store
keeper: Jacob Carter, his clerk, both
of whom were brutally murdered; the
lad Dover Fountain, whose tragic
death has excited widespread indigna-
tion. or of the unknown negro found
near the car works.
Judge Barrow's Warning.
Judge Barrow brought the matter to
the attention of the grand jury. There
is a condition of things on the Ogee-
chez" he said, that ought not to ex-
list. There have been so many muir
ders there that the people are in
a frame of mind that if something Is
not done by the arm of the law there
is danger that they will organize vigil
lance committees and undertake to
take the law into their own hands. OF
course, ! know, as well as you do, that
the grand jury is powerless unless Il
can get evidence, but you should see
proper to recommend that rewards be
offered for the apprehension of the per-
sons who commit these murders, II
you think that reward would produce
the evidence-if in your discretion you
think that the offer of an award would
be advisable, you can recommend thai
it be offered by the state or county
II you suspect that anybody knows the
guilty parties and is waiting for a re-
ward in order to get it before furnish
ing the information, you can use YOU
discretion. l have no knowledge
of anybody doing that.
have no intimation that anybody
knows the guilty parties, and is wait
ing for a reward to be offered before
furnishing information for the appre'
hension of the guilty parties. I mere
~ throw that out as a suggestion, fol
I have known of such a state OF
things elsewhere"
Made a Special Presentment.
The result of the granj
jury's deliberations was a specia
presentment recommending the offer
ing of rewards by the Governor
and by the County Commissioners
This action was at once communicated
to the state authorities and to the
commissioners.
In receiving the presentment Judge
Barrow expressed his approval of the
grand jury's action and added
that he had little doubt thu
recommendation would result il
the rewards being offered. II
the meantime the sheriff's officers ar
following every obtainable clue to tn,
murderers and are seeking to allaS
among the people of the Ogeechee sec
ton the apprehensions of further
crime.