Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-02-03
SAVE
NEGRO BANDIT
FROM MOB
Gunman LootS Four Houses
and Is Threatened by Crowd
of His Own Race.

Shep Griffin, "A negro with Grim
inal record as long as his arm. includ-
ing charges Of murder, larceny ana bur
glary, made a few more entries on the
list today when he broke in four houses,
attacked their inmates. and sent Ed
Redding. 81 Henry street 10 the hos
pital with a cracked skull all NIthln
the space of a half hour.
Before Griffin was captured. -four
officers chased him several blocks after
flushing him under the house Of his
last victim. The negro showed hght'
and the policemen fired al him seNeI".
times, finally overpowering him only 20
fight in his behalf against "a furious
mob Of negroes who wanted to Iynrh
him.
Arraigned before Recorder BroyIes 3"
little later. Griffin was bound over un-
der the sum of s. .oO0 on three charges
OF burglary and one charge Of assam
with intent to murder, apd was sent 10
the Tower in default of bail
Should Get 60 Years, Says Court
lyon should get 60 years on this,
the recorder said and then maybe
you'll feel that it's best to Doe good.
Last wear Griffin came up on three
charges Of theft, burglary, and muir
der. respectively. but escaped nroSecu-
ton on each.
Early this morning he broke into the
house of John Weems, negro. al %
Culver street, aud then footing the
place openly. Weems awoke, ana GRIT
I'm threw a lighted lamp at him. lure"
at close range. the lamp barely mIss'u
Weems' head. and was shattered
against the door just beyond MN, 6Ii-
An eoollv continued his ransachins Oh
the house. and then went next door
Notwithstanding the fact that Ncems
had given the alarm, Griffin entered the
house of Mark Kirk, negro woman -
Culver street The woman wa awake
hut Griffin kept her quiet by the threat
OF shooting her. and she watched MN
run rapidly through her belongings.
Neoroes Threaten to Lynch Him.
The alarm had been given to the po-
lice. but before they came, the ues-
perado entered two other houses of the
neighborhood. Going into the home OF
EQ heuUils, a h'b w. % ''''''
he began to loot. Redding attacked
him. and again Griffin resorted to the
use Of a lamp He struck Redding in
the head with the vessel knocking him
unconscious and nfictng "A wound that
sent his victim TO the Grady hospital
In danger Of death. From Redding'
house he obtained revolver.
Armed. he broke into the house of
sallie Wilson. at So Henry street The
woman screamed. but he stlenced her
with the menace of the pistol, and took
several small articles.
About this time, the neighborhood
aroused, and Griffin took alarm. lie
ran outside and sought to- hide beneath
the house But four officers who had
responded to the call--Captain Poole
and Patrolmen Watson, Anderson and
McWiuiams were informed of his hid
ing place. They chased him out, and
followed him several blocks, shooting
as they ran. The negro finally was
cought and brought back TO the neigh
borhood Of his deprcdauons.
More than a hundred half clad ne
groes had formed a mob, threatening
Griffin Some one shouted Lynch him .
and the negroes became violent. at
tempting 10 take Griffin from the OH
GERS. 1t was necessary to hustle him
through a lighting mob TO the patrol
and to rush him To safety.