Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-12
cuTHBERr JONES, PERIL.
gluding His Fathers Murderers-
would be Consul Saved His Life Yeara
Ago-sOme Terrible Moments.

gluding His Fathers Murderers-How a
would be ConsuI Saved His Life Years
Ago-sOme Terrible Moments.
From the Eeso York. Tribune.
WASHINGTON, June S.-A writer in the
gpndau Herald, speaking OF the statement
that Cuthbert Jones, of Louisiana, was
about to be made Consul at CALAIS, print
I'd in several newspapers last week, re-
calls the incident which gave rise to the
rumor that the United States District At
toruey had been requested to get out a
warrant for jones' arrest as a murderer.
carly half a century ago there lived in
4ba parish OF Catahoula, La, two plant
ars. Jones and Liddell, who owned nearly
the entire parish between them. 4
difference of opinion arose that
ended IN a pistol and knife fight, in
which Mr.. Jones was badly wounded The
faul grew until nearly every gentleman
bp fine Black and Ouachita rivers WAS
either in sentiment or in person, on one
side or the other. Early in january, 1870,
Gen. St. John Liddell, who was a we'll
known Confederate brigade and division
commander, was killed on board the
steamer st. Mary, at landing on Black
river. bv MIR. Jones who, at the time, hap
the younger one being about IS or II years
old. They were all Immediately arrested,
and while at HarTisOnburg, the parish
seat. awaiting legal action, a party of
Gen Liddell's friends took the Joneses-
father and eldest sOn-from the Sheriff
who had them in custody and shot them
TO death. AS they had been disarmed they
could make no effective resistance.
OuthOert Jones escaped as by miracle.
He saw his father and brother fall and
die with their faces to their slayers.
Then his enemies, determining not to
leave one OF the Joneses to tell the tale.
started to hunt him. He was in a room
in the second story of the building where
they were all confined, and soon they came
10 his hiding place. BE was entirely
without arms or friends. The leap from
the window would dash him to pieces be-
low, and to remain meant death in a mo-
ment more. Alongside the lower window
sill there was ledge Just wide enough to
get a fair finger grip. Having been to
school in Germany, Cuthbert Jones was
a fair gvmnast for his age. The window
was open. While his hunters were
breaking in the door he lightly
dropped out Of the window, swinging
down at arms length, and moving two OF
three feet to the right was out of sight and
hanging 60 feet in The AIR. He heard the
door give way, and in the furious crowd
rushed. They Immediately saw the open
window and concluded that he had some
how escaped that way. Fortunately the
night was pitohy dark, of a blackness
never seen except in the far South, and
the pine torches only made the immediate
darkness blacker. So he was unseen.
How he kept his hold so long he hardly
knows. But when he heard the last of
the crowd descending the stairs, he moved
back, and by tremendous effort got hold
Of the window sill and drew himself in
side and fell on the floor.
Cuthbert Jones is an applicant for the
Calais Consulate. He is well qualified
for that Or any other position IN the Con-
suar service. He speaks German,
French. Spanish and Italian as he does
his mother tongue. Gen. Grant appointed
him Consul to TripOli in 1876, when he
was just II, and the records of the State
Departments testify how well he performed
bis duty. He has the air, breeding and
bearing of a gentleman. He would have
been transferred to Santiago de Cuba as
Consul, under Garfield, if he had not
been a Democrat, and the Republican
Senator from Louisiana had a man Of his
own political faith named instead.