Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-06-13
TEE NANSEHOND MURDERS.
Statement Of his yyiTe-Interest-
ing Details of the Tragedy.
Norfolk journal, 9Th


ing Details of the Tragedy.
Norfolk journal, 9Th.
Jim Brown, the negro who murdered
Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Dozier, near Suf-
folk, and who is now in Jail, makes the
following confession. We also pub
lish his wife's statement !:
GO left home Sunday morning for
Mrs. Jones house at sunrise. [ was
under the shelter near the house when
the young ladies left the house to go to
church. knew that Mr. Jones was
not at home. 1 went into the side
door. Mrs. Jones was sitting near the
fire place. Mrs. Dozier was sitting
near the window. 1 asked Mrs. Jones
for money. She said if l did not go
away she would tell on me. / made
grab for her pocket to get the keys
She attemptt TO rise from her chair.
and / struck her twice over the head
with a piece Of wood and killed her.
Mrs. Dozier got up out of the chair
wherc she was sitting, and said,
I'm, DON'T KILL MET
and started toward the door / struck
her three times with the same piece of
wood. As soon as | saw that they were
both dead, [ locked the door and went
into Mrs. Jones room and took this
pocket-book ont of the burea,l-drawer
[ then went up stairs into Mrs. Dozier's
room and found her keys i'll the draw
ers: did not disturb anything. / came
down stairs and went ont at the back
door. and went up the road as far as
Captain Jett's. I left the pocket-book
and contents in an oak bush by the
roadside. The pocket book, for the
possession of which the deed was COM
mittcd, contained only some four or
five dollars. L then went home |
did not intend to kill Mrs. Jones and
Mrs. Dozier if they would give me
money when I asked for it, [ was not
i'll Mr.. Jones house over twenty
minutes"
DESCRIPTION OF TIE MURDERER.
Jim Brown is very black, rvpul-
sive looking negro, with Il low, re
treating forehead. His eyes are large,
and over the left one is an ugly scar,
which he said was occasioned by
mule kicking him He is of medium
build, about five feet ten Or eleven
inches in height, and weighs about one
hundred and siXty-tive pounds. He
generally went barefor ted. He Was
raised III Gates county, \. c., where
his mother still resides.
STATEMENT OF THE MURDERER'S WIFE.
Myra Brown, the murdercr's wife,
made the following statement
jim, ny husband, left home Sunday
morning about sunrise. He told me
he was going to get something to put
on the fire. That .aorliing he had ON
Il bleached cotton shirt (Which has
since been found with blood upon it }
He came back about 10 o'clock a. m.
and eat his breakfast, but did not
seem to he hungry; he is generally
big eater About L O'Clock l got news
Of the murder. Jim went off to some
of the neighbOrs to inform them of the
murder. In the afternoon ] went
down to Mr.. .Iones's. Jim did Mt want
me to GO, but [ went. and he finally
went with me. He didn't go into
Joness,
TO SEE THE CoRPsEs.
He left me there and came home il
to talk about parties searching his
house. I WAS talking about the mur-
der, and jim told me to hush, that
happened on Sunday On Monday
Jim got up in the morning and com
menced ploughing. l had started
down tie road to Mr. Jones, met jim,
and he asked me if I had anything to
eat in the house. l went back and
fried him some meat. He did not ca
much. After dinner asked him to
GO TO THE FUNERAL.
He said he would not go. He said lie
thought the best thing he could do was
to 60 away. I kept after him, and
ASKED him if he done the murder. At
first he said ne did, and next he said
he did rot know whether he done it or
no. Then l had to coax him for some
time to go the funeral. 1t was Il hard
matt II to get HIM out Of the yard
Finally he started with me, bat kept
continually stopping on the road he
did not seem to want 10 go. When we
got near Cypress chapel he stepped off
the road into the woods. and held up
his right hand and prayed that the
LORD WOULD FORGIVE HIM
for what he had done. looking toward
Heaven at the time. He said if the
Lord would forgive him be would not
do so any more. [ never heard him
pray before in my life When ne came
out Of the woods [ said to him, Jim.
/ have told you dozens of times that
vou would be hurg." He said,
This Is MY TIME
/ said: ''Iou never vault hear to
me before / recAon you can nov. =
He started mp the road ahead OF me.
L overlook him. tie was talking TO
Jack Council. He said he believed he
would go down to Captain .Tett's and
get his horse and plow an hour OF two.
and then he would go over to Mr..
Jones. | said he would be too late if
he did not go then. Otfices Steele
then asked her WHY ste said they
would be too late. She said 1--WE
understood that the grand Jury were
to meet at Mr.. Jones, and everybody
/ were to put their hands on the corpse,
and whoever committed the murder
| the blood would run on their hand.
Jim said he did not want to do it, for
the blood might run on his hand, and
| they would say he done the murder.
South CnrOsiga EtclnS.