The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-05
DAY OF DEATH WARRANTS
Governor Russell Signed Four of
Them in One Day.
ONE A WHITE MAN, THREE ARE NEGROES
Tom Smith, the Selma Murderer, Not in the
List. All of Them on Friday Except One
on Monday. Tom Jones' Hang
ing Will Not be Public,

The Governor yesterday fixed the
date for the execution of Thomas
Jones. the negro who near the town
of Garner, some three months ago,
killed his paramount, Ella Jones, and
her daughter and then set fire to the
house, burning the dead bodies and
four live children.
He will hang i'll Wake county Jail
yard on August 31st.
The crime was one of the most hor-
rible and cold FLOODED ever commit
ted in the State.
There was evidence OH the trial that
the prisoner had been too intimate
with the deceased ella Jones); that
they had trouble about Il child; that
he told justice of the peace, the
night before the homicide. Ella lald
her last child to him (Jones). and
that he wanted to bring her to his
house the next night and have it
fixed up. On the night he proposed
sgto take the woman to johnson
he went to the house and talked to
her for some considerable time. Then
killed her and her Oldest child and
set the house on fire with six living
children. Two of them escaped, how
ever. and it was on the testimony
of the older one Uaura) that muir
derer was caught and convicted.
She testified that Tom Jones was
The only person that came TO her
house the night of the tragedy: his
coming awoke her. but she went to
sleep again and was awakened by
the screams of her mother. when she
saw the prisoner strike her mother
with an axe four times: that he then
struck her oldest sister with the axe
and the blood flew on her and her
Younger sister: and that he then
struck. 4 match and set the bed on
ffre and left.
The child then crawled out of bed
and taking her next oldest sister
they went to neighbours house and
told theirs gruesOme storE.
Jones was tried at the March term
of Wake Superior Court. His defence
was insanity. He was convicted and
sentenced to hang on May 18th. From
this he appealed but the Supreme
Coudt declined to grant him new
trial.
The decision of the court having
been certified to the Governor he yes
tertlay set "A new date for the exc
cution. as required by law.
The death warrant sent to the sher-
i!f is as follows:
State of North Carolina:
70 the Sheriff of Wake County
Greeting:
Whereas. Thomas Jones. charged
with murder in the first degree in a
bill of indictment found by the grand
jury of Wake county in the Superior
Court thereon, was at March term,
1900. term thereof duly tried and
convicted Of the said crime and the
penalty of death adjudged.
And whereas. upon his appeal to
the Supreme Court it has been de-
cided that there is no error in the
record of proceedings and said judg-
ment has been affirmed at February
1900. term thereof. which with the
opinion. has been duly certified and
made known to me.
Now. therefore. by virtue Of the all
thority vested in me by law. |, Daniel
l.. Russell. Governor of North Caro-
lima. do command you that ON the
31st day of August. \. d., 1900, at the
usual pace DTeScTlDtu ny INV III Sttiu
county YOU proceed to carry said
Judgment into execution by hanging
the said Thomas Jones by the neck
until he is dead
In witness whereof | have hereunto
set my hand and caused the great
seal of North Carolina to be affixed.
Done in our city of Raleigh. this
the 4th day Of June. 1900. and in the
one hundred aud twenty-fourth year
of our American independence.
DANIEL l.. RUSSELL,
Governor,
by the Governor:
BAILUS CADE.
Private Secretary.
Other death warrants signed yes
terday were as follows:
Archie Kinsaul. white. for murder
in Sampson county: will hang Friday,
August Sd. He is now in Jail at Will