The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-14
THE EVANSVILLE TRAGEDY.

wood or old iron.
THE EVANSVILLE TRAGEDY.
a HORRIBLE DESCRIPTION OF WIFE MURDER.
The particulars of the terrible crime no
ticed yesterday by telegraph are given by the
Evansville papers. The Courier's account
is as follows: In the eastern part of the
city, at No. 112 Olive street, near Lafayette
street, just in the rear OF the E. & G.. r.
r. shops, resided colored man named
Alfred Jones. Yesterday morning his wife,
Johanna Jones, went out washing for a
family on Walnut street. leaving her little
children at home, as well as her husband,
who, contrary to his usual ways, staid at
home from work. Between three and tour
O'Clock the victim returned from her work
and going into her house commenced to
put on her shoes. Her husband, Alfred
Jones, SOON came in semi-intOxicated con-
dition, and, seeing her thus engaged, asked
her sharply where she was going. She re-
piled that she was going out, and
this soon led on to other words, when
finally she declared she was going
away, as he was drunk. Jones then
got up and commenced to move toward his
wife, repeating, threateningly, "You're go
ing to leave me, eh?'' at the same time grab
bling an axe. The unfortunate woman, with
one shoe on and the other foot encased in a
stocking, got up, and, as he struck at her,
ran up TO him, catching hold of his arms
and crying ''don't kill me, Jones'" Her
cries frightened off two colored women who
ran out, crying at the top of
their voices, "Murderl Murder!" This
attracted the neighbors, among whom
was Sylvia Clark, the mother of the muir
dered woman, who lived across the street
and now reached the scene of the bloody
l. T0k.a al. IL
streaming from her mouth, ran out of the
house to the gate, her husband
IN PURSUIT WITH THE AVE.
The mother, to save her daughter, ran be-
tween the couple, but with curses Jones
threatened to kill her too, at the same time
striking two or three times, but only sue
ceeded in grazing the old womsn's throat
with an axe-handle. One of the
blows, however, struck the victim OF
the jealous husbands rage, and
she fell. Turning from the mother the
bloody william struck his wife, PROSTATE al
his feet, on the mead three times, killing
her almost instantly. Dropping the axe by
| the side of his victim, with an exclamation,
"Pm done with you, -" Jones
walked of leisurely a short dis
lance, but soon broke into run
1 n
form CT the deceased, lying in the dust, in
the half open gate, the face downward ia a
pool of blood, while two little children
gazed in silent wonder on the bleeding vic
| tim and the weeping mother.
Yesterday morning Jones remained away
! from his work, and at ten O'Clock was al
home. Here he said to Sarah Rose, a col
ored women who was sick in bed, 'I'm going
/ to do dirt to-day,-a Ben Sawyer trick" bui
made no threats in connection with his
wife's name. During the day he was at Alb
Clouds saloon on Vine street, where
he drank some, and was making in.
quiry in reference to his wife going buggy
riding, which it seems had been told him by
a colored woman named Susan Kirby, al
whose house he was great part of the day
and who, during the coroner's inquest, came
and took the infant child away, notwith.
standing the protests of the women
DIR. Linthicut, after examining the body
found several bruised places, bu
the fatal wound was the fracture of the left
top side of the skull, known as the parieta
bond, and in accordance with the facts giver
above a verdict was rendered. The axe
was produced, but singular to relate not {
speck of blood was to be seen upon it. In
examining the clothing of the unfortunate
victim. fifty cents, the result OF her day:
washing was found tied in a corner of mel
apron. The news spread rapidly, and soor
Deputy Marshal Breunecke. Marshal Gavit
and Chief Roesner, as we'll as the sherlH anC
staff, were alter the murderer. The former
searched through some corntields. and as ht
entered woods on the K. Il G. r. r., nea
the fair ground, saw a coiored man lyins
ON the ground under a tree. AS sooI
as he heard the officer approach he jumped
up, and the officer, by the description given
arrested the fellow who confessed to tn,
murder and went with the officer, coolly en-
quiring as he walked if his wife was dead.
The prisoner is tail, black looking fellow
about forty years OF age, and has been EN-
ployed as a workman at the S. +. r. II
wharf boat. He was a pretty stead
fellow, but got drunk occasionally
He had been qusrreling with hi
wife for weeks before. When arreste
! he acted coolly about the affair, and said b
was ready for the rope or penitentiary TO
life. The victim is about twenty-four wear
of age, ard was married to Jones last Octo
Der, and leaves an infant child. She is
small, yellow colored woman, and had beel
divorced from a former husband names
Jackson.
George William Curtis conducted tn
i Ty,st