The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-16
EMEITl Ta
THE HEARING YESTERDAY
Today Application for the Release of the Ac-
cused Men on Bond VIII b. Made Be-
fore Judge Brown---The De-
fence Have a Strong
Array of Counsel.
Especial to News and Observer

Array Of Counsel.
Especial to News and Observer)
Wilson, N c., May ia storm of of
Tended law has broken upon the heads
of the eleven men in jail here charged
with completely in the killing Of T. Percy
jones on the morning of the fourteenth.
The first storm broke unexpectedly. II
was known to but few that while the
coroner was at work on the inquest, the
grand jury of the criminal court. now in
session, with Judge Brown presiding, was
also looking after the case.
At half past five o'clock, after hearing
many witnesses the grand jury returned 6
verdict that Jones had come to his deatf
at the hands of George Whitley, Gil Ward
w. H. Rich, John Allen, ]. B. Piver, w
w. Barnes, W. P. Groom, Lawrence Nor
gan. ]. T. Bass, John Pittman and Sam
]. Walls. who, with force and arms. die
premeditately, deliberately and wilfully
and with malice aforethought kill and
murder T. Percy Jones.
Following close on these verdicts Johr
Allen, the wounded member of the regC
lators, was brought to Jail on a cot in
a wagon. A big crowd quickly collected
about the Jail and saw him get out and
walk behind the prison gate. A rumoT
is about that w. p. Groom, one of sIIe
men IN Jail, is slightly wounded also.
There were crowds. about the street al
this time and later IN the night men ort
discussing the swift course of events. But
this is not the ending for this week.
Nearly every lawyer in Wilson is en-
ployed by the defence and tonight it is
given ont that there will be an applica-
tion made to Judge Brown tomorrow for
the release Of the men on bail The
case OF S. J. Walls will not be presented
to him but a writ of habeas corpus will
be asked of Associate Justice Connor
whom it is understood has been tele
graphed for Walls is relative of Judge
Browns family by marriage, hence Judge
Brown viii not be asked to hear his case
At the coroners inquest at four O'Clock
the star witness was Mayor Doane Her
ring. He told of his investigation and il
developed the connection of some of the
men with the killing. Mayor Herring
stated that a man, whose name he de.
clined to give, had told him which mer
not to arrest from a list of thirteer
Herring had made out. These men arr
Sanford Christman and Drew Hinson
while the others ae the eleven agains
whom an indictment has been found. May
or Herring told of the finding of cartridge
in Rich's room, the same as the one thaf
killed Jones. and that which went through
Aliens shouldr.
Testimony was obtained from Police
man Mrmford that Gil Ward had gon,
home bare-h headed after the murder, anC
a soft hat was found in the room where
Jones was killed. The gun used by Jone,
to defend himself has not been found.
The evidence introduced by the Other
witnesses was confrmatory of that giver
at the previous hearings, and it strength
cDed this.
In Mayor Herring's testimony he told
of George Whitley being up and dressed
shortly after the murder and that Whit
lev. who is driver of the fire hose wagon
and the bearer of the warning to Jones
from the committee. said that he had
risen hurriedly because he was taken sick
Mayor Herring doubted this as Whitley
had on everything. even cravat and col
lar. Some citizens say openly that q
fund would be raised by the citizens or by
the city and county authorities to use ir
the prosecution of the case. There i,
great praise accorded to Solicitor C. =
Daniels for his conduct of the case and te
Sheriff Sharp, who personally made the
arrests. except that of Rich, the super
intendent of the oil mill here.
(Staff Correspondence
Wilson, N. c., May 15.-The hearing IL
the case of the eleven men charged here
with breaking into the room of T. Percy
Jones in the Fryar building and kllline
him with a pistol shot on Thursday morn
ing at one o'clock was resumed at ten
o'clock this morning before the coroner
DR.. Albert Anderson and the jury en-
panelled.
The room was not over crowded and the
number diminished during the hearing
Two incidents of specific interest liveDed
the many, these being that one witness,
Thompson. declared he never drank whis-
key and had not been drinking that morn
ing He named many men as coming from
the Fryar building but was ordered to
leave the stand by the coroner, and Solici-
tor Daniels had his testimony stricken out.
The crowd laughed when Thompson de-
MED drinking and Thompson as he lett
the stand staggered perceptibly
Policeman Snakenburg was recalled by
request OF the jury and was subjected to
a close examination by Solicitor Daniels
the coroner, DR.. Anderson. and two of the
jury, Messrs. d. S. Boykin and b. r.
Lane, the purpose OF their question being