The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1889-06-13
TWO NOTED CRIMINALS.
BEHIND TIE BARS IN ALABAMA,
Elsey, alias Jim Brown, Denies Kill.
ing Hrs. Hargrove.

the editor deemed it advisable to visit the
Jail and see the noted criminals, Dick
HAYES, the murderer of his wife and two
children, and Ben Elsey, alias Jim Brown,
colored, who is considered the murderer
of Mrs. Hargrove in Cobb county.
The Jail is two story brick, with Offices
in front, while the rear building is filed
with two story iron cells. In this Jail are
$50 prisoners, 80 OF whom are white,
balance negroes, in for all grades of crime,
from petty larceny to murder. Twenty
FIVE are murderers, and four are under the
sentence of death. Among the latter is
- Dick Halves. He was convicted of the
murder of his little daughter, May, and
his death sentence has been fixed to take
place on the 18th of July next. He is also
charged with the murder of his wife and
little daughter, Irene, whose bodies were
found in Lakeview.
The polite deputy jailor, Mr.. j. D.
Myers, said HAYES had an aversion to
being interviewed by newspaper men, but
we could send note up to his cell and see
whether he would talk with us few min
utes. In answer to note, Halves appear
ed in person at the grated door, He wore
no coat, but appeared tidy and clean. He
is a splendid looking man, of compact
build and fine physique. He has dark
hair and moustache, and black eyes. We
gave him our name and alluded to a
friend and former engineer, with whom he
used to run as fireman. He chatted
pleasantly and enquired about his friend S
habits Of life and prosperity. We then
touched on the matter of his being in jail
charged with the terrible crime of murder.
ing his wife and children. He cast his
eyes toward the floor and for a moment
appeared ill at ease, nervous in action and
tremulous in voice. EYES," he said, II
have been convicted and sentenced to die
but am the innocent victim of suspicion
and i'll. tated circumstances. | hope to get
a new trial and change of venue My
trial here was not free from bias and
prejudice, and with fair trial I can be
cleared" He then grew suspicious and
asked IL we were not a newspaper man
We told him we were a member of the
Georgia Press Association, in the city only
for the day. He cared not to mind this
A friend at this juncture handed him q
book to read and asked the return of one
previously loaned, and we bid him good
bye. Halves is generally believed to be
guilty by the citizens of Birmingham, and
there seems to be little hope of his escap
ing the gallows.
BEN ELsEY
was also called to the crate. He is a
black negro, apparently about thirty-fve
years old, stout and heavily built. He
looks you square in the face most all the
time when talking to you, and seems tc
have desire to be pleasant in speech.
We asked him if he ever saw us before.
He said, NO. sir.
Did you and your wife ever work in
Marietta, Ca, for Mr.. Pink Stephens?"
No, sir"
Did you ever work for Mrs. Hargrove
near Smyrna"
"Oh, yes, sir"
did you work for Mr.. Stephens about a
week before going to Mrs HargroveY'
No, sir never worked for anybody in
Marietta"
well, do you know who killed Mrs
Hargrove?'
mo, sir. The first heard of her being
killed was when Detective Cason come
from Atlanta and said l done it. but
didn't. / was right here in Birmingham
when that happened and / can prove it. y
well, did you ever get black vest
from young Ms. Wood, who lived with Mrs
Hargrove2"
yes, sir, but l let John Albert, colored
have that vest, as Ophelia, the woman ]
lived with, but who is not my wife, will tel
you"
well, that vest was found on the day
/ Of the murder near Smyrna, in the track
of the fleeing murderer, and Mr.. Wooc
recognized that vest as the one he let you
have"
well, sir, can't help it. John Albert
must have killed the old lady. as he threat
ened to get even with her when we worked
together for her. He said she hadn't
treated him right,
"And you don't know anything about
] who killed and robbed Mrs. HargroveP"
''No, sir, / don't. am in here now fol
help killing man named Meadows, and
expect they will hang me for it. If they
do will say on the gallews, if DOM
forget it, just what l say to you, that
never killed Mrs. Hargrove.
4 We asked him if he didn't get off o.
the Georgia Pacific construction train al
Middleton the day before the murder, and