Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-12-16
BRUTAL MURDER.
Sophronia Ford, a Fifteen Year Old Girl,
Shot and Instantly Killed by
J. w. Cole.
Murder Occurs on Upper Sixth Street
While the Victim is on Her
Way to School.
Murderer Fires Three Shots Into the
Girls Body and Gives Himself
Up a Prisoner.
Jealousy and Disappointment in Love
the Cause of a Most Terribly ;.
Tragic Ending.
Cole is in Jail Awaiting the Action of
the Coroner's Jury at the In
-. quest Tonight.
nurder of Sophronia Ford.
From Mondays Daily.

Sophronia Ford, the Is year old daugh-
ter of j. w. Ford. a well known colorcd
painter, was shot and killed by j. W..
Cole, a burly negro who has been a
familiar figure about the city for several
years, ut l o'clock this afternoon. The
murderer fired three shots at his victim,
two taking effect in the head Il causing
instant death. The shooting took place
on upper Sixth street, opposite M resi-
dencc of Frank Moorhousc and was ap-
parently prcmcditated, for an envelope
containing several letters written by the
murderer was found beneath the dead
body OF the unfortunate girl, in which it
was set forth that jealousy and unrc-
.quieted love were the reasons for the
crime.
The murder was a most cold-blooded
affair and shocking in it's ~suddenness
and cruelty. Cole and the young girl
were walking up the street together, the
latter being on her way to school. What
passed between them before the shooting
is not known, but from the tenor of the
letters it is probable that it
was in relation to Il love affair. Frank
Moorhouse states that he saw the couple
pass his house on the other side of the
street and then, as he turned away for a
moment, heard three shots in rapid sue
ccssion and looked out of the window in
time to see the girl sink slowly to the
sidewalk and lie quite still. Cole placed
an envelope containing several papers
beneath the body and started down the
street toward the court house. Moor
house followed him, and George WEIGH
who was attracted by the shots was an
other to pursue him. Cole came straight
to the Jail and entered without a word,
being followed by the other men. When
spoken to inside, he said he came as IL
prisoner and admitted the murder, pro-
duced the revolver and gave it up. He
was searched and a razor and knife
found on his person in addition to the
revolver. He was then placed in Il cell
and locked up.
TO Sheriff TAYLOR, after being locked
in the cell, Cole admitted the killing
and said that he had done the deed be-
cause "they would not let himhave her"
abiding to the refusal of the parents OF
the girl to let her marry him. In the
letters which he placed beneath tho
body, Cole also alluded to some Other
persons, who stood higher in the favor
of the girl and her parents than he did
and for whom he was to be thrown over
1t is also believed from the wording o.
the letters that Cole intended to commi
suicide after killing the young girl, bu'
his courage appears to have failed hin
at the critical time. He told the sheriff
however, that he was ready to die.
The body of the girl was removed a
once to the residence of her parents ant
Coroner White with a jury visited TIN
scene of the shooting preparatory t
conducting an inquest.
The murdered girl was a tall ant
rather comely mulatto girl about fifteel
years of age. Cole is a powerfully bull
negro of uncertain age and Il well know
figure in the city.
The coroner's jury, composed of Fran
Donnelly, w. S. Casselman and NJ. II
Weeks visited the scene Of the shootin'
this afternoon. A post mortem cxami
nation of the victim is being made thi
afternoon and the inquest will begin a
seven o'clock this evening.
The affair has created much excite
ment throughout the city and there
much pity and sympathy for the unto
tunate girl and her parents and a fee
ing of corresponding Indignation an
bitterness toward the murderer who s
ruthlessly and cold bloodedly snatche
away a human life and the dispositic
of whose case should not long occur
the attention of a jury.