The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-06
NEGRO DESPERATE
CAUGHT BY HOUNDS
ROBBED r. G. ERWIN'S CAR.
SHOT NEGRO PORTER, THEN JUMP
ED FROM MOVING TRAIN.

Was Found in Car When Train Was
Near Egypt-Hnd Taken Clothes Of
w. Il. sullivan and Doomed Them
in Dressing ROOm-on Way From
Car when Discovered by Porter,
who Raised AIarm--ShOt CentrnIs
Porter aud Was Shot by Conductor
q. H. WhceIer-Captured After Be-
ing Trailed Is Miles.
y desperate negro tramp, Jim Smith,
entered and robbed the private ear of
President r. G, Erwin OF the Atlantic
Coast Line at daylight yesterday morn
ing, shot Watkins billiard. porter Of
the Central of Georgia Railway, and
tried to kill two conductors, who at
tempted to arrest him. He wounded
himself and jumped from the train and
made his escape. Later he was run
down by bloodhounds and captured.
President Erwin's car was a part of
the Central train from Atlanta, for Sa-
vannah. In it We're Mr.. Erwin, his
secretary, Mr. w. R. Sullivan, Mr.. w.
q. Elliott, president of the Atlantic
Coast Line Company, and his secre-
taly, Mr.. r. d. Cronly, and the color
ed porter, Ben Moore. The tramp must
have boarded the train some where be-
tween Millen and oliver. but his pres
ence was not detected until the train
was near Egypt.
The tramp after entering the car took
the coat. trousers and overCoat of Mr.
Sullivan, and the white vest of the por-
ter, carried them to the dressing room.
There he discarded his own clothes and
donned those he had taken. He was
on his way to the door of the car, prob
ably with a view of leaving the train,
when he was seen by Moore, who was
preparing to get breakfast.
Porter Gave the Alarm.
Moore demanded to know what the
negro was doing on the car, and was
told, with d string of oaths, to shut
up and mind his business or he would
be shot, the visitor at the same time
displaying Moore's own pistol which
he had taken when he secured the
vest. Moore dived out of sight and at
the same time let out yell that
walked Messrs. Sullivan and Cronly,
and brought to the scene Conductor
J. S. Peterson, who was "deadheading"
TO Savannah, and Conductor G.. B.
Wheeler. who was in charge of the
train as well as billiard
The tramp had made his way to the
platform of the car. He was there
when Mr.. Peterson reached it and
as soon as he opened the
door fired at him. The conductor
grabbed the negro with one arm and
with the other caught the hand hold
ing the pistol and kept the muzzle
turned away from himself and the
other two men, who had followed him
on the platform. Because of the
amount of wood, boxes and other
things that were on the platform they
were unable to get to the struggling
men. and didn't dare shoot for fear of
hitting Peterson.
Jumped From Train.
The negro was trying to throw Pet
erson off the car, and at the same time
TO turn the pistol on the other two
men. Peterson asked his friends if
they couldn't shoot the negro to cut
his throat In a few moments. how
ever, the struggling prisoner had
managed to get in a shot that struck
the porter in the leg, wrenched himself
from Peterson's grasp and jumped from
the train, not, however, before Con-
ductor Wheeler had got one shot at
him, and a shot that told. for blood was
found on the platform later.
The train was close to Egypt, when
the negro left it, and was running be-
tween forty-hve and fifty miles an
hour. No effort was made to stop
and go back, but the matter was re-
ported at the first stop, and again to
the proper officers as soon as Savannah
was reached. Immediate steps were
taken to capture the man.
Tracked Eighteen Miles.
sergt. John NJ. Connally of the Cen
trail Railway police force left for the
scene of the trouble as soon as news
of the robbery reached Savannah. He
found where Smith had jumped from
the train and tracked him for ten
miles on foot and unassisted. He wir-
ed to Egypt to have bloodhounds sent
him, and when the dogs arrived the
trail was again taken up. 1t was fol-
lowed another eight miles. when the
man was found and captured.
1t was about o'clock before he was
caught. Though wounded in the hand,
suffering from loss of blood and posi-
bly, also from the shock he must have
sustained when he jumped from the train
the negro had managed to cover the
entire distance on foot, and had almost
reached Stateshoro when taken. He
was placed on a freight train and
started for Savannah, where he was
expected to arrive, in charge of Sergt.
Connally, this morning at o'clock.
The information that the capture
had been made came to Mr.. c. L.
Gambler, division superintendent, in the
form of a wire from Sergt Connally.
1t contained no particulars as to the
capture other than those given. 1t is
supposed, however, that Smith was still
wearing the stolen clothes, as he had
hardly had the opportunity of chang
ing them.
The porter on Mr.. Erwin's car man
aged to prepare breakfast, but he was
badly ratified. In serving breakfast,
when he had occasion to pass a cup of
coffee to Mr.. Elliott, he asked that gem
tleman to TEX UNI quick Mr.. Elliott,