True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-04-15
AWFUL MURDER ATA HOUSE OF
ILL-FAME.
Arrest Of the Murderer by Officer
Jones Of the Independent Police

IN relation to the mysterious assassination
Of Harvey Burdell in New York, or III
full particulars of the cowardly murde
of Samuel White in Washington county
reached the public ears, until we are cal
led TO record a tragic and fatal occur
renee in our own city, which will vie il
horror with either of the former, and was
even committed under circumstances fal
more revolving to the human heart
Deeds OF blood are fOllowig fast upon
the heels of each other. Crime is be.
coming alarmingly prevalentin our midst
and we fear is encouraged by the lax ad.
mlnistralion Of the law.
Let there be no compromise with jus.
tice and do not let US suffer ourselves to
be moved by feeling Of false sympathy
for the guilty criminal. and we may pre-
dict safely rapid decrease of such out
rages on the peace and safety Of the COM
munity, as have lately appalled, the
public ear.
Last evening, about six o'clock the no.
ted Eliza Brown rushed in 10 Alderman
Majors Office, and informed him that a
man had been shot at den of infamy
on Union alley, near the forth stleet road,
kept by Ann Wilcox, alias Mrs Jones.
On repairing to the spot, the Squire
found there was no particular excitement
in the house, and was referred up stairs,
on asking what had occurred. At the
top OF the first landing he found the body
of Wiliam Campbell, in cronching po-
sition. with bullet hole in the right
temple. He was gasping for breath,
and at every attempt, blood in great guam
titles would flow from the wound. On
asking who had fired the shot, be was
told that it was James Jones, husband Of
the woman that kept the house.
Mr. Major then Immediately despatch.
ed officer Jones of the independent police,
10 arrest him, who in the space of an
hour, succeeded in doing so, at Keyser's
Exchange, on Liberty street, and commit,
ted him to the care of Jailor Philips, and
he was confined in one OF the most Sc.
cure cells. He made no resistance, but
would give no satisfaction as to the cause
of his crime. When searched, no wea-
pom was on his person except knife
the reAolver he had thrown away.
Campbell never spoke afer he was shot,
and lived only an hour. When we con.
slider the absence of any provocation, it
was the most deliberate, cold booded and
unprovokeq murder that has ever come un-
der our notice, and we fervently hope
that Jones will suffer the just penalty.
And then think of the place.
Of man who has been leading dis.
ipated life, being hurried into eternity,
without a moments warning, in a house
dedicated to the lowest debauchery and
wickedness! But such vile holes are fiji
stages for like scenes, for they are the
highway which leads to them. TO
witness the callous. Indifferent behavior
Of the miserable girls, who were inmates
of the house, and who were called on to
testify before the corOner's jury, was real.
ly hear: sickening, and we could not re.
frain from asking ourselves, How is it
possible that women could be so trans.
formed, that every finer feeling for which
she is distinguished could become so
deadened
James Jones, the murderer, is the hus
band of Ann Wilcox, and has always
borne bad character; he was once
clerk at KIer and Jones warehouse.
The deceased, VIM. Campbell, was
the husband of Ellen Campbell. notori-
Gus woman living next door to Mrs. Jones
and was a wild reckless man.
At 7 o'clock, coroner Alexander was
summoned, and ajury empanneled, before
whom the testimony was given. After
being examined Samuel Lynch, Sarah
Williams and another female were com.
mitted to jail:
Mary Wilcox, svOn-Live in Ale
gheny city: about 10 o'clock on Tues
day morning came to the house of James
Jones - my son-in-law, who lives back of
the Pennsylvania Avenue, when | came
to the house, Sarah Williams, The cook
was in the kitchen she informed Inc that
Ann, my daughter, was nearly dead
went up stairs and saw Jones, whom
thought was sober; Ellen Doake lay
very sick in another bed in The room
asked James to send for the doctor be
said he had sent for DR.. Murdoch
about 5 o'clock in the evening, VIM.
Campbell came 10 the door and said he
wanted 10 speak to Jim Jones Mrs.
Jones told Sarah Williams 10 let him in
Jones at The time was standing on the
hearth, in The room up stairs, where bis
wife lay sick. Campbell came up stairs
and stood at the door of The room he
said 10 Jones, have something interest.
ing 10 tell you ; saw Jones ADVANCE to.
wards the door, and stand with his left
hand on the jam, and have a pistol in his
right hand; directly afterwards heard
pistol fired off heard no conversa'iOn be-
tween Jcnes and Campbell, except as
above stated; | tainted as soon as the
pistol was fired; when l came to my sen.
ses, saw Campbell lying at the head ofI
the stairs, with one foot on the door sill i
blood was running from his head knew
he was shot; there was no one in the
room but James Jones, his wife, and Ell.
len Doake think Jones was drunk at the
time he shot Campbell smelt liquor on
his body; he was quiet all day saw a
pistol in his hand about minute before
he fred.
Alderman Major, sVorn-About six
O'Clock this evening was at my Office /;
Eliza Brown came running in, and said
q man was shot at the hopse of Ann
Wilcox on the 4lh stree. road left the
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