The morning times., 1896-05-08
WALKER HELD FOR MURDER
Damaging Evidence Against Him
at the Coronsr's Inquest.
Eye Witnesses to the Killing of Will
lam Jones Tell of the
Occurrence.

The inquest over the body OF William,
| alias Military" James, who was fatal
| ly shot by Lewis Walker, at the house OF
Hattie Bailey, on Meridian Hill, Wednes-
| day afternoon, was held at 3 O'Clock yG.r-
| terday afternoon, at the Sixth precinct.
The proceedings were conducted by Coro-
ner Hammett, and the testimony adduced
| fixed tue crime on the prisoner, Walker,
| beyond the shadow of doubt.
The prisoner is of a giDger-brown color
| and OF slight build. He seemed but little
affected by what was going on, paying no
| attention 20 the story OF the murder, as
| told by the witnesses. Most OF the time
| he sat with his head hanging down on his
| breast, never raising bis eyes, except when
| spoken to by his attorneys.
The witnesses We're examined thoroughly
| by the coroner, members OF the jury, and
| the attorneys for the prisoner. but in each
| they stuck to the tale made on direct
| examination.
The story of Hattie Bailey, the woman in
| whose house the crime was committed. was
| entirely unplauSihle. and was contradicted
| by every other witness. She denied that
| either Jones or Walker We're frequent
| visitors of late to her bouse, or that Jones
| paid her rent.
| Sue said that when Jones first come
| in he, without cause, struck Walker, who
was lying down OH her bed, with large
| ma rket basket. THEN she fled in her bare
| feet. for she knew there was going to
| be trouble. S he said Walker paid her
! rent.
| Rosa Lane, who also lives in the house,
| said when Jones came in he told walker
| to go, as he did not pay the rent. She
| was standing behind Jones when he fell,
| bu. could not see who shot him, as 1T was
| too dark Both these witnesses denied hav-
n ICff ii n
that he had one, They also denied that
| Walker ever stayed i'll the house at night.
Margaret Johnson. who resides at 1857
| Erie street. only two doors from the Bailey
7 woman, told simple straightforward story
| of the shooting, and all efforts TO shake
| her testimony was fruitless.
She was ut the house at the time OF
the murder and told all she knew of the
| circumstances. Jones, she said, came in
| and went direct to the room WHERE Walker
and the Bailey woman were and struck the
| former and ordered him out of the house.
Walker. who was lying on the bed, got
up. put on his coat. pulled pistol out OF
his pocket and walked out the door. In a
few moments he returned, and without
word shot Jones twice.
Margaret Thomas. another neighbor, who
| was present. corroborated the testimony OF
| Margaret Johnson.
The prisoner was given an opportunity TO
make a statement but after consulting with
his counsel declined.
Tie jury, after about two minutes, re-
turned the following verdict:
I'VE. the jury do find that William Jones
alias Military Jones. came TO his death on
Wednesday, May 6, 1896, at Freedman't
| Hospital. from a pistol-shot wound, in the
| abJlomen by a weapon held in the hands OF
Lewis Walker, whom we hold responsible
| for the same
The jurors were Frank ]. Donnelly, james
II. Low, James Terrence, Walter Love
John HarIton and AIilly Fenrick.
The prisoner was represented by Lawyer:
Thomas L. Jones, John M. Langston ant
J. M. Kicks.