The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-05-27
MORE MOB LAW At TYLER
WILL JONES SHOT IN HIS CELL
BY SEVERAL UNLIMITED
CALLERS.
FORGED IN ENTRANCE 70 THE JAIL
Mob stopped mt the Wrong Cell, but
Jones BraveIy Pointed Out Their
Mistake-Accused of Causing
Death of Riley Stewart.

Tyler, Tex, May 23-(Special) This
morning at about 12:45 an armed body
of citizens numbering some 200 men of
Lindale, the town in this county where
Mr.. w. r. (Riley) Stewart was murdered
Tuesday night, rode in town ON horses,
hitched their horses to the racks ON the
west side of the public square and left
three of their number to guard them.
Forming in line in the court house yard,
they moved rapidly down East Erwin
street to the county Jail, where was in
carcerated Will Jones and the negro Ellis
Jones, charged with the murder of Stew
art.
On reaching the International and
Great Northern Railway tracks, which in
tersect East Erwin street, some fifty
yards west of the jail. the crowd station
ed picket line to guard against inter-
ference.
A dead line was also placed immediate
ly east of the Jail. A demand was made
of the sheriff and his deputies for keys,
which was promptly refused. 1t was
then seen that the crowd was prepared
mers steel chisels and other heavy instru-
ments were brought out from the crowd
The officers were then seized and dis
armed
AT this juncture Sheriff John p Smith
endeayored in vain to get the crowd to
dispense, and on the failure of the sheriff
and his deputies to accomplish this, Hon.
Jordan Russell, district judge, who had
arrived on the scene, made speech, APP
pealing for peace and order and asking
the crowd to dispense and allow the law
to take its course. He was given a re-
spectful hearing, but his remarks were
not needed.
The work of battering down the great
iron doors of the lower corridor began.
Judge Russell again made an impassion-
ed appeal, begging that the good name of
Tyler and Smith county be not besmirch-
ed, promising them that their courts
would mete out justice, but the crowd re-
manned unmOved
Accomplishing an entrance to the lower
floor, the crowd quickly assembled to the
head of the iron stairway ON the second
floor where the work of battering down
the riveted double steel doors began. This
was very difficult, and it required forty
minutes of hard work to gain an entrance.
Led by masked leader who carried
Will Jones. In their excitement they
passed Jones' cell and stopped at the
grating of another white prisoner, and the
cry went up of Here he isl Jones
hearing them, called to the men and said
that if it was him they wanted, to come
back two cells. They quickly turned and
reached his cell, which was also occupied
by DR.. r. b. Warren. Jones asked them
in a calm voice what they wanted, and
on being told, he said:
''When you kill me you kill an innocent
man; all l ask is an opportunity to prove
my innocence"
cient evidence of his guilt; that for three
days Smith and Wood counties had been
hunted for proofs and that his guilt had
been established beyond doubt and that
he must die
He then asked the crowd to allow him
a few minutes to talk to his cell mate,
Warren. This privilege was denied and
Warren was ordered to the other side of
the cell some few feet, when in an instant
the firing began and Jones fell to the
floor, exclaiming: doctor, l am done
for"
One bullet pierced his heart and twelve
others passed through his breast,
Accomplishing their purpose they filed
ioWH staiIS anu out VI the Duiiuins, leuv
ing unmOlested the negro man, Ellis
Jones, who they knew was confined on
the lower floor and who is charged with
the actual killing of Stewart and who
On Wednesday made written statement
to Attorney Walker The crowd quickly
marched back to their horses, mounted
md rode out of town toward Lindale.
The officers quickly sent runners for the
coroner and at the inquest an hour later
he above facts of the killing were testi
led to and a verdict was rendered in ac-
,ordance with the same.
Remains Taken to MineoIa.
Mineola, Tex, May 23.-(Special)-
The body of Will Jones, the man who
vas shot to death in cell in the county