The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-30
INTO TRAP OF DEATH
POLICE SERGEANT BELIEVES HE
WOULD HAVE WALKED.
DESPERADo'S PLANS FAILED.
OFFICER MURPHY THINKS MORT
COT PLANNED AN AMBUSH.

Man Who is Suspected of Being
Wanted in Tennessee for Murder
Had Promised 10 Turn" Ed Hazel
for Sergeant Murphy at Whom
the Negro shot Last Summer-Mur-
ply Was Going to MOnteith to
Make Arrest when NOrtcot Gave
Word - Believes He Would Have
Been Killed But for NOrtcot's Ar
rest by Sweeney and McCaffery.
It is now thought that the arrest of
Jim Northcot, alias William Scruggs,
believed to be wanted at Nashville for
the murder of Charles Brooks in Au-
gust, 1898, prevented the carrying out
of plan to draw Police Sergeant Tom
Murphy and other officers into a trap
and shoot them from ambush.
When Sergt. Murphy read in the
Morning News yesterday of the arrest
of Northcot and of the desperate effort
made by the negro Ed. Hazel to take
the suspected murderer from Chief
Sweeney and Deputy McCaffery it
flashed across his mind that he had
been in conversation with Northcot
several days before and that probably
at that time the white man was lay
ing a plan to have him murdered.
May Have Been NOrthcOt's Plan.
1t appears that NOrthcot came to
the city for the purpose of swearing
out a warrant for the arrest of a ne
gro alleged to have been guilty of
stealing wood. The section man went
before Justice Wickham, and in the
office of that magistrate met Sergt.
Murphy. During a conversation North
cot voluntarily agreed to turn" Ed
Hazel for the officer. Because the ne
gro had shot at him last summer when
he was a mounted patrolman, the Of
ficer was particularly anxious to get
hold of Hazel
Northcot, it seems, was aware of
the officers desire to take the desper-
ado a prisoner, and he promised to as
sist in the capture. He said that he
was at work on the same gang with
Hazel, and was very friendly with
him. He agreed to return to Monteith
and notify the officers if Hazel was at
work. He promised to borrow the des-
peI1do's pistol and in this manner
make it an easy manner to effect the
arrest. Sergt. Murphy was elated at
the thought of at last getting hold of
the man who fired at him and Detec-
tive Frank Wall, near the water
works.
Looked Like a Trap.
In the face of the developments of
Wednesday Sergt. Murphy cannot help
believing that Northcot was laying a
trap for him and that his purpose was
to lead him into ambush and have him
shot down by Hazel The police SER
geant draws this conclusion because
of the fact that Northcot admits that
he and the desperate were great
friends and Hazel went so far as to
make an attack upon the deputy
sheriffs who had his white friend in
custody. At word from Northcot
Murphy would have gone to Montsith
and he now has reason to believe to
his death. The officer is of the opin-
ion that the white man would have
sent for him, but for his arrest by
Chief Sweeney and Deputy McCaffery.
The prisoner continues to assert his
innocence of the charge of murder in
Tennessee. but refuses to make the
trip to Nashville without requisition
papers. This fact was wired to the
authorities by Chief Sweeney and a
request was made for a photograph
of the prisoner. The picture was taxi
en- in the county Jail by M. Ed Will
son and will be forwarded at once to
the sheriff at Nashville. Despite the
fact that Northcot is persistent in his
denials Chief Sweeney is confident
that ne has the right man in custody.
The suspected murderer will probably
be token to the City Court to-day to
appear against the negro whose ar
rest he caused for the theft of wood.