The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-11
DIED IN CONCLUSIONS
T. r. SMITH DEAD AFTER A cow
ARDLY ASSAULT.
STRUCK DOWN FROM BEHIND.
VICIOUS BLOWS WERE DEALT BY
UNKNOWN HAND.

Smith Was Proprietor of Grocery
and Bar on Bay and Farm Streets.
Was struck in Head with Blunt
Instrument While Closing His
PIace-Never Saw His AssaiIant.
Police Arc at Work on Three The
cries, but Motive Is Attributed TO
Revenge-NInn Was Not Believed
to Have Been Fatally Wounded.
Following a mysterious and vicious
assault in the rear of his store at Bay
and Farm streets. at an early hour
yesterday morning, T. R. Smith died
in commissions at the Savannah Hos
pital at o'clock last night.
The police and detectives are work
ing on three theories, but no arrests
had been made up to an early hour this
morning. It is probable that at least
two persons will be arrested and re-
quired to show where they were when
the assault was committed. To a very
great extent the affair is shrouded in
mystery, and it may never be known
who dealt the cowardly blows.
Smith stated when he was sent to
the hospital in the police ambulance.
that he had been struck from behind,
and that he did not know whether his
assailant was white or black. He made
similar statement at the hospital
during the morning. His eyesight was
bad and he could not see three feet
away The police believe that Smith
IT.
Gerry and bar when he was struck from
behind by some one who had conceal
ed himself in the yard.
Motive Was Revenge.
Two of the clues that are being fol-
lowed by the officers have revenge as
the motive for the attack. Still another
theory is that the assault was commit
ted for the purpose of robbery, al
though Smith stated to Patrolmen
CoWart and Malphus, who were the
first uniformed men to reach him, that
he had not been robbed, and his place
showed no signs of having been en-
tered. Both theories will be followed
to the end by the officers, however.
Near where Smith was struck down
the patrolmen found a brick and
piece of lightwood 1t was their opinion
that both had been used in committing
, (
picked up at the same place. There
were four wounds in the grocer's head
and it was the opinion of the attend
ing physician that they were made with
blunt instrument. 1t was not thought
that the wounds were fatal, and it was
stated at the hospital in the morning
that the patients condition was en-
couraging, and that the wounds would
be closed during the day.
No Fracture DfacOverad
An examination did not bring to
light any fracture of the skull, it was
stated by the house physician at the
! epilepsy. Whether the wounds caused
the commissions or whether Smith was
an epileptic are matters that will have
to be determined before the attend
ing physician would be willing to ex-
press a positive opinion as to just
what caused the mans death.
Patrolman Jernigan, who has been
patroling the West side, reported to
| the superintendent last night that
Smith had been drinking heavily for
more than a week. The officer also
| furnished a clue that may lead to the
making of an arrest. The plain clothes
men, however. place more reliance on
a statement made by Smith to Patrol
man Cowart. 1t was also reported to
the superintendent last night that
some time ago Smith was tried for
| lunacy. but was not held by the jury
that investigated the question of his
sanity.