Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-10-11
WEsT CHESTER Letter.


The sea, my pathway, spreads her deep
with foses
To my red gates.
WEST CHESTER LETTER.
The Highland Murdsr-The Capture Of
Daniel Jones-HlstorY Of the Atfair-
Your Reporter Interviews the Prisoner
"a Riot IN West Chester.
srec'al CorTesnondence OF the STATE JousNAL
WEST CHESTER, Oct. 3.-This morning
about 2 O'Clock, Daniel Jones, who shot
Jacob johnson alias Nelson, WAS lodged
in the Chester county jail. The following
is the history of the stf,ir 81 Tar as we
have bern able to procure;
On Monday, August 9th, news was
brought to West Chester that about .
O'Clock on the evening previous, negro
man by the name of Jacob johnson alias
Nelson, had been shot by another negro
man, in Highland township, by the name
of Daniel Jones, who lived near Parks
burg. 1t appears that the latter had had
some difficulty with his wife about two
years ago, and left her to live with a
white woman. with whom he lived
until about the first of July when she
died. His first wife then went to live
with johnson who claimed to be her
nephew. They went TO live upon the
property Of John Phipps, near Gum Tee.
On Monday afternoon Jones was seen
leaving Parksburg, with shot gun, in
the direction Of Gum Tree. After John
son had finished his work in the evening
and was in the act of lighting his pine,
the family was startled by the report of a
gun, at the came time johnson fell, hav-
! ing been shot i'll the hip. After the shoot.
ing Jones ran into the house, and the
woman ran upstairs and Jumped out the
second story window aud seereted her
self in the bushes. The screams of the
wounded man were heard by Mr.. Phipps.
who, with hired man, went to his nid,
and medical assistance sent for. Dr..
| llauey examined the wound and pro-
uunccd Ii Veiy serious, the Whole load
having tnterci the hip. The victim was,
the following day taken to the Poor House,
and warrant taken out for the arrest OF
Jones and placed in the hands of Cen
stable George Worrest, The above are
all the facts that can be collected at
present. On Tuesday the Goth of August,
after suffering fearful pain the victim
died.
The next day, Coroner Joseph b.
Smith, accompanied by DIS. Price and
Hopkins and DistrctAitOrney Wauger, re
paired to the Poor House for the purpose
of investigating the case. The coroner
empanelled jury Of inquest. DR.. Hop
kins testified that he made a post nlOrten
examination of the body of johnson, and
found that he came to his death from
the wounds. With this evidence, tht
jury rendered verdict "that the sait
Jacob johnson came to his death on the
night oil August 19ih 1878, at the Ches
ter county ulmshOuse, from wounds sup
: posed 10 lave been inflicted by gun, II
the hands of Que DaI iel JOues, in High
and township, Chester county, Pa, ant
not otherwise" number of eiiOru
were made by the Wesl Chester authori
ties to arrest Jones, but upon every occa
sion be eyad,d them. Finally the com
=, missioners offered private reward o
! uDe hundred dollars, and put tine mfor
. nation in the hands of cOnstables am
other reliable gentlemen.
On Wednesday last Mr.. f. Eby, O
Salisbury township, Lancaster county
called upon them rs the representative Q
d constable Samuel Bowman, and asked
y they would give one hundred dollars fo
e Jones, to which the commissioners al
e swered in the affirmative, Tue result c
e this was the arrest of Jones.
o This morning your reporter called upo
l. Mr.. David Mcfarland, one of tine priso
Q inspectors, and solicited permit to il
n telview jones, which was very kind
5, furnished. with the provision that he We
n lot to enter upon any conversation wit
Of the prisoner upon the murder. Iavin
he secured our passport we proceeded to Il
Il. prison and presented to MIR. b. Haine
C. the keeper, our order, aud were vel
Id soon ushcred into the presence Of DAM
iy Jones' lie is about five feet ten inch
ks high and weighs probably 100 pound
~ quite dark, and bears the appearance oi
very muscular man his personal a
peHrauce Was not very prepossessing {
account of the life be has been living.
he We stated our business to him and W
in furnished with the following;
er 81 was arrested last evening about
al o'clock upon the properly of Nj
hv McIlvane, salisbury township, Laneasl
no county, about one and-G half miles mort
m. east OF the Gap" and one mile nor
ed of the Lancaster pike, by officer sanl
= Bowman, of the same place. l "
a. going over to Charles Briutou's where |
IN son lives and was met by Bowman as
TO was crossing the pike; he told me
de stop that he had a warrant for my ARE
& - J
I'M started IN run through a corn field
,rr followed me and shot me, the ball TAXI
nj effect in the calf Of my left leg"
SIS. Reportcr-Did you then stopl
his Jones-No, / continued toTun when
fired another, which grazed my ri
shoulder, cutting my coat. By this ii
we had got to Hammelown creek and
the meadows OF Mrs. Mclivane.
Rep. Did you not feel any inconv
rise ience from your woundl
ldy Jones-Yes, began 70 feel weak 9
lair ran across the creek, and stopped, wi
ar. / called to Bowman that if he would II
an me right that | would give myself
we'd He said that he would and asked me
she was armed, l said no, aud then "
ars across the creek TO him. We then star
ise. down the pike ard stopped at Stcpl
96 NeyhOuser's aud left word for yol
fler man, by the name of Jimmy Togood,
had bring my clothes from Columbia
10. COatsevile.
this Kep.-tlow did they get there1
ely, Junes-l mad them sent up there
mo- thought il was about time to get away
life, Rup.-Where did you then 90.
hen JonCs-We went down to the Gap,
Bowman telegraphtd for the tain WI
passes there about 9.3s =. m to stop.
was a through train. When il cs
down we got on aud went to Down
rett, town, here we got off and came owe
1een West Chester in wagon.
ped We then rroeeeded to inquire Il
lay. into his previous lie, out could get '
most little from him.
SION Rep. Where were you bornf
flied JOues-Iu the State OF Maryland, al
ther twenty miles from Baltimore on
Mr.. road leading from Baltimore to l.
Il he York, at little place called Haverio
Rsp.-Were you slave.
Jones No, was always free n
but my parents were slaves.
,lerk Rep-How old do you think you al
mis- Joues-I was forty-nine last May.
has Rep.-When did you cone TO n,
iung county.
and Junes-About four years ago.
lrch, Rep.-Whete from
lever Jones-FrOm Lancaster county.
dis Rep.-How long is it since you
Maryland.