Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1892-12-21
IS JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE
VERDICT RENDERED IN THE
JONES TRAGEDY.
The Testimony Was Concluded
At Noon and the verdict Made
Up and Given In just Twenty
Five Minutes.

When the cororcr's inquest in the Jones
case was resumed in the court room
Yesterday afternoon at O'Clock, the
cross-examination of Robert Jones was
taken up by J. H. Merrimon. The wit
ness said that when J. w. Stevens came
to him Saturday morning with a war
rant for the arrest of Bob" Jones, his
father, o. R. Jones, said he would not
suffer his son to he arrested. Stevens,
witness said, spoke in friendly manner
and advised him to submit peaceably.
Witness father went away and after
awhile came back with Jesse Jones,
seeing which, Stevens expressed the fear
that there would be trouble. Up to this
time Stevens had said or done nothing
in an unfriendly spirit. The first of the
difficulty occurred when the elder Jones
crossed the creek and told Stevens that
if he crossed he would whip him. Wit
ness admitted that it was his purpose to
assist his father IN his resistance if nee
essary. When DR.. Stevens rode into the
creek witness father told him if he
crossed he would kill him. He fired at
DR.. Stevens before the latter presented
his pistol, and the Doctor then fired, from
his horse. The men then engaged in a
scut1le, and witness then saw ]. W..
Stevens fire and his father fall.
| w. G.. Reeves, a son.in.law of o. r.
Jones, testified that in the parleying
between J.. w. Stevens and the elder
Stevens the latter took off his coat and
told Stevens that he might shoot if he
wanted to; that he (Jonesl hadn't long
TO stay here anyway, and might as well
die and 60 to hell then IS at any other
time. Witness called to DR.. Stevens to
stop, thinking he might avert difficulty,
but apparently was not heard. Old man
Jones cooked his gun and said "The first
man that crosses the creek with the in
tention of arresting Bob will get this
load" After Jones shot at DR.. Stevens,
the latter fired at Jones, but, witness
thought, did not aim to hit him. DR.,
Stevens also fired, but apparently not to
hit Jones. Jones then threw his gun
across the creek at ]. w. Stevens. Several
shots were then exchanged. Witness
could not say who shot the elder Jones
but the shot came from the direction o
]. w. Stevens and Bob Penland. Saw ]
w. Stevens shoot Jesse Jones and also
saw Jesse shoot several times.
On cross-examination Reeves testified
that 0. X. Jones cursed !. w. Stevens
and that he swore no man should exc
cute the road law on hisson. Helhad also
advised witness not to comply with tht
law.
Robert Jones was recalled and asked i
he knew Jesse had pistol before HI
went to the creek. Hereplied in the neg
ative; that he knew nothing of Jesse
pistol until ]. w. Stevens fired at O. X
Jones. Then Jesse fired at ]. w. Stevens
the latter returned the fire and Jess
fell.
At the conclusion of this testimony tn
inquest was adjourned until 10 o'cloc
Wednesday.
Todav's Session.
The inquest was resumed at 1915 thl
morning. A. E. Fore testified that J. W
Stevens summoned him to help arres
Bob and Frank Jones. They met Ri'
Jones at the creek, with his son and sor
in-law. Riel Jones told them to get o
of Ibis dirt" Witness told him h
was his friend, and would get off a
soon as the officers would let him. Bo
Jones mounted his mule and started 70
home, when Riel Jones crossed the cree
and told ]. w. Stevens if be crossed h
would whip him. Stevens replied he di
not want to hurt Jones, they had alway
been friends. Jones pulled open HI
breast and said: "Shoot me if you war
to; you can't wrong ME out of man
days anyway" Stevens did not eros
tne creek then. DR.. J. M. Stevens can
up and said: "Riel Jones won't shoe
shoot me-" When they reached IL
creek, O. r. Jones was on opposite ban
with gun on his shoulder, waving h
hand and saying that he would shoe
the first man who crossed. DR.. Stevel
rode into creek while ]. W. Stevens r
mained on other side. DR.. Stevens ROT
across, and when his horses feet we
about the brink, Jones brought his &,
down and fired. Then Jesse Jones sh'
across the creek at Jim Stevens, al
Jim shot at Jesse. o. r. Jones thre
his gun at Jim Stevens al
picked up rocks. Witness then sa
pistol in DR.. Stevens hand for the fir
time. Riel Jones ran up, caught DR.. 81
vens by the arm and pulled him off
horse. Witness ran across creek al
took hold of DR.. Stevens. About tn
time Riel Jones was shot, and cried, "
Lord, am killed" Jesse Jones sh
again, and about that time Jessie Jor
- was shot, and dropped down almost
his father. Witness did not know W
shot Jesse Jones. No one was drink
in the crowd, that witness could disco
Thos. Fore and N. p. Penland WI
called, but knew nothing that had r
already been told.
I. B. Clayton said Doctor Stevens h
taken drink of whiskey with him, b
was cool and rational, and compete
to discharge business.
Warrants issued by Sheriff Brookshi
n for the arrest of Robert Jones and Fra
y Jones. were offered in evidence.
~ Solicitor Carter then said he could
no use of going through all the testimc
again as to the death of Jesse Jones.
Three of the jurors in the o. X. 10
case were also jurors in the Jesse 10
case. The two jurors who had not b
in the box, were called, and stated t
. they had heard about all the evider
. The coroner then charged the juries ;
they retired.
Within twenty-five minutes the ju
returned with verdict of justi6s
homicide as to the death Of o. r. Ia
and Jesse Jones.
The ~ HIM G>rNxv0 6>arn