Glynn-Newton County GaArchives Obituaries.....THOMPSON, Horace E. July 21, 1894 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Amy Hedrick http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00013.html#0003209 July 24, 2009, 7:54 pm The Brunswick Times-Advertiser; 22, 23, 24, 26, 27 July 1894 COWARDLY MURDER—A Half-Drunken Negro Kills Officer Kid Thompson—The Faithful Policeman was Pursuing His Murderer, when he Turned and Fired the Fatal Shot. Officer Kid Thompson, one of the most efficient and faithful policemen, who ever served the city of Brunswick, was made the victim of a cowardly murder last night, and his dead body was surrounded by a sympathizing, horror- stricken crowd, and carried into the rotunda of the city hall, where it was viewed by a large concourse of people. THE STORY OF THE CRIME—At 9:45 last night, the citizens were startled by a succession of pistol shots one sounding right after the other, coming from the direction of the Acre. The fifth shot fired did the fatal work. None of the others, so far as is known, took effect. Officer Thompson, ten minutes before his death, put a negro in jail, and then went back to his beat in the Acre. Guy Turner, who was with the officer, gives the most credible story of the shooting, he being about the only reputable eye-witness of the whole transaction. Turner says a half-drunken negro was acting in a disorderly manner in the open space fronting on Oglethorpe street, between Markowtiz’s bar and Gus Adams’ restaurant. Officer Thompson went towards the negro to arrest him, when the latter made a dash down Oglethorpe street toward Mansfield. When in front of Belcher’s bar, the negro turned and fired two shots at Officer Thompson, who was pursuing him. The officer returned the shots. None of them took effect. The negro had a large revolver in each hand. Guy Turner joined in the chase. At the northeast corner of the city hall, the negro turned and fired again. The brave officer ran fifty feet and fell on his face back of the city hall, being shot through the heart and killed almost instantly. Turner, close behind, took the dead officer’s pistol from his hand and fired five shots in quick succession after the murderer, who plunged into the darkness of Grant street, running in the direction of the south end. A large crowd gathered around the dead officer. Chief Beach and Deputy Levison were promptly on the scene, and the body was borne into the rotunda of the city hall. Dr. Burford arrived, and said “he is dead.” Sooner than seemed possible the young wife of the murdered officer arrived at the hall in a carriage. Kind hands replaced her in the carriage and ordered the driver to return home with his grief-stricken passenger. WHO WAS THE MURDERER?—Mr. W.R. Odham saw the man who did the shooting when he ran down Grant street, and declares it was a rather light-skinned negro, tolerably well dressed. The majority of the negroes in the Acre questioned by a T.A. reporter deny knowing anything about the matter. Mr. Ford, collector for C. McGarvey, standing in Belcher’s bar door, looking out for money due him, saw the chase and coincides with Mr. Odham in his description of the murderer. Negroes living in the houses in the rear of the city hall say the man who fired the fatal shot was a negro. Two sailors and a small white boy were the only parties claiming to be witnesses, who told the reporter that the murderer was white. Under this evidence, the conclusion is inevitable that the cowardly murderer of Officer Thompson is a negro, and the only suggestion as to his identity made by those who saw him is that he is Dave Wood, well known about town. Mr. A.H. Smith, bookkeeper for C. Arnheiter, says this was the negro’s name. Officer Thompson leaves a young wife, deprived of his support and companionship by red-handed assisination. ON THE TRAIL—At press-hour, a posse of mounted citizens are scouring the wooded portions of the city. Bloodhounds have also been put on the trail. The northern city limits have been cordoned. Undertaker Moore has taken charge of the body. The Brunswick Times-Advertiser; Monday 23 July 1894; pg. 1 col. 4 LAID TO REST—Policeman Thompson’s Body Sent to Covington—His Murderer is Still at Large—Dave Wood is the Man, and He is Said to Be Wounded. The coroner’s inquest on Officer Kid Thompson’s remains was held yesterday. The following was the jury: G.W. Calvin, foreman; W.F. Doerflinger, W.B. Moore, John Campbell, J.P. Shelly and John Baumgartner. Their verdict was that he was murdered by Dave Woods [sic]. The evidence introduced showed that Officer Thompson had Wood under arrest for disorderly conduct, and that while he was taking him to the police station, Wood remarked, “Don’t crowd me,” and jerked away running, Officer Thompson in pursuit. The principal witnesses were Guy Turner and Geo. Carroll, both of whom recognized the man as Dave Wood. All night Saturday and all day yesterday a large posse of men were untiring in their efforts to trail the negro. Blood was found in several places leading from the scene of the murder, and it is though that Wood was struck by one of the shots fired at him after he had killed Officer Thompson. Several other witnesses testified as to having seen him running and it is almost certain that he will be caught. A large number of the friends of the murdered officer visited his remains yesterday with sad