The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-06-26

before morning There was a man
coming across the street whom 1 did
day as Jones. Whitley was near him
when he mad the threat"
W. L. West, a beer man. being sworn,
said: L saw Whitley on the evening
of the homicide and he told me that he
was gong to borrow some brass knuckS
from me- On REORGANIZATION wit
ness said that Whitley told him that he
was not going TO hurt Jones. because
his friends We're on his peace bond and
that he did not like to get them IN
rouble.
Frank FELTON, a policeman, was the
next witness. He said: Il was near the
Friar building during the night of the
klillng, was on Hills corner, heard
three shots and cries of oh Lord, help.
MURDER. Saw SIX or eight men come
down out of the building, recognized
PlVer n Bill Barnes among the num-
Der. They all Went in the allev behind
Briggs hotel. When I went to Jones
room after the shooting he old me that
he was going to die, and asked me to
send his watch to his brother. Morgan
came into the room while I was there.
The lock on Jones door had been burst
ed open.' On crOSS-eXamination by Mr..
+. A. Woodland, witness said he went
10 Jones' room about ten days before
the killing. When he was asked the
VI oIlS 1oollIF NIL. L. -
Spruill objected. and at his request the
jury was taken from the room. When
Mr.. Woodland explained that the object
OF the question was to bring out the
tact that when the witness was in
Jones room there was a negro woman
IN there. n when the officer came in,
this woman was pushed off the window
to keep her from being arrested. Mr..
Spruill stated hat the condition of
n room ten days before the killing
was no the object of defendants coun-
sci, but their object was to get Jones
immortality before the jury. The court
ruled that the condition of Jones' room
ten days before the killing or the pres
ence of a negro woman there at the
time did not have any weight in the
present case.
BARNES TELLS THE WHOLE
STORY.
VIM. w. Barnes, one Of the defen-
dants. being sworn says: Il am n Of
the defendants. On the night Jones was
killed we met between Z and s o'clock
in brakes bar, where we had our first
meeting that night. While there Piver
told me that a crowd had been formed
to whip Jones. and hat they were go
| ing to nave some fun by running Jones.
Morgan spoke to me neXt and asked
me to go down below the railroad to
| Aliens bar with him. l went but did
not near any conversation Inen. Wnou
the bars closed at II o'clock we all went
hin the Lamm building, but seeing
some one standing on the corner, we
| moved owe to Branch's cotton yard be-
hind Corbett's bar"
Who was thereof
Walls, Plver, Ward, Pittman, Bass.
| Morgan, Sid Davis Allen, Rich and
myself"
why did you meet there?"
I'VE were going to whip Jones'"
Who passed you in Branch's cotton
yard?"
r.. D. Alley and Policeman Shaken
berg passed US in the cotton yard. but
I do not know whether any n spoke
to him or not. We went directly from
the cotton yard to Jones ROOM"
What happened them"
The door was showed open and three
guns were fired. One was a shot gun,
the other two pistols"
who went in?"
Allen, Rich. Pittman, Bass and
| Ward went in Jones room. I was near
the door,"
What did you hear?'
Il heard three guns fired and Jones'
yelling. Allen said he was shot"
Where was Morgan?'
L do not know"
Was there an understanding with
| Morgan?"
Yes, he was to go off and shoot a
gun so as to attract the Of
| the police"
Who did the shooting in Jones'
room?"
Il heard the shots. but do not know
who fired them
Witness said further: L came down
| stairs a little ahead Of the others and
went into the alley behind the Briggs
hotel. Allen, Rich and Piver went to
| the sanitarium. Allen was shot. / came
l arnIn1 tho Can1torj11n and Ulnt IN
| Nash street to the Briggs hotel. / did
| not see any of the other defendants
that night except Piver, we slept to-
! gether."
I Mr.. John E. Woodland arose and stat
| ed to the court that in ~equ Of
their ignorance of the fact that Barnes
wanted to go on the stand he desired
the court to allow the defendants
| counsel to retire and consult for a few
| minutes
BARNES CROSS EXAMINED.
On their return to the court room the
| cross-eXaminatlon of witness Barnes
| was taken up by Mr.. Pou. The witness
in answer to questions by Mr.. Pou,
| said: Il work for Piver, the above
statements were made to my brother
| the day after the killing. The state
ment was made to Mr.. j. r. Uzzell,
several days ago. He told me that if
l would tell, l would not be hurt, and
| l am telling the truth now, so that /
| can get out OF the affair. 1 made the
! proposition to Mr.. UzZell that if he
would get me out / would tell every
thing. | did not have money to hire
lawyers and l did not see any other
way to get out"
BARNES AFFIDAVIT.
In answer to a query from Mr.. Pou,
the witness stated that he had made a
statement under oath to Mr.. S. A.
Woodland, contradictory to the one
made above, but he did not know MI.
Woodland had a right to administer an
oath. The following is the statement:
wv. W. Barnes, Affidavit-Have seen
Jones twice, saw him in mayors office
once, second time on street and l old
Piver, was man on street that
sWore out warrant against Whitley.
This was afternoon before trouble.
Think Jones was standing about Dan
nenberg's market. l had said any man
that associated with negroes should be
driven away from town. Did not agree
with any person or persons to run
Jones out Of town. 10 nothing about