The New York herald., 1879-02-07
SHERIFF MAYS STATEMENT.
How the Negro Drugged and De-
ceived the Beautiful Emma"
A HUSBANDS CONFIDENCE.
Code OF Morals as Practised by
Jesse Rogers.
TAzEwELL. Tenn, Feb. 8, 1879.

Cnurcn mountain ana pointed TO tne 1fOnt. There,
perched raggedly the hillside the little vii
lage. famous before the for its exclusiveness,
famous during the for the terrible guerilla fight
ing that was waged about tits outskirts and famous
since for series of bloody tragedies, cul-
mnating in the Rogers-Jackson affair, upon
the investigation of which l was bent.
Volumes might be filed with the history of the
fierce loves and hates of that little town that lay
before us, so still and desolae in the wintry
of the deadly. feuds between the Union and rebel
families of the crazy struggles of desperadoes and
the troubles that sprung from breed of too amorous
gallants and of over-weak wives maidens. 1t had
little the look of village that the tempest
conflict could waken into activity and indeed it is said
to have lostmuch of its old time fire. church spire
bespeaking peace. from the heart the town;
court house that promised law and froned us
fine academy promising intelligence, crowned the
hill and left us the weak point of the brd's,eye
view. an exceedingly fimsy JAIL out of which any
,selfrespecting felon would hasten to escape We
stopped at the hotel run by Sheriff Mays. and at
once sought that functionary for had been informed
in Morristown that he knew really more about the
Rogers-Jackson matter than any man outside Of
the immediate ring, being Rogers confidential friend
found him not only ready to talk it over with me
but full Of information.
SHERIFF NAYS STATEMENT.
Stretching his legs up against the fireplace he be-
gan his narrative by saying, "What I am going to
tell you about it is what know to be the truth and
what am going to swear to in the Kentucky trial
next May
"When did you first know of Jackson's intimacy
with Mrs. Rogers?" asked with view of getting
him started
"Wel never knew 1t until it came out but
was satisfied of it long before perhaps year or six
months. Ed Jackson always great man
after women. He gave pretty much his whole time
gallanting around them. He used to brag heap
about his accomplishments with them and fire.
quently gave me the names Of white ladies' that he
said he had in his power He said he would carry
notes for their husbands to other women. and then
tell then, about it. He never mentioned Jess
Rogers wife to me. but told him he had better
leave the town. for was afraid somebody would kill
him. for his talk if for nothing else. One day Henry
Coin. a negro boy, told that Ed had told him he
was intimate with Emma Rogers He kept Dragging
t0 Henry about it. but Henry would not believe him.
At aot he took Henry to places where he could see
for himself that he telling the truth. When
Hen.y told me tackled Ed about it. After awhile
he confessed it to and told him he must leave
town at once. He wouldn't do it. however, but said
he could manage to get out of it-that they couldn't
catch him.
"why didn't you tell Rogers about it?'
II didn't know what to do. had known Jess and
Emma for years. They had boarded in my house
for four years, and more loving and affectionate
couple never 1 didn't believe it at first. I
knew Jess would kill him If he heard it. So I
thought I would wait. After a while I
got message from Emma to come to SEQ
her. didn't go. The boy kept coming
back after me, so finally made up my mind to CO.
went there and there nobody there but Emma
and me. We talked awhile and then asked her what
she had sent for for. She said she hadn't sent.
then told her what the boy had said and she rose
up and said do you think I am that sort of
womanY told her that in the four years had
known her thought she pure woman as
ever knew. but that if reports true had been
mistaken in her. She got very much excited at this,
but wouldn't talk to her and left, Now. my opin-
ion is that the woman just dying under IT, load
che carrying and that she sent for to tell
about it and try to get out of It, didn't go at first,
and l think Ed her and scared out of it.
She was in a fearful state for that year or so. She
sick in bed heap of the time and the rest of the
time she mighty nigh crazy. know, too. she
was begging her husband to go away from Tazewell
all the time
now ROGERS DISCOVERED wrE's pEnr1DY.
els it true that Rogers knew of 1t before the cleo
'why no! The way he found il out or suspected
1t. this:-On election day he missed Ed from
the polls and went to look him up. He thought he
might be down at his soger 81 house, he had been
working there. He went down there and couldn't
or two for his wife. and then out into the gar
den 10 see If he could find Ed When lie came back
in the house Ed in the front piazza and his wife
Just coming down stairs. He asked her what
she had been doing. and she said she had been look
ing after the bedding. This was the first suspicious
circumstance Jess noticed 1t was election
day. On the Monday following he to and
told me his wife had said had been to her. and
asked what went for. told him all about
by If reports arc true. then told him tho
whole thing. 1t struck him all in a heap
and he said he must Ed Jackson
and Coin at once. had noticed all day that
thing was weighing him down. I learned afterward
that that morning he had heard that Scott negro
boy who stayed his house, had spread sort Of
report about his wife. He took the boy into a room
sa ,me md eey @ se " his M ws inen o wppea % @ ana
visit and he came to me right away II was an hour
before he would get to the subject but kept beating
about it. When he had heard what had to say he
went right straight away after it, got Jackson and
Henry IN room. and told him would take him to
'thcm II he would promise me not to kill them. He
promised and went with him. told Jackson TO
confess 1t and not try to deny It, when he went in
he denied IT, TINS threw joss soS Sn s He
II he would send for two witnesses he would prove
that Jackson had told II to others besides him. n
son went with mo to my stable and told me il
would get Jess to talk to him he would confess TO
him about his wife and tell him great deal be-
sides. just then Jess came in with his pistol in one
nand and bundle OF letters in the other He handed
me the letters as he passed me and hurried to
me BACK room, where Jackson had Just gone.
By this time crowd had begun to collect and l
went to the front door to keep them out. thought
Jess was going to Try to make Nd tell him the truth
and the whole truth In short time saw him
dodge aud rock came flying his head At tho
same moment Ed dashed ou. of the door and was
gone. Jess followed him. shooting at him as he ran.
That is the last thing ever saw ot Ed Jackson"
JAcKsoS's PECULIAR METHODS
"What DO you thtnk OF tho seduction Of Mrs.
Rogcrsy'
''wcll. know heap about that. 1 nevor knew
better appearing woman in my life. You may ask
every soul In this county, and YOU won't hear a
breath against her except this thing. I know this to
be- sure, II Ed jackson, or for the matter of that
any white man had gone to Emma Rogers with an
Insulting proposal lie couldn't have got within rorty
yards OF her. She loved hcr husband to dea;h, and
vas AZ modest woman a. ever you The way
1t started this Jess Rogers was reported TO
be intimate with lady in this town. The rumors
pretty common about and Mrs. Rogers heard of
it. II worried her terribly and she would talk TO her
friends about It. Ed Jackson told her all about
her husband meeting this lady, and have seen her
myself out Watching Tor her husband where
Ed Jackson had posted her. I'd got into her
confidence and her secrets BY talking about her hus