The Savannah morning news., 1903-01-29
FIRED ON OFFICERS
DEPUTY sHERIFFS SWEENEY AND
McCAFFERY HAD A CLOSE CALL.
NEGRO OUTLAW WITH RIFLE.
TRIED TO RESCUE WHITE MAN
SUSPECTED OF MURDER.

unity to the Officers Mt MOntefth.
Running Battle of 300 Yards in
which Desperate Who Shot Mt
Police Officers Last Summer Es-
capped Unhurt - Sweeney and Nc
Gallery Had Only Their RevOIvers
and Had to Watch Their Prisoner.
Feared Attack from Ambush and
fastened to City with Murder
Suspect.
With bullets from a Winchester, in
the hands of a negro desperate, whiz-
zing about them. while they were only
armed with revolvers, and hampered
by having in custody a man suspected
of murder, and for whom a large re-
ward was offered by the Governor of
Tennessee, Chief Deputy Sheriff Thorn
as j. Sweeney and Deputy Ed McCaf-
ferry had a close call at Monteith late
yesterday afternoon.
Although under fire for more than
300 yards the two officers reached the
Keller house at Monteith with the
suspected murdered and escaped in
jury. They had emptied their re-
volvers at the man with the Win
chester, but without effect, and no eff
fort was made to make him pris-
oner. On the contrary the officers
drove hard from Monteith to the city,
fearing that the heavily armed des-
perado would cut them OFF at a swamp
in the neighborhood and that from
ambush his aim would be truer.
ha
score of shots at the deputies, is Ed
Hazel, who last summer shot several
times at Mounted Patrolman Tom
Murphy and Detective Frank Wall,
near the Water Works. Hazel escaped
in the coffee weeds near the Water
Works at that time and went TO Mon
teith where he has been doing work
as "a section hand! He is known as q
thoroughly desperate negro and even
While at work goes heavily armed.
Suspected of Murder.
Some days ago Chief Sweeney re-
ceived information that caused him to
believe that William Scruggs, wanted
for the murder of Charles Brooks of
the county of Davidson, at Nashville,
on Aug. 26, 1898, was a member of a
section gang working near Montieth
for the Atlantic Coast Line. The sus-
pect went under the name of Jim
Northcot and his description was sent
to the proper authorities at Nashville.
A letter was received from Sheriff
Thomas +. Cartright and d complete
description was given of Scruggs This
description fits the man who says he
is Northcot, and yesterday morning
Chief Sweeney and Deputy McCaffery
grove to Monteith for the purpose of
making the arrest. They were armed
a 4x-aY srsar q cxarn n1rt hot IYag
tice Naughtin, in which it was alleged
that Northcot alias Scruggs, is a fugi-
tive from justice. Upon their arrival
at Monteith the officers determined that
it would be wise to wait until the gang
stopped work for the day. They feared
that their man would make his escape
if he saw them coming for him down
the railroad track,
woman gave Tip.
The two officers remained at the KEEL
Ter home during the day, little dream
ing that they We're in any danger. They
knew that the desperate, Hazel, was
in the vicinity, but expected no trou-
BILE from him when they were not
seeking him. They had not been in
formed that the negro desperate and
the white man suspected of being a
murderer were close friends, and did
not Tor an instant anticipate any trou-
BILE. They remained around the house
patiently waiting for the hour to ar
rive when the section gang would stop
work.
AS it was afterwards discovered, the
presence of the officers from the city
was discovered by Hazels wife, and
she lost no time in carrying the news
to her husband on the section work.
AT o'clock in the afternoon the wom-
an reached the side of her outlaw hus-
band and told him of what was going
on. AS is always the case, Hazel was
armed with a revolver, but an hour
later he stopped his work and went
home, where he secured his Winches-
ter. These facts We're ascertained after
the attack had been made on the Off
GERS.
At o'clock the section gang stopped
work and started for the shanties
Sweeney and McCaffery were in wait
ing, and in the middle of the railroad
track placed Northcot under arrest. He
was told that he was wanted for cheat
ing and swindling and expressed sur
prise at his arrest. Before he could Of
fer any resistance, however, the hand
cuffs were snapped on him by Deputy
McCaffery. Northcot was told that he
would have to accompany the officers
to Savannah.
The Shooting Begun.
"Move out the way, Jim," came in
a loud tone from a broomsage field on
the side of the track, and as Northcot
Jumped to the rear a bullet Whistled
in close proximity to Chief Sweeney's
head. The deputies were completely
taken by surprise and before they
could turn a second bullet passed dam
gerously close to them. In the field
not fifty yards from the track stood
the desperate Hazel with his Win
chester to his shoulder and pumping
bullet after bullet at the officers on
the track.
The handcuffed prisoner had dropped
back several feet and the deputy
sberiffs were between the negro with
the rapid firing rifle and the white
man believed to be a murderer. They
were taken unawares and for a mo-
ment We're undecided what to do.
Eorthcot was getting further away with
every shot and Hazers aim was get
ting truer as he became more accus-
toned to the range. The officers were
in perilous plight and expected to fall
in their tracks as the leaden missiles
from the Negroes Winchester flew by
them.
Prisoner as Shield.
1t suddenly occurred to Chief Swee-
ney that the attack had been made by
Hazel not because he feared arrest
himself. but because he wanted to Sc
cure the release of his friend. the
white man. IF you move another foot
III blow your brains out
said Chief Sweeney as he turned his
hack on No paarrso With tho