The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-01-25
Evidence in Bonner Murder
Case Concludes To-day.
STATE WITNESSES TESTIFY
Absolute Contradiction of De-
PENDANTS Testimony.
THE ARGUMENT BEGINS MONDAY
1t IS Believed That it Will Consume
Two Days And that the Case
Will go to the Jury
Wednesday.

Washington, y. c.. Jam. ~. (Spe-
ciaI. The defence having closed it's
evidence yesterday, the first witness
put on the stand bv the State this
morning, in offering testimony TO re-
but that introduced by the defendants.
was C. S. Dickson.
Dickson said he went with Fowler
to see Mrs. Ben. Jones She stated to
them that she went to bed at $50
O'Clock, and some one came i'm and
went 10 Sheriff. Bells room i'm twenty
| or thirty minutes on the night of the
murder, and that he left before she
| saw him next morning. (She stated
on the stand that She went TO bed about
$ O'Clock, and the person came in in
about ten minutes). Witness said he
heard W. \. Thompson say he thought
be was up stairs at Cherry's when Bon
ner was killed, and thought he heard
| the pistol shots.
Several witnesses " ere put on the
stand as 10 Dickson's good character.
Robert Best stated the same as Dick
son in regard to what Mrs. Jones said.
Witness said that Ben Jones said Sun
day, week after the murder, that he
knew nothing that would help the
boys (defendants), but if he knew
swearing to a lie would get them out
OF Jail he would come to Washington
next day and do so.
Mrs. II. I. Best testified to the same
as Dickson and Best. Best's character
was proved to be good.
j. A. Arthur, j. A. Arthur, Jr., w.
X. jacobson, editors of the Evening
4
were put on the stand to show that
Fowler gave information for publica-
tion which did not correspond with
| his sworn statement.
Nj. j. Fowler testified to the same
facts as Robert Best and G. S. Dickson,
ia regard to Mrs. Ben Jones' state
bent. Witness stated that the three
| newspapers here were in error as to
the statements he gave for publication.
| He stated that Hugh Bell wanted to
know of Sheriff., afer he was arrested,
if he could prove where he was the
night of the murder, and Sheriff. said
he did not think he could, and then
Hugh wanted to know why he did not
stay with him, and he replied he did
not know. Lawrence Rowe testified
to the same fact.
y. i AiiCIIN 5tdttu lIldL 0TldH ana
Sheriff. Bell were both in his store
just before he closed the night the
gate was left open. (This is the night
Creole stated they tried to rob Cherry.
Peggy Ann Moore, colored, said she
lived back of w. A. Thompson's store;
that on the night it was entered she
heard buggy drive up near her house
and that she went to her window and
saw the buggy, heard something jim
gle and some one talking, and they
drove oil rapidly. 1t was between -
and l O'Clock that Monday afternoon
that she found the money drawer
near where they stopped
Chaplin and Dixon said she told them
about it,
b. +. Bonner said that G.. c. Sparrow
said he would bet S. that the darn
scoundrel was with him in five minutes
after he killed Bonner" referring to
Uriah Bell. Sparrow denied this when
examined. lie said Sparrow is little
wild, but has a good character.
j. Il. Whitehurst said he had seen
both the defendants Bell in Brantley's
house smoking cigars 1T might have
been month before the murder.
(Sherriil Bell said he had never been
to Brantley's that ne could remember.) }
Mr.. Moore conducted vigorous
| cross-eXamination of this witness, and
when asked about the intense interest
he had taken in the prosecution, he
replied that he had; that he knew
Bonner was killed, and that he wanted
TO see those who did il hung. The
spectators applauded and Judge Hole
demanded that quiet be restored.
Solomon and Haywood Jenkins, col
| ored both testified that they had not
been hunting with Uriah Bell but once
last fall, and that was ON Thursday
night before the first Sunday in No
vember. Elder Horace Jenkins, the
father, stated that ne went to Hyde
| county the day before. 1t was by this
| they fixed the time.
J.. G.. Stevens testified that Brantley
went to Credle in the woods on Thurs
! day OF week before the murder. (At
| which time Credle stated that the
| proposition was first made to him to
! Join the band). Witness said he saw
| them talking together in the woods
! as he passed in sight on two occasions,
/ and that they showed surprise when
! they saw him He said Brantley asked
/ him il blood hounds were to run a
+ man down would he be arrested, and
Stephens replied Yes" This was
Sunday night after the murder.
/ Dudley HudneIl said that Uriah Bell
bought two pistols from him, one
about month before the murder and
one Friday before the murder. Both
were 32-cahbre; and that on the same
day he sold Brantley 80 cartridges; /;
/ that on Sunday night after the murder
} he saw Uriah Bell under the stoop at