The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-14
GREEN A MURDERER
VERDICT OF CORONER's JURY IN
SMITH ASSAULT CASE.
MUCH DAMAGING EVIDENCE
ADDUCED AGAINST GREEN BY THE
TWO WITNESSES EXAMINED.

Another Possible Witness, a "Mr.
Harry" Whom the Jury Wanted
Was Not Summoned - Detective
Murphy RepOrted the Finding of
Smiths SBectacIes in Green's
House, and of Blood Stains on
His Coat and Hat-Brister Stuart,
COIOred, Told of the Argument
Between smith and Green over
the Amount of Money That Green
Demanded but Which Smith
Would Not Give Him.
T. r. Smith, grocer at Bay and
Farm streets, who died Sunday night
as the result of an assault the night
before, was slain by Ed Green and the
crime is murder. That is the verdict
returned by a coroner's jury which in
vestigoted the case last night.
The inquest was held in Coroner
Keller's office Two witnesses were
examined, Brster Stuart, colored,
clerk of Smiths, and Detective J. ].
Murphy. The first witness spoke of
'Mr. Harry" who kept a store in the
neighborhood and who was a good
friend of Smiths. Some of the Jurors
wanted to know more about "Mr.
Harry and thought his testimony
might be of value as tending to show
what time Smith had closed up on
the night of the assault.
Mr. Harry had not been summon
ed by the coroner, however, and in
fact Detective Murphy, who was chief
ly instrumental in securing the evil
dence in the case now in possession
of the police knew nothing of the fact
that the inquest was to be held until
notified by an outsider that Stuart
had been taken to the coroner's office,
that an inquest was probable and that
he had better be on hand.
Argued About Money.
Stuart was the first witness exam
ined. He stated in substance
that he and two other ne
groes had been in Smiths place on
the night the assault occurred, but
that they had left one by one, him
self leaving at about IL O'Clock, and
Ed. Green being the only person then
in the store besides Smith.
The witness stated that before he
was coming to him, and Green had
replied that Smith owed him for one
week and two days; that Smith gave
Green $1.50 and told him he could get
the remainder any time Sunday but
that Green had demurred and said he
must have more than $3.50 then. Stuart
said that when he left, Smith and Green
were still arguing about this matter
Detective Murphy stated that he had
visited the scene of the crime and had
there found in a hall that separates
Smiths bar from his bedroom a brick
covered with blood and also a pine
knot, bloody and with wisps of hair
attached to it. The wood was cut in
a peculiar fashion, and a piece cor
responding to this cut was found in
| the yard, showing that the weapon had
come to hand from the yard and had
not been taken to the house with the
person that committed the assault.
Blood on His Clothes.
Murphy stated that Stuart and Green
having been arrested, he had gone to
see them in the barracks, and had then
noticed what appeared to be a spot of
blood on Green's hat and another on
his coat. Green. when asked to ex-
plain them, stated he knew nothing of
them. but supposed they had been
caused by cutting himself In shaving.
murphy anu ii pOllcCliie1h Hdd LletuC
an examination of Green's house in a
search for further bloody clothes, and,
though none of these were found, a
pair of spectacles had been found that
later had been identified by Mr.. Led
better as those worn by Smith on the
night of the assault.
Murphy testified further that Green
had stated he left Smiths place at 10: 80
o'clock had gone straight home and
he - ~, Nv xHTca1 No o.
gle; that his wife was awake when he
got there. All of these statements
were denied by witnesses, Stuart stat
ing that he left Smiths at 11:15, and
that Green was still in the bar; Maggie
claiming that she did not return home
until O'Clock Sunday morning, and
Green's wife claiming that she did not
know when her husband returned ,on
the night in question as she was asleep.