The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-10-02
JOE COLE TO HANG.
JURY FIND HIM GUILTY OF MURDER IN
THE FIRST DEGREE.
Joe Cole, Jr., and William Ferguson
Escape With a Lighter Sentence
rlurder In the Second Degree as to
Them and Thirty Years Each In the
Peuiteatiary the Penalty Imposed.

The case of Joe Cole, ST., Joe Cole,
Jr. land William Ferguson (also called
John Jones) the three negroes
charged with shooting and killing
Roadmaster Fred Stevers and the
serious wounding of the colored por-
ter, Jim Mitchell, in an attempt to
assassinate Conductor ". p. Clements
on a Seaboard Air Line passenger
train near Middleburg August 10th,
was taken up yesterday. A special
yenire of 100 men had been sum-
moned from which to draw a jury.
There were the usual challenges and
reflections on both sides and the list
had been nearly exhausted when the
twelfth man was chosen. Four men
| we're taken from the regular panel.
When that was exhausted the special
venire was taken up. There We're "A
| reflections before selection waSmade.
| Two reflections followed and two more
we're accepted. The next man was
sent to the foot of the panel and
| seven were rejected before another
| selection was made The next was
| rejected and and another sent to the
foot of the panel One more took a
seat in the jury box and the four
next called We're rejected. Two more
| were taken and the next called went
to the foot of the panel. Three re-
iections followed and the tenth man
was acceptable to both sides. The
next went to the foot OF the panel,
thirteen were rejected, two excused
and two placed at the foot OF the
panel before another man went Ill
| the Jury box. The next called was
sent to the foot of the panel and ill
teen were rejected when Juror number
twelve was selected.
| Named in the order in which they
were taken the Jury was as follows:
W. J. Floyd, J. A. GIL, George I.
Dickie, H. D. Floyd, j. w. Short, j.
A. Gill. r. A. Bullock. T. NJ Evans,
j.. H. Ball, T. J. Harris, j. p. Hunt,
III. NJ. Hight. Robert H. Falkner
was appointed special officer III
charge.
, Joe Cole, Sr.. was represented py
T. NJ. Pittman and Judge Winston
assigned J. C. Kittrell to appear tol
Joe Cole, Jr., and H. T. Powell To-
Ferguson, or Jones. The Solicitor
was assisted in the prosecution b.
Capt. W. II. Day, of Raleigh, b. q
r Green, of Warrenton, and }. ID
+ Bridcers. of Henderson, on be
s half of the Seaboard Air Line Raj
J way.
II Mr.. Kittrell opened the argumen
g for the defense. He made a goo
a speech and was highly compliments
h upon the very creditable manner
IS which he acquitted himselfin his tirs
g effort before jury. Solicitor DAME
re followed in a ringing speech. NJ
d Bridgers spoke next and was follow
'e ed by Mr.. Green, each of them in goo
re speeches fot the prosecution. M
OF Powell followed in a brief butpointe
r argument for his client, Capt. Da
d. closing for the prosecution in
strong and vigorous speech. M
n, Pittman had the last speech al
cd made the best out of a bad case. t
e. S spoke more at length than any
,is the others on either side and MAJ
re- strenuous effort to save his Gle
re from the extreme penalty.
Use Judge Winston's charge to the jul
CHI was exhaustive, fair and impartls
or The evidence was carefully gone Ov
rs for the purpose of refreshing thu
memory and the law was fully al
N clearly expounded.
The Indictment was for murder
the first degree against all three, }
Cole, ST., as principal, the other t'
as accessories Young Cole seems
have been. the instigator OF the wh'
,ts row and aided and abetted III t
're killing of Stevers, himself shootl
no the porter Mitchell. While he pro
Mo ably deserves the extreme penal
N. the verdict Of the jury we believe q,
general satisfaction. Asindicated
,ot the heading of this article the lu
ro1 found Joe Cole, ST., guilty OF murt
AZ in the first degree, and returned
~, verdict of murder in the second
ito gree as to the others.
He The sentence of the court is tt
ree Joe Cole, ST., be hung on Wednesd;
I'M November 10Th, between the hol
of a. m. and 4 p. m, and that :.
If Cole, Jr., and William Ferguson
on confined in the States prison for
term of 80 years each.