Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1896-01-24

Try to Prove an Alibi
THE BELL BOYS ATTEMPT TO PROVE
An hLiBl. THE TRIAL WILL
CONTINUE INTO NEXT
WEEK.

The trial Of David Cradle, Vim
Brantly and the Bell boys, for the
murder of J. B. Bonner, Ot
Aurora, is sill going on at Wash
ington, N. c., with unabated
interest.
Up to this writing only about
sixty witnesses have been exam
ined-about half summoned 10
testify i'll the case. Most of these
have testified On behalf Of the
State. The State has rested its
case and the defendants witness
es are examined. The most i'm
portant witness that has testified
thus far is Cradle, one OF the mur-
derers who confessed the crime.
He tells a straight story, and un-
der a most rigid Cross-examina-
ton he has held up we'll and al
lowed the lawyers not to get him
tangled i'll any way.
David Cradle said: Il am 25
years old. | was born III Hyde
county. Cannot read or write.
Lived in Beaufort county four
years, III Aurora twelve months,
and have known Brantley and
Bell since l have been i'll the
county. Brantley and | were ar
rested Monday afternoon; we
were taken to Thompson hall.
We were under guard Next
morning sent for John NJ. Flow
ers to come to see me, He came
and | told him who was in it.
He made no promises or threats.
l afterwards saw Mr.. ". B. Rod
man and Mr.. Fowler. No prom
iSeS or threats were made to me
at any time.
81 refused to testify before the
grand jury because my brother
told me not to tell until he saw
me again. | don't know what
the effect of my testifying will
have upon saving my own neck.
Uriah Bell told me one night
about a club that had been form
ed to kill and rob, Oh the order
of Jessee James book, only he
said their crowd was a little
smaller. He said, we have
some good men in the club, but
we want one more, and he urged
me to join. l asked who were i'll
it. He would not tell. He said
the parties with him held them
selves up and would not be sus~
pected. We are to rob and take
anything we can get He asked
if l had a pistol. I said no. He
said, would you mind killing
man?' l said l did not want to
kill anything. He said, you
need not shoot anybody. We
want you to take when we knock
down. He said he would come
to Flowers that night. Flowers
sent me for him that night to do
some work. This was Thurs
day, a week before the murder.
l went after Brantley that night.
| had never been to Brantley's
before. l put the horse up and
we took supper. Brantley sent
his wife up stairs to Mrs. Gray's
room. He said the parties
would be there soon. Uriah
Bell came ard asked if we had
talk over the matter and it l had
agreed. Bell said, There are
three in it. ! don't think we
will get caught, they won't sus-
pect us Brantly asked Uriah
Bell where the other party was
and he went out and brought in
Sheriff. Bell. Sheriff. Bell ad-
vised 1ne to come into the club.
He said, 'Urlah is plucky, Brant-
ley is a good man and am
pretty good, and l know you'll
do your duty. We have pistols.
You can take as we knock down.
You come when Brautley comes
each night
"Brantley's wife was up stairs.
l went to bed and got up early
next morning. Brantley and l
started to work. Brantly said
the Bells were thought we'll Of
Said he and Uriah Bell had been
in the business some time and
they had not been caught. Had
opened some stores.
II went to Aurora Saturday
evening I staid with Brantley.
After supper Uriah Bell came