The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-14
BULLET STRUCK
CHILDREN'S BED.
BURGLAR FIRED TWICE.
ONE OF THE BULLETS NARROWLY
MISSED SLEEPING CHILD.

w. VI. jenkins, of FOrty-SecOnd and
West broad streets, Attacked Ne
gro Burglar Early Yesterday
Morning and Man Fired Twice.
MIR. Jenkins Burned by Powder
One of the Bullets PIOuGhed
Through Mattress of Children's
Bed, Within Inch of Head of One
of the Little Girls-Mr. jenkins
Also shot. But Burglar Escaped.
A negro burglar, that w. NJ. JeI-
kins, who resides at Forty-second and
West Broad streets. tried to capture
early yesterday morning, fired twice
at Mr.. Jenkins at close range and one
of the bullets struck a bed in which
two little girls were sleeping.
One bullet, from a A calibre revolver,
struck the mattress within a few in
ches of the head of Addie jenkins,
a child years old.
Mr.. jenkins himself had a close call.
He was so close to the burglar when
the first shot was fired that his face
was burned by the powder.
1t was shortly after 4 o'clock when
the burglar was discovered, in the
rear room occupied by the children
of the family. The room of Mr.. and
Mrs. jenkins is directly in front of
the children's room, with a connecting
door This door is always left partial
~ open, that the parents may hear
the children should anything get the
matter with them.
Mr. Jenkins was awakened by a
slight noise in the children's room. He
did not think about a burglar, but got
out of bed and went into the room TO
see if there was anything the matter
with the children. As he entered the
ROOM he saw a big negro man only
few feet away.
Hand TO Hand Struggle.
Springing upon the burglar, Mr.
jenkins attempted to throw him to the
floor, but was unable to do so. The
TWO struggled together for several
minutes and then the negro broke
away He made for the window di-
rectly at the foot of the children's bed,
with Mr.. jenkins close behind him.
Both stumbled and partially fell over
the bed, while the little girls woke up
screaming.
As the negro reached the window he
fired. So close was Mr.. Jenkins that he
was blinded by the flash and his face
was burned by the powder 1t was an
easy matter for the negro to escape aft
er firing his first shot, as Mr.. jenkins
could not see for a minute or two. The
negro fired again, however as he left
the window.
Followed With Pistol
Mrs. Jenkins, who had been aroused
by the shooting found her husbands
pistol and carried it to him. Mr.. Jen-
kins jumped from the window and fol-
lowed the fleeing negro, firing at him
several times. The negro had secured
a good start, however, and Mr.. jenkins
says he knows he did not hit him. The
burglar was half a block away before
Mr.. jenkins got his pistol.
No trace of one of the bullets that
the negro fired can be found, and it is
thought he must have fired in the air
after getting out of the window in or
der to frighten his pursuer and keep
him from following.
ChiId's Narrow Escape.
Addie and Leonora, the two little
girls of Mr.. and Mrs. Jenkins were
sleeping together in the room the
burglar entered. There is window
right at the foot of the bed and the
children had turned their heads to-
wards the foot of the bed in order to
get the breeze.
The room was entered through this
window, as was shown by a keg
found beneath it afterwards. Though
the burglar passed within a short dis
tance of the children neither of them
awoke..
When the negro broke away from
Mr.. Jenkins. the latter was thrown
against the bed. The bullet which was
fired point blank at the occupant of
the house ploughed its way through
the mattress within only an inch or
two of little Adde'S head.
There Were Two Burglars.
Mr.. Jenkins says he would not be
able to identify the negro if he should
see him. 1t was rather dark i'm the
room and he could not get a good view
Of his adversary. There was another
man on the outside of the house watch
ing for the one inside, Mr.. Jenkins
says. He did not see him, but says
ne heard him running away during the
struggle.
The man had evidently Just entered
the house. when he was discovered, as
nothing had been disturbed so far as
could be seen. The police are endeav
oring to apprehend the burglar, but
they have little to work on. as Mr..
Jenkins can not furnish a description
of the man except that he is large and
strong. Mr.. jenkins is a large and
strong man himself, but the negro man
aged to break away from him. In the
scuffle Mr.. Jenkins received a bad
bruise on the right ankle, which he
struck against piece of furniture.