The sun., 1900-05-18
THREE TRAMPS IN LUCK
Held for 81 Days as Witnesses
and Draw Big
Fees.
EACH MAN WAS PAID $65.6O
They Saw John Jones, CoIored, Stab
Walter Rose, Colored, at New
Castle Jail. Jones Pleads
Guilty of MansIaughter
and Gets Three Years,

John Jones, colored, was yesterday
afternoon sentenced to pay fine of $500
and undergo an imprisonment of three
years for manslaughter in stabbing
Walter Rose, colored, in the abdomen
and causing his death.
d. j. Reinhardt, who had been assign
ed by the court to defend Jones, advised
him to withdraw his plea of not guilty
and plead guilty. This Jones did yes
terday afternoon.
Mr.. Reinhardt made a strong plea for
the prisoner and claimed that on account
ot his youth and the fact that his prev
ious character was fair, the court should
deal as 'eniently as possible with him.
A number of witnesses were then
heard in the case. Both Jones and
Rose, the man killed, were lodgers at the
county Jail.
Among the witnesses were three other
tramps, James Heser, white, of Trenton,
\. Henry Singer, colored, and John
Thomas, colored, who were also dodgers
at the Jail at the time of the assault.
They have been held at the Jail as wit
nesses ever since the affray.
Helser testified that the two men quar-
relied over a religious tract Jones
reached down to get the book out of q
back eight or nine feet and drawing a
pocket knife stuck it into Roses abdo-
men. Rose never spoke again. They
had been quarreling in another room be-
fore coming in where Heiser was.
Singer testified to seeing Jones stab
Rose. Thomas also saw the wound in
hicted and went over to Rose, who said,
II am CUT"
Warden Hance testified that Rose was
stabbed in the abdomen above the navel
and died the next day. Detective Witsil
testified that together with Magistrate
Sasse he had gone to the county hos
pital at Farnhurst on February % to
take Roses deposition, but upon their
arrival he was dead. Later they saw
Jones and he made voluntary confess
sion.
Jones was then placed on the stand
and testified that the stabbing occurred
on Thursday afternoon. He had gone
to the Jail on the previous Tuesday for
lodging. He resided in Wilmington but
had been here only two weeks. He for
merly resided in Maryland. He had
hired out on farm at Townsend but
worked only day when he started for
home, and stopped at the Jail as he was
cold.
Rose had a religious book belonging
to him and he asked him for it, but Rose
said mo" He then went to get two
other religious books from his coat
pocket, as he feared Rose would get
them, too.
1t was then that Rose struck HIM and
knocked him down and he stabbed him
with Barlow knife.
James Jones, father OF the prisoner,
was called to the stand. In answer to
the question il the prisoner was his son
he said:-"l am supposed to be his
father" In answer to the question as to
how old his son was, said, "He is sup
posed to be 10 years old"
The son had worked for the Charles
Warner Company for short time and
also for farmer in the country and had
never been arrested before.
Judge Grubb, in imposing the three
years sentence, said that he had no
right to use deadly weapon when he
was merely struck and his life was not
in danger.
The fact that he plead guilty and the
statements made by his attorney,
was taken iLt) consideration
by the judge in arriving at his deci-
sion.
After the adjournment of court James
Heiser, Henry Singer and John Thomas,
the tramps held as witnesses, were made
happy by the receipt of payment as wit
nesses for eighty-two days at the rate of
eighty cents day.
The banks were all closed and as the
receiver of taxes did not have enough
money to cash their checks, Deputy
Sheriff Bradley kindly got them cashed
for them at the Wilmington Savings
Fund Bank, so that they would not have
to call at the Court House again today.
Each received sos 60. II was more
money than they had seen in many a
day.