The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-01-22

Mr.. Jones, Of Goldsboro, Said the
Bonds Were Given Him as Security
by a Man Who Gave the Name Of
Stanton and Claimed Wilmington
as His Home-An the Evidence is
Given to the SOlitOr-An Effort
Will be Made to Find Stanton.
Especial to The Messenger.)

topcCldl IIe heS<5eIlSSU-l
Raleigh. n. c., January 20.-There
was further sensation here today in
the hearing by the grand jury OF the
Wake superior court. of the matter o,
J. l. Godfrey's stolen North Carolina
bonds The grand jury yesterday ex-
amined J. C. L. Harris, attorney, whe
delivered the bonds to J. L. Godfrey
of Jonesboro, and got a thousand dol
lars for doing so, and H. P. Dortch
Jr., OF Raleigh who had placed the
bonds in Harris hands at the reques,
OF Charles C. Jones of Goldsboro.
Jones was before the grand jury two
hours today and was very closely ex-
amined. He said that a man who gave
his name as J. Stanton and who said
Wilmington was his home came t.
him at Goldsboro with the bonds (two
each of a thousand doilars) saying he
wanted to borrow $500 on them for
sixty days and would pay $50 for that
accommodation. Jones lent him the
money, not knowing the bonds were
stolen, but in June he found they had
been stolen and he asked Dortch to
advise him as to some lawyer with
whom to consult as to returning them
to the owner. When asked why he
did not advertise for the owner of the
and thought he would take an attor-
ney's advice. He said that Henry
Mckee and w. ]. Blow witnessed his
transaction with Stanton.
Jones gave the bonds to Dortch who
at once took them to Raleigh and
placed them in Harris hands. Jones
had no dealings direct with Harris,
but requested Doutch to get the $500
Jones had lent on the bonds If the
was strictly within the law. Jones
was to pay Dortch no commission.
but he left the transaction to Dortci,.
The latter reported that he had bar
gained with Harris, but did not tell
the terms. DOrtch gave Jones $50,
Harris having taken 81 900 from God
frey, Of which he kept $3.50 as a fee
Jones gave Dortch $3.50 because he did
not think he had a night to accept
more than $500 he had advanced.
Jones said he informed Dortch when
he gave him the bonds to negotia tc
with a lawyer for their return, that
they had been stolen. That was about
the middle of August. Jones knew tha
negotiations were pending for the re-
turn or the bonds. He never received
an offer of $500 to return these bonds
He never saw Stanton, but once, that
being the time when the latter brought
him the bonds and received the loan on
them. He never has heard of Stanton
since When Sta rton brought the
bonds to him Stanton said that E. w.
Pace had told him that Jones lent
money on good security. Jones said
he had at that time no such suspicion
OF crookedness. He gave Stanton NO
receipt or other papers. Jones said he
later became suspicious. as he say
Pace and the latter said he knew no
man named Stanton, burt had had a
converse ton with a. man answering
his description with regard TO- the bcr-
rowing of some money, this man CIV
ing his name as Bradley. Jones said
he conf1ded his suspicion to Dortch
The latter had the bonds only "A few
hours. Harriss had them two weeks
Judge Brown has placed all the :testi-
mony taken by the grand jury in the
hands Of Solicitor Armistead Jones.
An effort now will be to find Stanton
alias\Bradley, who is probably the
man who stole bonds from Godfrey; S
safe or else was the pal Of the robber.
1t is learned that Harris and Dortch
have paid to- Godfrey $3.50 each, which
they decided they had no right TO
hold under the circumstances OF this
strange case