Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-08-28
GEORGE JONES
AGAIN TRIED
Six Days OF the County Court Occupied
With His Second trial.
A HARD LEGAL BATTLE FOUGHT.
The Jury Finds him Guilty of Voluntary
Manslaughier and Fix His term in
Prison at Five Years

The tria of George Jones for the killing
of John g. Watts on the 10Th of Novem-
Der, 1901, was concluded on Tuesday
about noon after having been in progress
since Wednesday Of last week. AT the
former trial he had been tried along with
his father, James William Jones, and his
brother John Jones. At that trial his
father was acquitted, but ne and bis
brother were found guilty of murder in
the second degree and sentenced to con-
6nemeut in the penitentiary for term of
ten years The county court refused to
set aside the verdict and grant the prison
ers new trial. There case was taken be.
fore Judge Jackson on a writ of error, but
he affirmed the Judgment of the county
court The case was then taken to the
Supreme Court of Appeals ofVirginia, and
that court at its term at Wytheville in
June reversed the judges Of the circuit
and county court and ordered that the
verdict be set aside and new trial be
given George and John Jones.
At this, the second, trial the Jones
brothers elected to be tried separately aud
George was put upon his triallast Wednes-
day, as above stated.
The second trial was nearly as tedious,
laborous and holly contested as the for
mer. There was the same strong array Of
counsel for the prosecution, except that
Judge Graham had taken the place Of his
partner, Major Henry, who was absent
when the trial began, and Mr.. A. P.
Gillespie had come into the CASE filling the
place of Barns Gillespie, Commonwealth
Attorney, who was in Kentucky on pro-
fessional business. The counsel, therefore,
consisted of Messrs, A. P. Gillespie, j. w.
Chapman and L. L. Greever and Judge
Graham for the prosecution and Messrs.
ii. c. Anderson, j. G. Wysor j. n. Har-
man and V. l.. Sexton for the prisoner.
1t WAS hard fought legal battle from
start to finish and none of the gentlemen
who went actively into the fight came out
with any reputation lost.
The case was argued by Judge Graham
and Messrs. J. w. Chapman and A. P.
Gillespie for the prosecution, and by
Messrs. Anderson, Harman and Wysor for
the defendant.
1t will be remembered that we stated
after the first trial that the arguments
then were of extraordinary power; but if
anything the speeches in this trial were
stronger than those made at the first trial.
The entire day of Monday was occupied
by the arguments and just after dark were
s7.o,Iz6sj When court convened on
rupsSdfSfy morning the case was given he
jury who retired to their room to consider
of their verdict. After remaining out for
some time they were brought into the jury
box again, but announced that they had
failed to agree upon a verdict. After
urging them to agree the court
sent them out again. About twelve
o clock the jury came in again and this
time stated that they had agreed upon a
verdict. When that verdict was read
it was found that the jury had found
George Jones guilty of voluntary man
slaughter and fixed his term of con-
fnement in the pentitentiary at three
years.
motion was made by counsel for the
accused to set aside the verdict and was
oyerrued by the court. We apprehend
that the case will not be appealed.
Tie case Of the Commonwealth VS.. John
Jones was then called and was continued
until the next term of the court. Motion
for bail was made by the counsel for the
accused and was resisted by the counsel for
the prosecution. Bail was grantedby the
court, bond for two thousand dollars being
required which was given. After languish-
ing in iail for about nine months John
Jones went home to remain with his
family until his trial comes up in the
county court OOU
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