The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-08
FORCED GUARD DOWN.
Continued From Twelfth Page.

number of convicts had been
running through the woods and
swamps, the dogs did not work well,
and at no time did the officers get
close behind the men who had gotten
away. Several miles of rough ground
were covered without any trace of the
escapes being found. The Searching
party disintegrated and Deputy
Thompson and two convicts who had
been in Wallis squad went south
Half an hour later the dogs struck
a trail and Chief Sweeney was GER
tain that he was close on the heels
of Cracker and two of his friends.
The chase was kept up for probably
two miles, through swamps. over
bitches and around ponds. Near the
tracks of the Savannah Electric
Company the trail ended when the
dogs brought Deputy Thompson and
the TRUSTEES toe a standstll. Over
and over again the ground was cover
ed. but the dogs refused to work
They were confused by the perfect
maze of tracks that had been made
By the other convicts, who went
through the woods in search of those
who had run away.
Plenty of Excitement.
The daring escape of the five negroes
stirred up the country in the vicinity
VI Odliu II ly anu THERE was more GX-
element during the afternoon than had
been witnessed in a long while. Coun-
ty Commissioners Lathrop, Vetsburg
and Wylly left the city in an automo-
bile shortly after the officers and dogs
had gotten to work. They remained in
the vicinity for quite awhile and
talked with Guard Wall. The guard
appeared badly frightened even before
he saw the commissioners, He stated
hot hA 1v,yk L L.
cause he had already decided to quit
After nightfall had obscured the
swamps and fields the officers abandon
ed the search and hurried to the out
skirts of the city. Mounted Sergeant
T. c. Murphy and Mounted Patro1man
Eivers had been searching swamps just
south of the city and the city and coun-
ty officers held a council of war near
Sunny Side, a negro settlement just
south of Estill avenue. Guards from
the convict camp had also been sent
in and men were station1l along the
lines of the several railroads, and in
the neighborhood of the negro settle
ment. These officers will remain on
watch until daylight
Who Cracker" Is.
The negro, Cracker, who first tackled
the guard, and who probably planned
the escape, is negro very much on
the order of Dorsey Delaney, who
made a sensational escape from Camp
No. 8 about a week ago. He was en-
ployed as a spotter and did very eff
fective work. In this manner he man
aged to get out of innumerable scrapes.
The police finally became tired of his
escapades, and on a charge of drunk
enness he was given thirty days from
Police Court.
Z Because of the service that he had
rendered he was made a trusty at the
county Jail and enjoyed all the privi-
leges allowed TRUSTEES. Cracker only
served a few days of his short sentence
when he slipped out of the jail yard
and went to Jacksonville. He was ar
rested in the Florida city and brought
back. He escaped next from the chain
gang and was located in Philadelphia,
from which place he was brought by
Chief Sweeney. Because of these es-
capes the negro's original thirty days
grew into three years.