The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-17
FEELING ISSIlLL INTENSE
Ten Haggard Prisoners nthe Court Room Draw
Great crowd---The Military Was Not
Nee ded and No indications Of an
Attempt to Rescue Prison.
r. IN
ers From Jail.
Especial From A staff Member.)

Especial From A staff Member.)
Wilson, N. c., May 16.-Again day
vivid in the intenseness of the terrible sit
uation in Wilson has passed.
Its centres were the county Jail in
which eleven men charged as con-
spirators in an atrocious murder, in the
court house where an appeal for bail was
made and in the mayors office where
policeman were discharged and suspended
The net result of the days work is that
FIVE prisoners were granted bail, these be-
ing Sam J. Walls, w. P. Groom, Lawrence
Morgan. John ,Pittman and J. T. Bass,
while w. H. Rich, J. B. Piver, Gill ID.
Ward, John Allen, W. w. Barnes and
George Whitley are still held. In city
affairs Policeman w. P Snakenburg has
been discharged for gross neglect of duty,
Policeman Frank FELTON, suspended for
ten days, and night railroad watchman
Pete Nichols disrobed of police power.
1t was at ten O'Clock when the curtain
on the days proceedings was rung UP. At
this time, Mr.. S. A. Woodard, one of the
attorneys for the defence in the murder
of T. Percy Jones addressed Judge Geo.
H. Brown, informing him that it was
desired to make application for bail in the
case of the men indicted. He stated that
In the case of S. j. Walls. whose wife IS
related to Judge Browns family, the bail
wWld be asked on habeas corpus pr0ceed-
ings before Associate Justice Connor
Judge Brown agreed to hear the apph-'
cation and ordered that the men IN jail
be brought into court, as their presence
was necessary. Officers left for them and
there was a long pause. In this time the
large court room filed up rapidly, until
every seat was occupied, and men were
in the aisles. and leaning at the railing
about the judicial reservation.
Then entered the men in charge of Of
ficers. Only John Allen was not present.
as he is the wounded man and was not
in a condition to leave his cot and come
into the court The men looked haggard
and worn, and their unshaven faces added
to their looks of suspense. White haired,
grey haired and younger men were in the
crowd which sought some relief from the
terrible indictment of murder.
BAIL FOR FOUR.
Then Mr. s. A. woodard presented the
application for bail. but not for ten or
eleven men. He asked that this be allow
Pittman and j. T. Bass stating that
the result of the Coroner's inquest was
not such as to connect these men or S. J.
Walls, with the murder. He asked that
the court hear the evidence taken before
the coroner, as this was the same heard
by the grand jury. This was agreed to
and Mr.. Woodard read part of this, CIV
ing way to Solicitor G. c. Daniels, who
read the latter part.
The reading OF the evidence taken before
the eoroner's jury being completed Solici-
tor Daniels stated that he desired to in
troduce a witness not heard by that
Jury s'Call Mr.. T. j. Hadley, Jr.," he
said to Sheriff Sharp.
But Mr. Hadley was not in the crowded
court room and a subpoena was issued
for him. Shortly after he arrived in
court. was sworn and took the stand.
He testified that on the night of the
murder he saw w. w. Barnes and ]. b.
Piyer in front of brakes bar-room on
Goldsboro street about 7:30. Later on he
saw sam Walls on Goldsboro street and
also saw Geo. Whitley several times. About
eleven O'Clock he saw Sam Walls and
Lawrence Morgan Also He saw Sam
Walls go towards the Fryar building with
some man he did not know, but did not
see him go in it. He saw Lawrence Nor
gan go towards the building, but not
into it.
Judge Brown asked to have the verdict
of the coroner's jury read. This charged
the murder. of Jones to w. P. Groom, John
Allen, George whitley, G. d. Ward, J. B.
Piver. W. w. Barnes, w. II. Rich and
their accomplices. Judge Brown said that
Groom was indicted in both the verdict
of the coroner's jury and the grand jury
Mr.. S. A. Woodland argued that Groom
had not been identified with any trouble
except a previous quarrel with Jones about
some insurance and that the testimony
read did not connect him with the kill
ING of Jones. He asked that he and the
men he had named DE granted bail.
Judge Brown said that it was in the
province of the court only to bail as the
mon were under an indictment for murder
bv the grand jury. If there had only been
the verdict of the coroner's jury the case
would have been in a different aspect.
the question being one not of trial. but
of application for bail
II was his conviction, he stated, that
unon slight evidence the grand jury had
presented some of the men and that the
coroner's Jury had exonerated them, these
being Walls, Morgan, Bass and PITT
man. In view of the action of the coro-
ner's jury and the evidence read ne said
that he would allow bail. and that II 1t
was not for the bill of indictment OF the
grand Jury he would discharge the men