Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1892-12-20
THE CORONER'S INQUEST
INVESTIG ALTON OF THE LEI
CEsTER TRAGEDY.
Coroner McBraYer and Jury
Begin Hearing of Testimony as
To The Death OF O. H. and Jesse
Jones a; Noon Today.

Coroner McBraycr had had two pre-
lmirary sittinSs on the case Of 0. X.
Jones, who was killed near Leicester on
Saturday afternoon last, before the meet
ing i'll the court house at noon today.
On the assembling of the court, the
names of the jurymen previously selected
were called as follows: o. M. Clarke, A.
A. Penland, J.. |. Wilson, w. M, Sans
and John Brown. All were present
Solicitor L. d. Carter, of the Criminal
court, was present as the representative
of the State, and James H. Merrimon
ard !. {. Martin for the defence.
Robert Il. Ioncs, the first witness, is a
son ofO K. Jones, the dead man. He
testified that James ". Stevens came to
his tobacc" barn with papers for him
on Saturday morning, about 10 o'clock,
co, corning road case. He would not
20 with Stevens because the warrant
read Bob Jones, and his name was Rob-
ert Jones. Stevens then went to sum.
mon some one TO help make the arrest.
When he came back witness was at his
fathers home. lie told his father he had
not submitted to any arrest. His father
said If he did not wantto 60 he should
not go. Witness tod his father he did
not want to go. His father told him to
90 back home with him. Stevens started
To follow. AT the ford of the creek his
father told Stevens not to follow him
across, if he did he would whip him.
Stevens rode into the creek. Wit
ness father called Stevens a
liar in the talk between them.
Stevens told his father that he
would shoot him. The witness then
went to the house and did not know
what further words passed between
them. w. Stevens and the other men
turned back. Witness then saw man
coming on white horse, whom he sup
posed to be DR.. Stevens. His father
beckoned TIE man not to come any far
ther and then came into the house and
asked him if there were any shooting
irons there. Witness told him that there
was an old-fashioned loaded musket.
His father then said that the man who
crossed tie creek to arrest him the wit.
nessl would get the contents of the gun.
His father saw DR.. Stevens coming, and
halloed to him not to cross the creek, if
he did he would shoot. DR.. Stevens rode
right along. and drew his pistol when he
was crossing the creek. When DR.. Stew
ems rode out of the water his father fired
DR.. Stevens then fired his pistol ]. w.
Stevens was on the other side of the
creek, and began firing across. The next
the witness saw his father and Doctor
Stevens were scuffling over the
pistol. ]. W. Stevens had by this time
gotten across the creek, and witness saw
a revolver fire come from Stevens
and his father fell. J. W. Stevens
then shot again, Just as Jesse Jones
was raising his father up, and his
brother drew himself up and groaned.
Witness shouted to W. Stevens, For
Gods sake not to do that any more"
He and his brother that was wounded,
and Will Reeves carried his father to the
house. DR.. Stevens came to the house
and felt his fathers pulse and said he
was dead. DR.. Stevens finger was hurt,
and he said his father had shot him.
Witness then detailed the circumstan-
ces of his going after DR.. Summey to at
tend to the wounded man, and his visit
to magistrate, whittier he Uones) was
accompanied by DR.. Stevens, the latter
proposing to stand security for Jones.
The examination of the witness was
concluded at 1880 O'Clock, and pending
cross.examination of the witness the
inquest was adjourned until 3 o'clock.