The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-24
GAVE HIMSELF UP
JONES ALIAS PITTS SURRENDERED
TO THE POLICE.
CORRESPONDING NEWSOME
CLAIMED 1T WAS DONE IN SELF
DEFENSE.

Pistol in Hand and Weak From
His Wounds, surrendered to "Ice
Cream Jim" Soon After Daylight.
Wns Taken to the Police Station,
Where He Admitted the killing.
His Confession Not Borne Out by
the Statements of witnesses at the
COrOner's Inquest, and Is Doubted
by the Police.
Frank Jones. alias Pitts, is in the coun-
ty jail for the murder of William New
some. The story of the tragedy was told
in the Morning News yesterday
At an inquest held at noon yesterday
in the Police Court room, a coroner's jury
declared that Jones, alias Pitts, was guilty
of murder, when he shot and killed New
some. Several witnesses were examined.
including the wounded brother of the
dead man.
The slayer of the Hawkinsville negro
was committed to Jail on warrant sign
ed by Coroner Keller after the inquest.
Jones gave himself up at 6 o'clock IN the
morning, and was identified by Jarrett
Newsome and the other witnesses to the
tragedy that so stirred up the Westside
Wednesday night.
Weak from loss of blood and frightened
almost to death, Jones walked out of a
house on Charlton street. James Miller,
a negro character, known around town as
ice Cream Jim," was passing, and it was
to him that Jones surrendered. He had
the pistol in his hand and turned the
weapon over to the ice cream seller. There
were two ugly wounds in Jones neck
still bleeding. His shirt was saturated
with blood, and he was faint from ex-
element and worry.
The negro confessed that he had shot
and killed Newsome and seemed anxious
to get behind the bars. He was seen in
his cell at the police station before the
inquest by a representative of the Morn
ing News and at that time made his first
and only statement 1t was not. borne
out by the testimony of the witnesses at
the inquest, however, and is not general
ly credited. The prisoner appeared as if
he were suffering with palsy so badly
frightened was he while telling his story
His lips quivered and every vein in his
body appeared ready to burst. His mental
and physical condition was really pitiful
The prisoner said he had not been drink
ing and that he had been out with the
Newsome brothers and another party
whom the officers have not yet been able
to locate. THE shooting was over moth
ing at ALL" was the way Jones prefaced
his statement. I'VE had little argument
about the way we should go and the boy
that got cut pulled out razor and cut
me in the throat. The Newsome brothers
were drunk When the one that didn't get
killed cut me l took the razor from him
and began using it myself. He got in one
more cut on me with his knife and I cut
him several times. He began the trouble
Yes, l had the pistol in my pocket
then, but didn't want to use it. l had
to use it to protect myself afterwards
but I didn't sneak around and use il like
the witnesses say, the shooting happen
ing almost at the time that the cutting
scrape occurred. I am sorry that the
thing happened but couldn't help myself.
1 never had anything against the boys,
but they certainly tried to carve me up.
1 am from Macon and worked in Mr..
O'Brien's saloon"
Jones stated a willingness to put his
statement as given to the Morning News
representative into writing and sign it.
Paper and pencil was furnished the pris-
oner and he had begun statement for
the public when his attorney arrived and
stopped him.
Jarrett Newsome, the dead mans
brother, was the only witness before the
Coroners jury who saw the trouble when
it started. The account of the shooting
as told by this witness was borne out by
the statements of other negroes who saw
Jones fire the two shots. They testified
that Jones slipped around the corner and
without saying word fired twice and
ran. The prisoner denies the truth of
this statement.
The weapon used by Jones is in the
possession of Coroner Keller. 1t is a
long barrel 3s-calibre liver johnson and
contained two exploded cartridges. 1t
had been intended TO hold Jarrett New
some in jail as a witness, but for some
reason this was not done. The wounded
negro appeared to be suffering from the
cuts on his face and arm and was sent
to the Georgia Infrmary for treatment.
Police Surgeon Osborne put several
stitches in his head and arm and he
was sent to the hospital
Ben Williams, alias Brown, was one of
the witnesses before the jury. He told
a true story to all appearances, and was
released an hour or more after his testi-
mony had been delivered. The negro was
badly frightened, and had for a purpose
withheld the truth at the time of the
shooting. He did not wish to become
mixed up in the affair and gave a ficti-
tious name to the police when arrested.
Williams was employed as a Waterman
on the Eastside, and had only gone over
to West Broad street for a short while.
When Jones fired and ran he shot four
times in an effort to stop Newsome's STAY
err Williams became frightened and gave
his pistol to a friend to keep, forgetting
to mention the matter to the police. The
detectives had learned that the Waterman
had a pistol and at that time it was be-
lieved that his weapon was responsible
for the homicide. Williams was dis
charged for the part he played in the hom-
icide.
Charles Grant was not examined by the
jury and left police headquarters without
a second suggestion. He arrived on the
scene after the shooting and placed cop
pers over the dead mans eyes. New
some's mouth was also kept closed with
Grants handkerchief. and the negro. who
was in his cups, got a lamp and set as a
guard al the head of the dead man. Grant
was insolent when spoken to by the Off
GERS and was sent 40 the police station is
a possible witness. He convinced the
coroner's jury that he knew absolutely
nothing of the tragedy.