The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-15
SHOT A NEGRO
OFF HIS HORSE
BELIEVED HE WAS PURSUED.
UNKNOWN NEGRO HAD BROKEN
INTO TWO HOUSES.

Detectives Hurried TO Scene OF
shooting. hut Man Who Fired Gun
Had Made His Escape-ShOOtinG
Took Place at Alabama Junction.
Injured Man Has "A Chance to Re-
cover-BundIe of Clothes and Gun
Left Behind.
Robert Bacon, a negro n years of
age. was shot in the side with a load
of duck shot and MORALLY wounded
yesterday at noon, two miles from Sa-
vannah on the Atlantic Coast Line road
at a point known as the Alabama juno
ton.
There were no eye witnesses to the
shooting and the identity of the man
who fired is as yet unknown. Bacon
was able, however, to give minute
description of him to the detectives,
and the direction in which he went.
A telephone message was received at
Police Headquarters shortly after 1
O'clock stating that negro had been
murdered at the Alabama junction. De-
tectives Wall and Murphy were detail
ed on the case. Accompanied by Morn
ing News reporter they went to the
scene of the shooting on a special train.
Mounted officers Eivers and Best also
went to the scene to assist in captur-
ing the guilty party, as it was stated
he had made his escape.
Bacon Was Riding Horse.
When the detectives arrived on the
scene the keeper of the signal station
and several laborers near by had NOV
ed the wounded man to his fathers
house, about 200 yards from where the
shooting occurred. He was perfectly
conscious, but in great pain.
According to Bacons statement, he
was riding a horse. and was carrying
cows to pasture when he was shot He
was knocked from the horse. but kept
his hold ON the bride, the horse stand
ing perfectly still. He said he did not
see the man who did the shooting I'M
til he was right on him.
He had just crossed the railroad
track, when, without a word of warn
ing, the man, who was sitting near the
road side, apparently having been in
hiding, rose, leveled his gun and fired.
He did not utter a word, and immedi-
ately started running down the road in
the direction of the city. He carried
large bundle of clothing, which he
left in the road after going about 100
yards.
Bacon managed to crawl back across
the railroad, where he was found by
those who went from his house to
see what had caused the shooting.
The description furnished by the
wounded negro was that his assailant
was short and very black. He had
single barrel gun, wore a white or
Ight-colored shirt and seemed a lit
tie crippled in one foot.
AsSailant Made His Escape.
Men at the signal station soon after
the shooting stated they saw the man
pass going in the direction of the city
He had evidently hidden the gun, as
he did not have any at that time.
Some of those at the Florida Junction
stated they saw the negro leave the
dirt road, just before getting to a
trestle over the Ogeechee canal and
go towards the Georgia Car Works.
The bundle of clothing was exam
ined by the detectives, and brought
back to the city. From the articles il
contained it was evident the man who
did the shooting had robbed some
house and was under the impression
he was being pursued by Bacon, which
caused him to shoot.
Just how serious the wounded ne
gro's condition is has not yet been de-
termined as no doctor had appeared
up to the time the detectives left the
scene. The greater part of the load
entered his left side. just below the
arm pit. portion of the load made
great wound in his arm. The wound
ed man is a son of Israel Bacon, a
highly respected negro who is engaged
in truck farming, and also works for
one of the cotton congresses. He
conducts farm on the Telfair place.
Two Houses Were Robbed.
Last night Anna Wing, a colored
woman who lives about a mile from
where the shooting occurred, called at
police headquarters and stated that her
home had been broken into and a
large amount of clothing carried off.
She named the missing articles and de-
scribed them, establishing beyond all
question that the bundle of clothing
which was found near the shooting
belonged to her and had been stolen
from her house.
Henry Verand, another negro who
lives next door to the Wing woman,
also called on the police and report
ed that his house had been broken
into and a single barrel shot gun stol-
en-. The gun has not yet been found.
II is supposed that the negro who stole
1t threw 1t in the grass beside the
road