The Savannah morning news., 1904-07-04
NEGRO IN JAIL
FOUGHT OFFICERS
TWO SHOTS WERE FIRED
AT CLOSE RANGE AT BURGLAR,
but HE WOULD NOT GIVE UP.


sheriff FOgarty Had Beaten Him
Almost Into ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Was Hit Over the Eye and FOEarty
Was Bitten-NegrO Hurled Heavy
Bottle at Jail Watciman-ArmeTs
Himself With Chair and Box.
Swearing that he would never serve
day in the penitentiary, Will Pollard,
a negro sentenced to ten years service
for burglary late yesterday afternoon
attacked the Jail Waterman and the
deputy sheriffs who went to the
watchman's assistance, in the county
prison.
With all the fury of desperation, the
negro fought the officials and did not
give up the struggle until two shots
had been fired at him and he had been
beaten almost into insensibility. 1t
was not known last night how serious
ly the prisoner was wounded.
A powerful negro physically, Pollard
put up a phenomenal struggle, calling
upon Chief Deputy Sheriff Sweeny to
shot and be -" when that officer,
with pistol drawn demanded his sur
render
Chief Sweeny Fired Twice.
Within four feet of the negro. Chief
Sweeny fired twice, but even then he
would not give UP and it was not I'M
til the officers had closed in on him
with chairs and beaten him until he
was bloody from his head to his feet
that he dropped to the floor and gave
up the fight.
guard from the convict camp at
Valdosta had called at the Jail for
Pollard to take him to the penitentiary.
The guard and Louis Andrews, the
Jail Waterman, were inside the Jail,
preparing to handcuff Pollard, when
the fight began.
AS Pollard came out of the corridor,
where the prisoners are kept, he pick
ed up a bottle near the door and
hurled it at Andrews. Though unaun-
ed Andrews stood his ground, keeping
out of reach of the negro, until he
could get some weapon with which
TO ward off his blows.
Hurled Bottle at Waterman.
After throwing the bottle, which
failed to hit it's mark, Pollard seized a
chair in one hand and a box in the
pistol in his pocket, got on the step
leading up to the second story. while
the unequal struggle went on between
the negro and Andrews.
While the fight was in progress,
Chief Sweeny drove by the Haber-
sham street side of the Jail in a buggy.
He was going out to make an arrest,
but noticed all the negroes on the top
floor of the jail waving at him. He
saw at once that there was something
unusual on, as the negroes kept beck
oning to him to come over. He jumped
from his buggy and rushed into the
Jail.
He then heard the scufiing on the
inside and ordered the door opened at
once. There are two or three steps
leading up from the Jail door and Pol
lard stood at the head of these armed
with the chair, when Chief Sweeny
started in to quiet the disturbance. AS
the door was opened the negro drew
back to strike.
Did Not Fear Revolver.
Pulling his gun, the officer command
ed him to drop the chair. The negro
paid no attention at all to the COM
TO step inside the door, where he would
be at a decided disadvantage, as the
negro was on a floor several feet
higher.
If you don't drop it, :, will kill you"
said Chief Sweeny.
Kill me, you." answered the
negro.
The officer commanded him again to
drop the chair and started towards
him. AS he did so Pollard made a lick
at him with the chair. Sweeny
stepped back to avoid the blow and
fired Again the negro raised his weap-
on and again the officer fired.
Selling a chair to ward off the blows
from the negro, Chief Sweeny adj
Vanced upon him and would probably
have had to kill him had not Deputy
Sheriff Fogarty arrived about that
time.
Buried Teeth in FOgarty.
Fogarty armed himself with chair
and the two rushed upon the negro
Pollard then held a big soap box as a
weapon, the chair having been taken
from him in the scuffie. AS the officers
closed in on him, he came down with
the box, landing on Chief Sweeny
just over the right eye.
Fogarty seized the negro as Swee-
ny struck him. but he continued to
struggle. Pollard buried his teeth in
Forgartys arm and continued to bite
him, until the fight was finally ended.
Across the corridor and over to the
railing by the gallows the three strug-
gled, Sweeny all the time raining
blows on the negro's head and face
with his billy.
AS the three reached the railing, the
negro made a desperate effort to
throw his antagonists over it. He
failed in this and a negro in the Jail
grabbed his feet. Even then he strug-
gled and Sweeny beat him until he
dropped on the floor.
Both officers were exhausted from
the struggle and spattered with blood.
The negro lay on the floor In a pool
of his own blood.
Did l hit you when I shot?' asked
the chief deputy some time afterwards
II don't know and ! don't care" an
swered Pollard sullenly.
Prisoner Wanted 10 Die.
1T wanted to make you kill me
Some one has got to do it. / will
never work day in the penitentiary.'
Pollard was tried and convicted be-
fore Judge Cam for stealing "A lot OF
betting and machinery from the Sa-
vannah Rice Mills. The Jury recon-
mended him to the mercy of the court
but Judge Cam, who knew his rec
ord ignored the recommendation.
In passing sentence. the judge said
the negro had served number of
terms on the chain gang and that hs
was a dangerous man to the com
munity. He is the same negro who
attacked Detectives Murphy and Wall
when they went to take his picture IL
the Jail some two months ago.