Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-12-13
THE ADA JONES MURDER.
A Few More rse..-Ihe murderers


This morning writ Of habeas corpus
was served on Sheriff Wright command
ing him to bring the bodies of Van Rob
erts, Savage and Sullivan before Judge
Halsey at two o'clock this evening. The
legal proceedings to get the parties out
on bonds was disposed of by the grand
jury Of the Criminal Court to-day, who
found true bills Of Indictment for muir
der in the first degree against w. Van
Roberts, J. II. Savage and Pat Sullivan.
VIZ MORE IioHr.
A woman named Mary Brown, who
resides in disreputable house in North
Memphis, made statement last evening
to deputy sheriff which confirms the
facts heretofore published. Mary Brown
states that she was at Mares restaurant
the evening after the murder, and that
the young man, Bonner, who waited on
Van Roberts, Savage and Sullivan, in
the room above, where Ada Jones was
murdered, stated to her that he saw W.
Van Roberts shoot Ada Jones in the
room, in the presence of Savage and
Sulliyan."s Another link in the proof
has come to light. 1t will be remem-
bered that Van Roberts was arrested in
the alley between the 0verton Hotel and
Mares saloon, by officers Mcfarland
and Mccormick, on Sunday morning.
A negro states that he saw Van Roberts
early that morning standing in the alley
Immediately under the gallery where the
dead body of the woman was lying, and
that Roberts was looking up towards the
gallery.
This is a strange revelation. 1t would
seem that the unfortunate man could
not leave the accused spot, but hung
around it as if fascinated by some un-
seen power. Our reporter interviewed
Sullivan at the Jail EAST evening and OBJ
tanned the following statement. The
cause Of this visit to the jail was as fol
lows: On Sunday last, while the inquest
was progressing, our reporter met Sulli-
van on Main street while he was in the
custody of the jailer. In conversation
which ensued, the question was asked by
the reporter: "What do you know about
it2' The answer of Sullivan was u
know all about it," In order to find out
all about it our reporter visited Sullivan
at the Jail.
THE STATEMENT.
The substance of Mr.. Sullivan's state
ment was as follows: "0n Saturday
night about nine o'clock / came up town
to procure a CRATE, and was on my way
home when | met the jailer of Shelby
county on Main street, near the Overton
Hotel; we went into Mares saloon and
had drink; there l met Roberts, whom
had known since the time his brother,
Elisha Roberts, was tried for house
burning; the jailer left, and Roberts and
took drink; / remarked to Roberts
that had had no supper and must go
home; he said, come up stairs and eat
some oysters; | went up, and saw
Savage, Ada Jones and the girl Smith
in the room; we had oysters and
drinks; Savage and | got into a contro-
versy about Irishmen; Roberts went out
on the porch several times; the last time
he returned from the porch he leaned his
elbow on the table and cried; did not
see Ada Jones in the room at this time;
| said to him, slapping the table with my
hand: eff you don't like me, what fit"
or something to that effect; Roberts put
his hand in his pocket, took out some
thing that looked bright, and held it
down by his side, little behind him; he
invited me out in the alley to have fight;
at this time the boy Bonner came up,
and said Mr.. Marie wanted to see me
down stairs; went down, and Marie
said to me, That the party did not
want me up stairs, and there would
be a row if stayed there | went out
and remained down near the Worsham
House, on Adams street, about three
quarters of an hour; then went back to
Mares saloon, and found Savage and
Roberts at the door; invited them
home with me, and we three went to my
house; / was intoxicated at the time,
and have no recollection when the girl
Ada Jones left the room; the girl must
have been killed by Roberts while / was
away at the Worsham House." Here
the statement, so far as it concerned the
affair, ended, and our reporter left the
Jail.
Coroner Moffatt has been working en-
ergetically in the case, leaving no stone
unturned to get at the facts, and he has
proven himself to be an efficient and en-
ergetic officer of the law.