The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-09-21
KEYS WERE MISSING
DESPERATE CAME NEAR SPENDING
THE NIGHT
WITH HIS HANDS MANACLED.
WAS ARRESTED FOR RIOTING AND
MURDERoUS ASSAULT.

oliver Thompson Apprehcnded AT
Isle of HOpc-His Capture n Chance
One-Omcers Were Looking for
stray HOrse-BrOught 10 Town
Handcuffed, the Keys Were Left
on the ISIand-ThOmpsOn Wanted
for MurderOusIy AssnuItinE Negro
Named Brooks.
With his wrists crossed and securely
manacled before him, Oliver Thompson,
a negro desperate. who was caught
yesterday by two of the officers of the
law. stood in the Chatham county Jail
last night while vainly the officers tried
key after key in an attempt to un-
fasten the letters. The predicament
which the prisoner found himself in
was a most uncomfortable one, as it
seemed for a while that he would have
TO spend the night manacled.
started Riot.
Thompson has been wanted by the
authorities for more than a month. He
has two grave charges against him.
One of these is the melting of riot on
an Isle of Hope car, and the other is
for stabbing a negro named Brooks,
both of which occurred at Isle of Hope
several weeks ago. The county au-
thorities and the street car company
have both been endeavoring to locate
the negro, who escaped after the COM
mission of each crime.
The riot which was melted by
Thompson came near ending seriously.
The negro was drinking when he board
ed the car, and was ordered to get off.
A quarrel ensued, and he was put off
the car. Before it had gotten well I'M
der way he grabbed up several bricks
and began throwing them at the crowd
ed car. A stampede for the front door
took place, and excitement was high.
But quiet was restored when it was
learned that he had disappeared in the
darkness.
Only a few days afterwards he got
into an alteration with man named
Brooks. His opponent was cut in the
back and breast, and it was feared at
one time that the wounds would prove
fatal. Again the negro disappeared.
1t was by the merest chance that
Thompson was apprehended by the Of
ficers. Chief Sweeney and Deputy
Thompson had gone to Isle of
Hope in quest of a horse which had
strayed off. While driving about the
island the=y came upon the negro.
Chief Sweeney stepped from the bug
gy and took him unawares. The negro
was handcuffed and placed in the bug
gy. AS the vehicle was small it would
not we'll accommodate three persons,
so Chief Sweeney turned the prisoner
over to the deputy with instructions
to bring him to the county jail.
Forgot the Keys.
But he did not remember to give him
the key when he turned over the pris-
oner: and there was the rub. The
prisoner was brought to the jail. AS
he stepped inside, the deputy felt for
the key. But there was none. They
were at Isle of Hope. Many keys were
tried. At first the prisoner thought it
a great joke; but as the probabilities
of spending the night in the handouts
became evident he wore a worried as
pect When it seemed that no key
could be found to fit the lock. the jailer
was preparing to get the handouts off
with Ratchet and chisel. one of the Of
ficers found a key of the right pattern.
Thompson has served on the
changing for stabbing not in
his own defense. His victim on
that occasion was a negro named Will
liam Henry. He will be given a hear
ing at the next criminal session of the
City Court on Friday.