The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-23
DROWNED OR MURDERED ?
Charles and Ben Jones Supposed to
Have Been FOully Dealt With.

Their Bodies Found in the River Five
Days After Their Death, Said to
Have Been Bruised, as if With
Blows From a Club-Detective Nor
gan Has a Clue and win Investi-
gate the Matter Thoroughly.
Some new facts have developed in a
case of drowning which occurred little
over a week ago which makes it look as
if there might have been foul play.
1t will be remembered that one after
noon about two weeks ago, two negroes
who live in Woodville Chas and Benja-
min Jones, went fishing on Back river.
Five days later their bodies were found
floating in the river about two miles
apart. The boat they had used was
found in the water right side up and no
theory has ever been advanced Us to how
they fell into the river and were drowned.
1t was a very peculiar case in every par
ticular, as the afternoon was not stormy
one and the two brothers had evidently
not gone in swimming as when found
they had their clothes on.
THE WATCHMAN's STORY.
A day or TWO ago a Waterman at
Smarts single mill, which is in the
neighbOrhoOd of where the negroes We're
drowned, reported to Detective Morgan
some remarks he had heard from negroes
in that vicinity, to the effect that
Charles Jones had large bruise in the
middle of his back, which to all appear
auces, had been made with heavy club,
and that the young negro, Ben Jones, had
q similar bruise on the back of his neck
made with the same sort Of an instru-
ment. Detective Morgan has heard
this report from other sources, and also
that the older negro had u bullet hole in
his back, though he has not as yet sue
ceeded in obtaining any confederation of
this testimony.
ENEMIES or THE JONES.
The other part to the story which gives
it the stamp of probability is that there
were parties who fish in the same neigh
borhOOd in the river who are known to
have had some dispute or quarrel with
the elder of the Jones brothers over some
fishing business, and out of this there
sprang a lively animOsity. The father OF
the two boys corroborates this story and
believes that such was the fate of his
sons. Two such blows as they
are said to have received could
easily result in their drown
ing, for if they were sufficient to knock
them from the boot and stun them they
might easily have drowned. From these
facts it is supposed that Jones was muir
dered by some party or parties who had
grudge against him and that his brother
was then killed in order to destroy all
testimony.
RECOVERY OF THE BODIES.
1t is well known, too, that when the
bodies We're picked up they had been
in the river quite while, and were in a
bad condition. 1t was taken for granted
that they had been drowned, as there
were no signs or evidence apparent at
that time to indicate that they
had been foully dealt with, and il
was decided by the coroner that no in
quest was necessary. The bodies were
both buried that day.
Since then the facts given above have
developed. Detective Morgan is satisfied
that there are some good grounds for the
suppOsitiOn that the men We're fOully dealt
with. and he will fathOm the case to its
depths to find the guilty parties. He has
heard the statements in regard to the
bruises from several sources, and the
facts in the case were strong enough &c
call for an investigation.
HEARD BY THE WATERMAN.
The Waterman who gave Detective Nor
gan the information, heard the report
with regard to the bruises on the mems
bodies from tne pafJleS VINO washed
and dressed them for burial
He has seen the parties and the testi-
mony is coroborated. He will get further
information with regard to the case from
the parents of the boys and if there is
any way to get at the guilty parties he
will do it.
The story bears some degree of plausi-
bility, inasmuch as it is unknown how
the boys could have fallen from. the boat.
and that no examination of the bodies
was made except by those who prepared
them for burial.