The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-01-17
cHoKED TO DEATH.
Hep. Temples Indicted for the Muir
der of his wife.

It is our unpleasant duty TO chronicle
one Of the most atrocious deeds that has
ever been perpetrated in this city, and
one that has invoked the most intense
Indignation among all classes of the com
munity, and especially amongthe colored
people. At an early hour yesterday
morning, there we're numerous reports
in circulation as to the manner in which
Eep. s. Temples had killed his wife.
Mayor MeGill summoned jury of in
quest, and after a patient investigation,
including an autopsy by Drs. Craft and
Harrington, found as follows:
We, the jury empannelled to inquire
into the cause of the death of Julia
Temples, find that she came to her
death by strangulation at the hands of
her husband, Nep. S. Temples.
b. w. GRIFFITH,
p. MCNEIL,
J. T. PEATRosa,
JOHN HANsBERRY,
+. BLOOM,
A. LEHMAN.
This finding was handed to the Dis
trict Attorney, and the grand jury be-
ing session, Temples was, in a few
minutes, indicted for murder. Temples
was arrested at an early hour and lodged
in Jail, where he affects ignorance as to
the manner in which his wife met her
death.
The facts elected before the jury Of
inquest are Overwhelmingly against him,
and justify the finding. His little girl
Eyangeline, about nine years old, testi-
fled that she and her little brother were
in the adjoining room, that she heard
her mother plead with her father not to
kill her, that she had two children to
care for, etc. On her father leaving the
house she aroused her brother, who was
still sleeping, and on going to their
room, found her stretched on
the floor in her night-dress, her head
toward the fireplace, and her feet to-
ward the center of the room. She was
then breathing her last. The screams
OF the children soon alarmed the neigh
bors, and it was fortunate for Temples
that ali officer of the law found him be-
fore the people of his color realized the
enormity of his crime. The throat of
deceased showed the marks of thumb
and fingers, and the lungs were filled
with coagulated blood, showing conclu-
sively that death resulted from strangu-
lation.
The testimony before the jury showed
that for some time past Temples has
been habitually cruel to his wife. On
Monday SHE 'snnteef 90 make 70 payment
On their house to the contractor, but he
,Iemples) insisted on deferring the pay
mcnf until yesterday noon. And then,
there has been considerable feeling against
him among a good portion of the patrons
Of the public school because while he was
trustee during last term, he persist
ed IN electing and having retained a
teacher with whom his name was not
very creditably associated. On the re-
organization of the board on the first
Monday OF this month, this matter was
referred to Il committee to investigate.
The investigation took place on Mon
day, and the teacher referred to was al |
lowed to resign, OF which privilege she
availed herself, Temples wife has re-
peatedly demonstrated against his infdel-
ity to her, and this, and whatever diff
ferenecs they may have had about the
payment for their home, determined
him to commit the awful deed which
has so shocked the community.
1t appears that Temples and his
brother-in-law Meredith are employed on
the new Government building, and they
have usually left home about six o'clock
every morning. lit has been the duty Of
Temples to call the roll of the laborers,
and it was after rollc call yesterday morn
ing, that he went home, and while there
killed his wife in the manner stated. He
went back to the building and resumed
work, and while there was arrested. He
protests his innocence, and will have an
early opportunity of endeavoring to
prove it.