The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-11-18
MURDER THE CHARGE.
TWO WHITE MEN BROUGHT
TO FORSYTH JAIL.
Removed from Allegheny County Be-
cause the Jail Was Not Safe and
There was Talk of Lynch.ng-
The Prisoners Interviewed.

cause the Jail Was Not Safe and
There was Talk of Lynch.ng-
The Prisoners Interviewed.
Sheriff Joynes, Of Allegheny county,
brought two white men here last
week Wednesday, charged with mur-
der, for safe keeping. Their names
are 81. r. Johnson and J. H. Edwards.
The Sheriff told the reporter til}'
he brought the men here Cor two
reasons; nrst That the Allegheny Jail
is not very good aud the second oe-
cause there was some talk Of lynch
ing.
The two men were chained together
by the wrist The Sheriff had no
trouble in getting them here
A reporter visited the jail early
next morning and interviewed Johnson
and Edwards. BOth talked freely and
told all about their "truubIes. They
compiimenteG Sheriff Juynes and said
be was one one of the best men in
Allegheny county
Johnson Admitted that he killed
Jim and Lee Murphy, two brothers,
on the 20Lh day of October last, but
be says he shot them purely IN self
defense. The prisoner tells the fol-
lowing story:
Il made crop on Jim Murphy's
land He tried to beat me out Of my
part OF the corn. Accompanied by
his two brothers. Lee and Green, he
came To where | was and ordered me
To get off tue land. jim and Lee had
knives | told them l did not want
TO nave any trouble; that l would
rather give them my part of The corn
than to have fight. However,
warned them that If they came on me
| proposed To protect myself. They
refused TO heed my advice and kept
coming towards me Two OF them
with knives open | backed away
from them several hundred yards into
fence corner / then cpnclud d that
| had gone far enough; | drew my
pistol and began firing. Tne first
shot took feet in JIm's left arm and
the second just above the heart. He
fell on me dead. Lee kept coming
towards me aud l pulled down on
hlm, the ball entering his abdomen
He lived about "a hours.
l did unt attempt to shoot Green
because | knew he had nn knife. He
and | mad a Uu>sie. | asked nm if he
wanted TO fishO me. He replied that
he did not; that he just wanted TO
keep me from getting away. | told
aim that L did not want To run aud
would stay with him, which l did and
gave myself up to the fficerS."
Johnson says he is u years old and
has wife and children He is con-
tident that he will be acquitted.
CHARGE AGAINST EDWARDS.
The second prisoner says he is not
guilty OF the charge against hlIn kill
Ing John Kennedy aJ his home. on
Sunday night, Octuber 10Th. He says
ne did prove by two witnesses; at the
preliminary trial, that he was at his
praudy dIstillery, four miles from
kenedy's home, when the shooting
occurred.
smebody set fire to Kennedy's
house. Ii went out and then MS house
was rocked. Wnen he go5 up and
went to the door he was shot down
with a shotgun. Nine men were ar
rested on the charge If being connect
ed with the crime, but seven OF them
were acquitted at the preliminary
trial.
The second man under arrest is
Thomas Gillespie, who is ia Allegheny
all He expects TO give bail in few
days for his appearance at court.
Edward says Kennedy was to be a
witness against him at the last term
OF Federal Curt, at Statewide, for
selling whisky. "He was TO go with
me and my father to StatesVille in a
wagon" remarked the prisoner this
morning.
Edwards says he has employed Green
& Finley, OF WilkesborO, to appear for
nlm. He expects them to c"me here
IN few days to see Judge Starbuck
and arrange for him to give bond for
his appearance at court.
This prisoner is II years old and
says he has wife aud three children
Ills home is miles east of Sparta.