Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-09

Al oAO oc1o0 AO OCiOhSO o0-
gins.
The trial of James Edward Jones,
charged with the murder of Stanley
Mason, on the goth of July last, was
opened at Moundsville yesterday.
There was no trouble in securing
jury, and in less than a half hour the
following twelve men were secured to
decide the fate of the prisoner: Andrew
Lilly, Robert Rankin, John Marley, w.
Il. Allen. Jesse Clark, Aug Meir, w.
I. Alexander, Philip Marley, Boss
keyser, 7. G. Snedeker, F. H. Jones
and James Luke.
The State is represented by Hon. B. B.
Dovener and Prosecuting Attorney T. J.
Parsons, while ]. A. Ewing and Hon. B.
f. Meighen defend the prisoner.
Immediately alter the jury had taken
their seats Prosecuting Attorney Par
sons opened the case for the State with
statement of what the prosecution pro-
posed TO prove as to events taking place
at the time Stanley Mason was killed.
The confession of Jones was related in
substance, as at the coroner's inquest.
The defense did not make an opening
statement.
Mrs. Mardotha Mason was the first
witness called for the State, and in her
story she related how she had left her
home On the day of the tragedy and had
done a washing at the Widow Roberts
home. Her two children were left alone
and it was after dark when she re-
turned. She missed both of the boys
and in searching around the house
heard the means of Willie up on the
hillside and about 60 feet from the
house. She called to him, asking where
Stanley was, and he replied that he
was up there, too, but could not get
up, as an old man killed him. She then
went up to where Stanley was and
found him resting On his elbows and
his clothing saturated with blood. She
then called for Mr. Golden, who lives
near her home, and he in turn secured
Mr.. H. H. Cox. who was in the neigh
borhood, and all three secured a quilt
and Stanley was carried to the house,
where he remained until death relieved
his sufferings. Stanley, she said, was
beaten almost beyond recognition, and
his brains were oozing out of a cut IN
his head and he never spoke. HIS
clothing, in addition to being bloody,
was nearly all torn from his body with
his shirt tied strongly around his legs
and above his knees. Willie, the young
er boy, was found a short distance be-
low where he had been cutting thistles,
and he had several very large cuts about
his head and it was miracle that the
child lived. On cross-eXamination by
J. A. Ewing, she stated that she got
home at shutdown; Stanley was about
20 feet from Willie, there being slight
raise or hill between them. Il heard
the means and was afraid to go up, but
followed to Golden and when he came
l had the little one in my arms at the
house. When l came home l called
Stanley, but Willie answered, Stanley
can't get up; him hurt, too; him hurt,
too; cid man kill us
The attorneys for the State desired to
offer evidence that the little boy al
ways said "old' when any person or
thing hurt him, but were not allowed to.
Eli Rum was the next witness, anc
he stated that his home was on the
Boom Ground and knew where the
Joneses lived. He was only slightly
acquainted with Edward Jones, but
the boy had often been at his home
prior to the murder. On the evening
of the Goth of July, witness said he
saw Jones coming down the point from
the direction of the Mason residence
to the Jones house. 1.-The boy saw me
and hid behind a pig pen and with a
broom-stick pounded the hogs, watch-
ing me all the time. l stood there
vx-o4ahino tho transaction short
while, after which | went home. The
next day l went to the Jones house
and saw Ed. | said: Ed, you didn't
do this numbering, did you? He
said: No; father and | were out all
day picking berries. At this time a
little girl by the name of Sallie Jones
stepped out and said: Ed, you know
that isn't so. You were out all after
noon by yourself and no person
knows where you were / also talk
ed to Mrs. Jones, and she said it was
not her boy who had done the act, as
he and his father were together anc
never out of her sight. The little girl
here spoke again, repeating that she
knew that Ed was out all afternoon.
1t was between six and seven O'CLOCK
when Ed was seen by me near the pig
pen. On ross-examination, he stated
that the pig pen was a rod or two
from Jones' home and the pigs be-
longed to them. I was about $50 yards
away. Question: Wasn't Jones out
watching you to keep you from steal
ing wood from the fence? An,
swer: NO; it wasn't Jones fence. l
didn't get any wood that time. Ed
was about ten or fifteen rods from
home when l first saw him and 300 or
400 yards from the Mason house, be-
ing about midway between the two
places, and was in the field the Jones
house stands in"
The next witness on the stand was
H. H. Cox, and his testimony was as
follows: He went up on the hill
little before dark to milk his cows,
and just as he reached the field he
heard Mr.. Golden call. He went up at
once to where he was, and discovered
Stanley Mason in the condition as has
been stated, and about $50 yards from
the house, at the edge of the woods.
Golden was behind me and | carried
the boy to the house and undertook