Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1892-02-27

ERDlCT OF THE JCnY.

The Coro.er's Ju.y investigating
he :Iy>,erI IA death 81 the >n.ate,t
man Miles Tnomer ~b. Vas found
~ hi- near the Methodist chutcl, il.
ih's place on Sa'ntda, night, F-i..
18th. "as c.'npo-e.i at Mes>rs JAS.
Norwood. ". G.. C,anir-e AMI Df.J
> Spn.eon, white; and Jay"es
Nichols, Richard Berry and Alex.
Web", c"l"re'i. the jury was in
session tour different times aud ex-
am'n-'i about twenty Witnesses.
Monday night, Feb 2Zud, the jury
rendered the following verdict:
That Mics Tooner came to his
death from effects of being .everciv
burned while his clothes were on
fire and were almost en,ueiv burned
from bis body, aud that origin OF fire
Is unknown TO the jury, but uYo.
the alleged confession OF Lewis Rut
tin, co'o'ed, The jury fluid sufficient
cause tor his detention to- the ,nves-
t'ga,ion Of a higher court"
RuFPIN CONFESSION.
: Henry Paul being duly SWORN saws !:
Nlen Lewis and | We're cutting wood
at court house he lLewis) seemed to he
uneasy. and | asked him what was the
matter: He replied that he WAS in
trout'ic and was seated. lie IIenryl
asked him What he Vas scared about =:
Lewis sad he could tell him IIenrv,
something ii he could keep a secret
and told him (flenryl TO wait until next
morniIg aud he would tell him about
1t. Aud t Is morning the 18th he told
him lac N.ewis) would tell him. and
Siil he Wl> the cause OF the death, and
that he did il i,iInstI . Eugene Hughe,
came into the room and nothing more
was SAID then about it, He C.enrv)
went out with Lewis and Lewis said he
would finish telling him about il as
they Went to Breakfast, but he did
not 60 Oh TO breakfast as | went, but he
(fieHiy met Lewis as he cane back,
between Methodist church and DR..
Ilrrls' residence. and Lewis told him
again that he would tell him the secret
II he Qlenry) promised not to tell it.
Lewis said l Knocked Miles in the head
ait | will show you the brick | did it
With, aud he pointed out in the middle
Ot The street about ten feet. Lewis said
that the plot Was made between him
>cit. Alice Cotton and Elijah Williams.
They met at Mr. JAS. A. Cheeks kitch-
en-, and atten they had been there Miles
came in. and Miles says hey" and he
(Miles) said "rhere's no chance for me
Tonight" and he (Lewis) says NO.
there's no chance, for | am on ueck to-
night" Miles says I'll leave. and start
I'd out, and Alice called him and told
him to wait that she wanted to see him.
AID they went on down to the GENE
terry, and then Elijah went down to
cemetery also. And he (LeWis) Went
on around to Methodist church alA
when he got there he met Miles and
knocked him down with the brick, and
that he had oil in Il fruit can and lie
poured it on him and struck Il match
and set fire to him (Mile>.) l saw nc
other brick where he pointed but the
one you (the jury have seen. Lewis
said after he set fire to him he went on
home. Alice told him (Miles) to go OF
and meet her at the Methodist church
| cannot say what time in the morning
it was Lewis Ruf1in made the comics.
sion it might have been . or II
O'Clock. but don't think il could have
been il O'clock.
Lewis Rufin was remanded back
to Jail TO await the action OF The
Grand Jury OF Orange Superior
Court which co I'VE March 2lst
and Henry Paul, the colorcd mar
who swore before the jury that Rnt
fin told him that he knocked Toome'
down and set him on fire, was held
in the um of 500 for his appear
ance at March term of court.
The jury declined to order the ar
rest and Imprisonment OF Alice Cot
ton and Elijah Williams.
And the horrible death # POO
Miles Tonmer reDains as much
mystery to day as it was on tina
eveh,tul Saturday night Feb. l3th
-HaokkeuOnrs and others of so