The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1856-04-24
Volume XIV.
Fiom the Cincinnati Commercial, april TO-
TO the Public.

to what transpired subsequently, to
the murder, that deem it due to the
passengers, officers and crew of that
boat, to give what believe to be true
statement Of the whole affair.
! The Ohio Belle, under my COM
mand, Oh her way from Cincinnati to
New Orleans, landed at Smithland
! Ky, about day break on the l4th o!
March, to land and take in some
freight and Passengers. After doing
this business, the boat was showed out
but upon being hailed from the shore,
was again landed, and took on board
n passenger, who gave his name Us
Jones. Early in the forenoon, Jones
got shaved By the barber ofthc boat
and offered him in payment, Il ten
dollar note, purporting to be on the
Bank ofShelbyvillc, Tennessee.
The barber took the note to Ste,
'phcns, and was by him told that it
was not good. lie then took it back
to Jones and told him what the clerk
had said. Jones seemed to get very
Angry, and sold nc would see the clerk
and ascertain why he said the note
was q bad one. He went to the
clerks Office where Stephens then
was, and asked him why he question
cd the genuineness Of the note. Ste
phens replied that the note, in his
opinion, was worthiess--that he HIM
self would not take it, and that he
told the barber what he believed to be
true.
I Jones, standing in the hall immedi-
ately outside the office, then abused
Stephens, using such language. and
in such a boisterous manner as to call
the attention of the passengers and to
annoy all who heard Them. Stephens
went out of the office and spoke to
him, telling him that unless he bchav-
ed himself he must leave the cabin;
and Jones still continuing his abusive
language, Stephens took him by the
arm and walked with him out of the
hall forward on the boiler deck When
they got outside the hall, Stephens
told him that he ought not to use the
language he had in the cabin ola
steamboat, among passengers, and
that after he became cool they would
talk it over and settle it. Jones inado
some reply in n low tone and immedi-
ately drew Il revolver and shot Ste
phens. He then started to run, 60
ing aft On the larboard guard and
through the passage between the cab
in and wheelhousc, up the after steps
on TO the hurricane deck. Stephens
followed him some ten or twelve pa
ces, when he fell, was taken up and
carried into the cabin, and the wound
being examined by medical gentle
! man, IA passenger, was pronounced
mortal.
I He made two or three efforts to
speak. und was understood to say
that he wished the wound bathcd, but
he spoke no indistinctly that those
present could not understand definite
| ly what he wished to say. lie lived
some fifteen minutes.
! Jones was followed BY the second
clerk otthe boat on the hurricane deck,
ovcrtnken and knocked down, and
then kicked in tie facc, which caused
his mouth to bleed. was close be-
hind the second clerk, and when /
reached Jones he was down with the
pistol in his hand, and did not offer to
rise think there was no other per-
sons near, except these two, and Miss
Heron ana myself. In minute or
two others came up, when sent down
for the mate and some men, had Jones
bound, taken to the main deck. and
made fast to staunchion in the en-
ginc-room, aft Of the boilers. His
arms were tied above the elbows. and
two or three turns Of the rope were tn
ken around his body and arms and
around the staunchion. This was
about IL or III o'clock, A. NJ. We
reached Cairo about noon. | went
up into town and procured u coffin
for the remains of Stephens, and then
asked Mesers. Fowler & Norton to
send for a lawyer, US | wished, if II
could, to leave the prisoner at Cairo
for trial. The lawyer, whose name
| think is Shousc, came on board and
advised me that in all probability the
court would discharge Jones. for want
Of jurisdiction, if left him at Cairo.
| then determined to take him to Hick-
man, Kentucky, and deliver him to
the proper authorities. We were de-
tanned at Cairo until about 5 P. NJ.
While lying there, my wife came to
me, and told me that the rope had
slipped up or the prisoner had slipped
dowu, and that he would s.ranglc. As
one turh ofthe rope was around his
neck. went 10 him, and finding
that the Casten;pgs had slipped up !
had the uppe: turns Of the rope taken
off, leaving only those around his arms
and body, and az he complained of
being tired, | sent a chsir for him to
sit upon, and had him removed Il. me
supply-pipe ofthc doctor, in the en-
gine-rooin at the after end Of the boil
ers, and in sight Of the engineer on
watch. lie was made fast there. and
n such a way that be could sit down.
He nas not tied n fic chair, his feet
rcrc not tied together; and there uerc no
'ther. tastcnings. ero.pt taose nbore sta
cd. The object was to keep him &C.
;ure, not to torture him. and the deter
nination was to take him to Hickman.