The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-12-16
MURDER IN SAVANNAH.
Two White Women Killed and An
other Wounded.

Two White Women Killed and An
| other Wounded.
Savannah, Ca, Dec. 10.-Victims
of revolving crime, Mrs. Eliza Crib
BILE, aged 70 years and her daughter,
| were found dead in their home here
to-day, while a third woman, whose
name is unknown, was found just in
side the front door of the house, is
at the Savannah hospital dying.
Physicians state that Mrs. Gribble's
daughter was the victim of criminal
assault just before she was killed.
One hundred and fifty negro men,
caught in the meshes of the police
drag net through Yamacraw, the ne
gro section of the city, are prisoners
in the police station, the theory of
the police being that negro man,
having planned an assault, was COM
PEELED to commit the other crimes in
order to escape.
Other arrests will be made before
morning until every negro in the city
who in any way resembles the de-
scription of a negro who during the
last three days has been seen fire.
quently about the premises Of the
house of the murdered woman is ap-
pretended.
Police believe that this negro, US
ing an axe taken from the wood shed
in the rear of the Gribble home, beat
Mrs. Gribble to death, struck down
the unknown woman and after as
saulting the other in the wide, long
hall way, where the bodies were
found, finished his terrible work by
beating in her skull with the weapon.
Mrs. Gribble evidently was attack
ed from behind as she sat in an
easy chair reading. On the floor be-
side her body were found the news
paper she was reading and her spec
tacles.
One or possibly two blows were
dealt her. Her grey hair, blood mat
ted, shows the imprint of the blunt
axe.
1t is probable that the unknown
woman was the first to be struck
down; that she met the murderer at
the door as he entered and was struck
before she could escape.
Then the murderer, stealthily ap-
preaching aged Mrs. Gribble, killed
her. 1t is believed that the other
victim was attacked as she left her
room to enter the hallway, was as
saulted and killed. The unknown
womans skull was crushed in and
her death is matter of but few
hours.
Other theories are entertained by
searchers for the murderer, but the
police are proceeding on the theory
that a negro man is guilty. Many
entertain this theory and feeling is
intense here because of it. The mot
ley hordes of prisoners are quiet and
frightened in the police station and
jail. 1t is believed that If the negro
suspected of the crime is caught he
can be quickly identified.
Bloodhounds have been at work in
an effort to take the trail from the
woodshed where the axe was found
by the muredrer, but as the house Of
the murders is almost within the
heart of the city, and as the murders
were probably committed several
hours before the discovery of the
bodies, the dogs will be of little use.
Tonight Mayor Tiedman, of Savan-
nah offered a reward of $1,000 for
the capture with evidence to con-
vict the slayer of Mrs. Gribble and
her daughter and assailant of Mrs
Maggie Hunter, who was not identi-
fed for hours after the discovery of
the murder and who is the woman at
the point Of death in Savannah hos
pital.
1t IS now almost certainly known
that the criminal is negro. The
negro who was first suspected is the
guilty man. Persons have been
found who state this negro was seen
entering the Gribble house with the
fatal axe in his hand, and was seen
closing the shutters to the windows
of the house, and to leave the prem
ises, all at the hour when it is be-
lieved the muredrs were committed.
The negro's description has been
printed on hand bills and scattered
broadcast over the city and county
with the reward offered and all near
by towns have been notified and are
on the lookout. Police officers in
| automobiles have covered all the
roads for miles surrounding the city
while posses on foot have secured
| the places where automobiles could
not go. The house to house search
of negro homes continues. It seems
hardly possible the negro can long
remain at large.