The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-30
IS TOM JONES CRAZY
OR IS He A SANE MANI
The Question the Jury Must
Decide.
HIS FATE IN THE ANSWER
The Slayer of Whole Family On
Trial For His Life.
THE TRIAL JUST ONE WEEK AFTER CRIME
His Defense Was That He Was Insane. His
Counsel on the Trial Admitted That He
Killed and Burned Ella Jones
HL,tdrap
and Her Children.

thirteen-year-old daughter, Ida, were
murdered near Garner. in this county.
they were killed with an axe as they
slept in bed and after they had been
slain the house in which they lived
was set on fire to hide the crime.
I'm this house. besides the two muir
dered women, were six small children,
Four of these were roasted alive. The
other two escaped from the building
and told who was the murderer of
their mother and sister.
Tom Jones, negro who worked IN
the community and was on intimate
terms with Ella Jones, was the man
And for the crime he was tried yes
.terday, and his fate is now with the
jury.
The trial consumed the entire day.
beginning at 10 o'clock and ending
= ut when the case went to jury. VI
midnight last night they had not
agreed and no verdict will be reached
before this morning. if then: for 1t is
said that there are two or three of the
twelve who are insisting on acqulttal
on the ground that the negro is in
sane.
Insanity was his defence. SO en-
tirely did his counsel. Mr.. Beckwith,
rely on this plea of mental irrespOn-
sibility. that III the argument of his
case he admitted that his client did
kill and burn Ella Jones and her chill
dren as charged in the bill of indict-
ment: but added that he was crazy
when he did it and therefore not gull
~ i'm the sight of God or man.
The negro is very small and black.
His diminutive appearance is accen-
tuatedt by his dress-a coat many
sizes too large. reaching almost to his
knees with the Sleeves rolled up over
his wrists; trousers turned up at the
bottom and vet reaching TO the
ground: black derby hat that come$
down to his ears.
al day long he sat in chair in
front of the jury-to the right and
Il little to the rear of his lawyer His
hands were crossed on his breast on
clasped just in front of him, and all
the time he stared stolidly at the floor
several feet away seeming to see
nothing. In his eyes there was a
vacant look. as of one lost in reverie.
save now and then Il half frightened
glance at his lawyer.
He apparently took little interest in
the case and yet there was no air OF
carelessnesS or Indifference about him.
He just seemed. somehow. not to real
ize. Never once during the whole trial
did he speak to his lawyer or show
any emotion He sat like dumb
beast all the day
The jury chosen to try him consists
of white men entirely, as follows: X.
T. Wilson, Holly Springs; John p.
Jones. Panther Branch:> Thomas
Burns. Swift Creek: |. T. Langston.
Swift Creek: Donald Campbell. Cary:
John W. Smith. Marks Creek: G. G.
Stone. Cary: George f. Booth. Cary:
w! d. Butts. Cedar Fork; d. II. Stokes,
Swift Creek: j. NJ. Tucker. Marks
Creek: Henry l.. Fent. Raleigh.
It took nearly two hours to secure
this jury. and in getting it the defen-
dant stood aside for cause II persons.
and peremptoriIy challenged s. Five
of those refused were colOred men.
At 1920 the jury was complete and
the introduction of evidence began.
THE EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM.
The first witness sworn was II. y.
Davis. who lives within 400 yards OF
the home of Ella Jones. The woman $
home. he said. was a little log hut,
about sixteen feet square. about a
mile south of Garner on the road to
Auburn.
How many children did she have
living?"
- Seven.
"How many are now living?"
Two"
The witness told about being awak-
ened by the light from Ella Jones
house and going there with Mr.. Is.
lIobgoOd
I'VE found Ella Jones on the bed.
with two or three children. The bed
had fallen on the floor. The oldest
Girl was lying near the door and the
body had dropped through the floor
10 the ground The fire was so hot
that we couldn't get near enough to
observe the bodies closely. but we
could see that nearly al the flesh was
burned from. the limbs. Next day |
examined Ella Jones skull and found
it crushed in with some blunt Weap-
on
Mr.. Davis then told about being call
ed to the house of Mary Winters. and
finding there Laura and Sidney Jones.
the two children who escaped from
the burning building. He related the
story of the tragedy as told by the
little girl. Laura: also described the
arrest of Tom Jones that night
I'VE had some difficulty in arousing
Tom. Then he insisted on putting on
his clothes before letting us in. AS
we were about to leave the room we
noticed a pair of overalls which bore
the appearance of having just beer
pulled off. On these were some spots
of what appeared to, be fresh blood.
We called Tom Jones attention to it
and he said il was chicken blood-that
he had killed some chickens at Mr..
Turner's. for whom he worked"
The witness said Jones was taken
before the child. Laura. who drew
back from him in evident fear and