The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-28
ADMITS HIS GUILT
WILLIE BLAND NOW SAYS THAT
HE FIRED TWO SHOTS.
MAY BE JONES' SLAYER.
WITNESS FOUND WHO CLAIMS
BLAND FIRED FATAL SHOT.

Man Under Arrest Has Signed n Con-
fession Made to Detective Murphy,
But Claims to Have shot ut WyIIy
Jones' Feet-AIsO Admits Firing at
white Man who Followed Him.
Christmas Tragedy on West Broad
and Gyvinnett streets still Being
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. May show UD
To-day.
If the testimony of a new witness,
found by the police. is to be believed,
William Henry Bland, now in custody,
is the slayer of Wylly Jones. Jones is
the negro who was killed on Gwinnett
and West Broad streets early Christ
mas night.
1t had been claimed that the fatal
shot was fired by Walter Lloyd, al
though Willie Ferribee, another negro
held in connection with the shooting,
confessed that Bland had fired two
shots. Willie Jenkins, a third negro
who is held for having taken part in
the killing of Jones, denied that any
body shot but Lloyd. and Bland siren
uously denied having even had pistol
in his hand.
Bland, however, has changed his
story and has now confessed that he
fired two shots, one at Jones feet and
the other at the white man, Mr.. Wise
of StilsOn, who was following the ne
groes after the homicide. Bland made
his first confession to Detective Muir
ply, and it was reduced to writing and
Ciqnnd nv he al no
peated his confession to a representa-
tive of the Morning News.
Bland Has Confessed.
The negro insists, however, that the
bullet he fired was not aimed at Jones
and did not hit him. Bland says that
he was drinking and that he only fired
at Jones feet. He claims that Lloyd
fired two shots in the same way, but
that the third shot he fired directly at
| Jones, and at this time inflicted the
mortal wound. Bland offers no excuse
| for shooting at the white man, except
that he did not want to be made a
| prisoner.
He denies that he agreed upon a
story with Jenkins and Ferribee pe-
| fore surrendering to the police, al
| though this fact was evident to the
| detectives from the start. The ne
groes began by making the same
| statement, but went to pieces under a
cross-examination. Bland was the last
| to give in and the police now have
reason to believe that he fired the ia
tai shot. 1t is difficult however, to
az count for the fact that Lloyd has
not yet put in an appearance. The
| police, however, believe that he was
frightened and that he will yet turn
| up.
What New Witness Says.
BANDS statement that he was
drunk is disproven by his condition
when he turned up at police head
quarters. The three negroes did not
| appear to have even been drinking at
all. The new witness to the tragedy
who has been unearthed by the police,
| is certain that Lloyd fired his pistol
| into the ground and that Bland fired
the fatal shot directly at Jones.
The discovery of this important wit
ness may mean that Lloyd win put in
an appearance at the coroner's in
| quest, which is scheduled to take
| place in the Police Court room this
| afternoon. Under BANDS own state
ment he is at least an accessory to
| the killing of Jones, and is guilty of
assault with intent to murder, too.
| He admits that there was no provo
| cation for the shooting of Jones'