hearts. His remains were prepared for burial by Undertaker Moore and shipped to Covington on the E.T. train last night where they will be interred today. Mrs. Thompson accompanied the remains to Covington. At the post-mortem held by Dr. H. Burford it was found that the bullet entered three inches above the left nipple, passing through the upper part of the left lung and wind pipe and right lung, lodging in the right rib, which killed him instantly. A REWARD—A meeting of the city council and the county commissioners will be held tomorrow night to offer a reward for the capture of Officer Thompson’s murderer. They citizens are also raising a large sum to add to it. The Brunswick Times-Advertiser; Tuesday 24 July 1894; pg. 1 col. 6 A LARGE REWARD—Will Be Offered for Kid Thompson’s Murderer. Nothing new has developed in the tracking of Dave Wood, who killed Officer Thompson. It is a settled fact now that he is the man that committed the crime. It has just come to light that he went to his home on Sunday morning, about one o’clock, and that he was shot in the arm. No one has seen him since. Every effort is being exhausted to capture him, and descriptions sent out to various places. The governor has been requested to offer a reward for his capture. The county commissioners are to meet this afternoon to take action in the matter of a reward. The Brunswick Times-Advertiser; Thursday 26 July 1894; pg. 1 col. 3 TWO REWARDS—A Total of Three Hundred Dollars—The City Council Adds $150 to the Reward Offered by the County Commissioners. A reward of three hundred dollars has been offered for the capture of Dave Wood, the negro who murdered Officer Thompson last Saturday night. The county commissioners will offer one hundred and fifty dollars, and the city council today passed a resolution offering an additional $150. The authorities have used every effort to capture Woods [sic], and have so far failed to find his whereabouts. The reward will interest outside parties to look out for him, and very likely he will be caught soon. No trace of Wood can be found after he left his house Sunday morning where he was seen by a colored woman. The official precaution of the commissioners has not been made yet, owing to the illness of Chairman O’Connor. A number of citizens are still watching out for Wood in the swamps. The Brunswick Times-Advertiser; Thursday 26 July 1894; pg. 1 col. 7 KID THOMPSON’S WIDOW—A Movement to Raise a Fund By the Citizen [sic] of Brunswick. Officer Kid Thompson, who was killed last Saturday night while on duty, and, as he was always, using his best endeavor to maintain the law and peace of our city, left a young widow. He was her sole support. The poor little woman will return to Brunswick and make it her home. She is now in Covington, where she accompanied the remains of her husband. Kid Thompson was considered one of the bravest and most loyal officers that ever served our city, and his friends were everybody. A number have suggested that Brunswick’s citizen’s [sic] ought to raise a fund and present it to this deserving little woman in memory of the faithful service he has performed in protecting life and property in our city. Every person in town can add a mite to the list, and swell it to a good round sum. Chief Lewis Beach will call on you, or it can be left at THE TIMES-ADVERTISER office. Every day a list will be published showing how the fund stands and giving the names of those who have contributed. It is a most worthy object and the T.-A. hopes that Brunswick people will see to it that Kid Thompson’s widow is provided for. Put your name down if only for a small amount. Savannah and other cities have on several occasions been very prompt to assist the families of policemen who met their death while on duty, and Brunswick should do so. The T.-A. starts the list with $5.00. The Brunswick Times-Advertiser; Friday 27 July 1894; pg. 1 col. 3 $200 REWARD—Gov. Northen Offers for Apprehension of Dave Wood—The Murderer of Officer Thompson, if Arrested, Will Net His Capturers Five Hundred Dollars. From the proclamation below it will be seen that Gov. Northen offers a reward of $200 for the apprehension of Dave Wood, who killed Policeman Thompson. This with the rewards offered by the city and county makes a total of $500 reward. A PROCLAMATION—GEORGIA—By W.J. Northen, Governor of said state. Whereas, Official information has been received at this department that on the 21st of July inst., in the county of Glynn, a murder was committed upon the body of H.E. Thompson by Dave Wood, and that said Wood fled from justice. I have thought proper, therefore, to issue this, my proclamation, hereby offering a reward of two hundred dollars for the apprehension and delivery of said Dave Wood to the sheriff of said county and state. And I do moreover charge and require all officers in this state, civil and military, to be vigilant in endeavoring to apprehend the said Dave Wood in order that he may be brought to trial for the offense which he stands charged. Given under my hand and seal of the state, this, the 26th day of July, 1894. W.J. NORTHEN, Governor. By the Governor: A.D. CANDLER, Secretary of State. Additional Comments: More Glynn County Genealogy & History can be found at File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/glynn/obits/t/thompson9487gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 11.2 Kb