The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-30
ALWAYS THE SANE STORY.

from Ella Jones. On the night of
the murder he was walked by Laura
Jones knocking at the door.
I'VE asked where were the rest OF
them her mother and sisters. She
said they were burned in the house.
We asked why they didn't get out.
She said Mr.. Preacher had knocked
them in the head with an axe.
WAS there blood on the faces of
Laura and Sid?"
'IeS. Il was not quite dry.
Did YOU 90 up< to Ella Jones
house,
Not till next day"
The next witness. Mary Winters.
corrobOrated Sam Winters in his tes-
timony. How the children. Laura and
Sid. came to her house and the story
they told Of the murder.
Il asked Laura what the blood was
doing on their clothes and faces. She
said it came from Mr.. Preacher nit
ting her sister. Ida. with IN axe.
How many children did Ella Jones
have?"
''She had seven The oldest was
Ida. - years of age; the next was
Laura. :: then Jesse. ): Sid. 4: Nam
CIV :: Cleveland. ,: a baby. month
old"
SKULL BROKEN WITH AN AXE.
The testimony of Mr.. Davis was in
all it's material details cOrroborated
by Mr.. b. Ilobgood. who accompanied
him to the fire and assisted in the ar
rest ofNTom Jones.
How did the story told by Laura
that night correspond with the cyl
dence given by her here today?"
1T was about the same.
Did YOU see the tracks spoken of
by Mr.. Davis?"
Yes.
Were they Tom Jones tracks,
They were made by the shoes he
had on when we arrested him.
This witness4said he examined the
skull of Ella Jones next morning and
it showed very plainly that il had
been broken bye some blunt instru-
ment. &# ~ -,
On cross-examination Mr.. Hoh9ood
was asked: "H
Did this boy live with vou?"
YES. for some two wears.
did he ever tell YOU his nance"
Not at first. / kept his account
for some months as Preacher. Then
| kept it as Tom Farror: the last
year | kept it as Tom Jones
Did YOU take him to the fire?
Yes
Did he show amy SURPRISE"
NO just seemed TO take it ASA
matter of course
THE MOTIVE FOR THE CRIME.
Magistrate j. ID. johnson said that
on the night before the crime Tom
Jones came TO his house and said:
I've got in a little trouble with Ella
Jones This last baby she's got she
laws to me. | want to bring her up
here tomorrow night and have ii com
promise fixed up. I'm willing to pay
her So a month.
As for the rest of Mr.. Johnson's tes-
timony it corroborated that of MesSrs.
Hobgood and Davis.
You are the magistrate before
whom this man had preliminary
trial are you not?
Yes
is the testimony given here today
By Laura Jones the same that she
gave before YOU?
About the same.
On cross-examination Mr. Beckwith
asked;
Did Tom Jones have anything to
say on the triaI?"
YES He said he didn't feel guilty
in the sight of God
Here the State rested its case and
court took a recess until 2:30 o'clock.
is TOM JONES A CRAZY MAN?
Court convened again at 2:30 o'clock
and the trial was resumed. $50
The first witness put on the stand
for the defendant was Paschal Red
dish, a farmer. who lives eight miles
north of this city. He has known Tom
Jones for about ten years. and for five
or six wears Tom worked for him.
Il never thought he had good
sense.
why did YOU think that
well. YOU can look at him and tell
that he hasn't got good sense He
would never do anything like he was
told to do it. unless YOU were there
and showed him
''What kind of temper has he?''
''lie never showed any temper at all.
I've seen him treated in all sorts Of
ways aud called all sorts of things.
and he never resented any of them.
Did YOU think him capable of doing
any harm
NO. ! never knew any harm of
him. He'd try to carry out any order
gave him. but upon his own motion
he never did anything n~
On cross-eNamination the witness
said he paid Tom $40 "A month. or
about half what he paid some others.
Tom can read and write. can't he.
He can read little: | don't know
about the writing.
Don't you think he knew better
than TO have committed this crime?"
That's hard question for me to
answer seems to me he ought TO
have known better When | saw an
account of the murder in the papers
could hardly believe it was Tom.
HAD A TALK WITH THE LORD.
The evidence of +. C. Reddingtield,