Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-23
MAN WHO KILLED
HART CONF |DENT'.
OF HIS ACQU|TTAL
Insists He Shot in Defense
of His Own Life-Promis-
es Some Surprises When
Placed on Trial

Talking in short, jerky sentences,
a bright smile flashing across his
face from timefto time as he recalled
some clever ruse, J. E. Satterfield
sat in his cell at the Fulton tower
Monday morning and told newspaper
men how he has eluded the law since,
December 81. 1921, when he shot and
killed his brother-in-law. r. H. Hart,
at the corner of Whitehall street and
Trinity avenue.
Satterfield arrived in Atlanta Sun
day in custody of Plennie Miner,
special investigator In the office of
Solicitor General John A. Boykin,
from Los Angeles, Cal, where he
was captured on August 4 after a
nation wide hunt lasting for more
than Is months.
Satterfield stands we'll over six-fcet
tall and cIs face is bronzed as if
from much outdoor work. His, tall
loose-jointed frame seems to indi-
cate great. physical power. His
light blue eyes are set close together
and shift from side to side as he
talks.
Monday morning, after a good
nights rest, he said he was conf
dent that he would be acquitted of
the charge against him. He took
SoHcltor Boykin's announcement
that he probably would be placed on
trial for murder the first part of next
week without the flicker of an eye
lash.
Claims Self-Detense
have not engaged an attorney
vet, he said with a smile, land
don't know that L shall need one. l
oeHeVe L can whip them myself. L
am confident l will not be convicted
OF murder or any other crime, be-
cause L know l shot in self-defense,
10 save m. own life
he said he had forgotten MANY
angles OF the case and would have
TO refresh his memory regarding
tnem. He also said he would bring
MS two children, Mrs. Dorothy Car.
ter, 19-year-old, and Elizabeth Sat
terrified, 17-year-old, both of whom
are in Albuquerque, N. NJ, to At
ianta for the trial because they
know many important facts"
There are some things that have
always been a mystery to me-" he
SAID. I remember shooting Hart
but [ don't know where [ got the
straw hat and coat l had on the
next morning. | left his house hat
less and coatless and it was cold.
l must have come to town and
bought them.
Brags of Clever Stunt
1 don't remember where 1 spent
the night following the shooting, but
the next morning | came to town
and had breakfast at a restaurant,
l sat at the same table with a cous.
in of mine, but he didn't recognize
me.
That night I left a letter at. the
front counter of The Journal office.
That was a clever piece of work,
don't you think?' and he smiled
broadly. as if he enjoyed the recol
lection
"A day or two later [ went to
Chattanooga, Tenn. catching an L.
Il \. train at a small station in Cobb
county, I don't remember exactly
where, and stayed in Chattanooga
for more than year under the
name of J. r. Looney.
From Chattanooga | went to Los
Angeles to visit my children. and
have been there ever since, with
the exception of several visits to
Alberquerque and lower California.
Il am glad to be back. in a way,
and sorry, too. L am sorry because
this will cause my relatives a re.
newal Of their grief; but glad be-
cause L know this matter will be
cleared up now and L can face the
world.
Il am not proud of what I have
done and l am not Dragging about
it, but l am confident L will be &C
united ~