The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-07-23
DUDLEYS, MURDERER.
JOHN WALLACE BROUGHT DOWN FROM
GOLOSBORO YESTERDAY.
He Says He Shot at Dudley Twice
While He Was Beating Him With
a Stick-The Witnesses Before the
Coroner's Jury Make 1t Murder.
Dispute Over the Reward.

Chief of Police Freeman, of Colds
boro, arrived here yesterday morning
at g:25 o'clock over the Atlantic Coast
Line, bringing with him John Wallace,
the negro who was taken off the train
at Goldsboro by the officers on Thurs
day afternoon. The prisoner was de-
livered to Sheriff F. II. Stedman, and
was committed to Jail On a commit
ment from DR.. c. D. Bell, the coroner.
he jury of inquest which investiga-
ted the killing of William Dudley,
found for their verdict on the first day
they met that the deceased came to
his death at the hands Of John Wal
lace. He was committed TO jail without
bail, as the testimony before the jury
made out a plain case OF murder.
Witnesses testified that Wallace and
Dudley had several difficulties n that
Wallace made frequent threats to Kill
Dudley and not only threatened to kill
him on last Monday but followed him
up at night and carried out his threat.
John Wallace was seen in jail yeSter-
day by a Messenger representative
who went in to have a talk with him.
He was warned hat he need not talk
unless the desired to do SO and that
he need not say anything to criminate
AAAD NAAANSo a. "0o AAAo 81
to do.
Wallace stated that he did the kill
ing, and that when no met Ddley on
the street Monday night he shot him
twice with the pistol which he dropped
in the box a when he was arrested
at GOldsbOrO. He said On Saturday
evening about s o'clock while he was
at Mr.. Martin Rathjen's store, on
Sixth and Swami streets, Ddley came
there and called him out; that when
he went out. Dudley began to abuse
him and that he CWallace) told him he
did not want to have any trouble with
him and went away. He further states
that on Saturday night while he oval
lace) was at Sarah Richardson's house
with whom a girl named Phoebe Ster-
ling lived. Dudley came there and
picked a quarrel with him, threatening
to take his life. He said he was sc
afraid of Dudley that he staid all night
at the Richardson woman's house and
also spent Sunday there.
Wallace says he never saw Dudley
on Sunday but on Monday night about
s o'clock on Nixon street between
Sixth and Seventh streets, he saw bud
ley and Phoebe talking on the side
walk. The girl. he stated, was getting
after Dudley for coming to her house
Saturday night and starting a row
Wallace says he walked up and asket
the girl what it was Dudley haC
against him any how, and that Dude!
jumped at hin and hit him over thu
head with a stick; that he then drew
his pistol and hot at Dudley. Dude!
continued to hit at him with the sticl
and he shot the second time He say:
when he saw Dudley fall. he walked
off. Went on out Nixon street to tn.
county road and went to the woods
He never entered the city again blu
walked through the woods. following
the railroad till he got to Willard, be.
yOnd Burgaw, where he got on tn,
freight train of which Captain J.. P
Cults is conductor.
The testimony at the cOroner'S in
quest. shows that when Wallace free
the first shot, Dudley begged him no
to fire any more but that Wallace go
behind a tree box and fired the sho
which killed him.
Wallace says he was born at States
vile. n. c., n is 10 years of age. H
has lived in Wilmington nearly all hi
life and a raised by Honey Spell
colOred.
Chief of Police Freeman who met tn
train by Captain Cults request, t
take Wallace into custody from the bo,
car. went before Chairman D. Nc
Eachern, of the board of commission
ers, while he was in the city yesterday
n called for the reward of 800 offer
ed by the board for the arrest and de
livery to the sheriff of the party VIII
committed the murder. Captain CUT
was here also and he also claimed tn
reward. Chairman McEachern did no
pay it to either but will refer the mat
ter to the board to decided as to tn
party entitled to the reward. Capital
Cults offered Chief Freeman half tn
reward but he declined it. Chief Free
man offered Captain Cults $25 of tn
reward but he declined it. It is proba
bic that both will employ lawyers I
go before the board when it meets t
decide the dispute.