The Topeka state journal., 1904-12-31
Louis Jones, WhosKilled Man at
Coffeyville, Surrenders.
Was Entirely Safe From Hand
of the Law.
HESOUGHT THE POLICE
Haunted Cleveland Jail and
Urged Own Arrest.
Murdered q Half Breed Nearly
Two Years Ago.

Cleveland, Ohio, Dec. 31.-For almost
two years Louis Jones wandered about
upon the face of the earth, Striving only
to forget that he had, in anger, taken
the life of a fellow-rnan. He was per-
fectly safe from the hand of the law.
The crime had been practically forgot
ten by everybody-except Jones. He
could not forget
Today, impelled by nothing save his
own conscience, he walked into the
Isheriff's office and begged to be locked
up. He was accommodated. But today
was not the first time Jones visited the
sheriff's office.
The evening before he had called
there and talked to Chief Deputy Horn.
Their conversation was a tri11e vague
and indefinite. Jones started it off, but
he would not give his name.
| "A friend of mine killed a man in
launching straightway into the object
of his visit He is now here in Cleve-
land, and wants to give himself up.
VIII you take him?'
Horn Thought Him Crazy.
Horn was puzzled at the strangers
question. He was dubious of his call
ers sanity, and this doubt he made no
effort to conceal.
:. NO. IN, I'm not crazy" assured the
stranger. Nor drunk" he added.
This friend of mine is dead anxious to
get back there and take his medicine.
Why didn't he come here himself?
Well, I guess he wanted me to pave
the way. But" eagerly, will you take
him in and send him back? Tell me,
will you, please?''
Something about the mans conduct
struck Horn favorably. He was about
25 years old, welI-dressed and looked to
be prosperous.
Whats your friends name?" asked
Horn.
Louis jones' was the reply "It
happened in the town of Cofeyville,
Montgomery county, Kansas. He killed
a half-breed Indian there a year ago
last March. The Indian was to blame
but Jones' life was not safe among all
these half-breeds. We feared violence
so he was forced to run away. Now he
wants to get back. He wants to go
home once more, and he will take his
chances on being lynched.''
=, Why. sure" finally declared Horn.
we Will take charge of your friend.
Tell him to come around"
Thank you.t' was the dark strang-
er'ss reply. But I've one more favor
ment to take fxtend to the theater
this evening.
To Go to the Show.
"Now would you mind if he went
to see the show and then came around
here to be locked up afterward 2"
This request almost cleared Horns
mind of any doubt he might have had
of the strangers identity. Thinking
to be rid of him, he curtly bade him
tell his friend to come around after
the show or the, next morning, or to
stay away altogether if he wanted to.
The stranger again thanked the Off
cial and said that Jones would be on
hand at o'clock the next morning.
Today the caller of the evening be-
fore stepped up to Horn and pointed
to the clock. 1t. was 9 o'clock on the
dot.
Here's Louis Jones'" he said. ssI
am he. I want to be locked up You
promised to do it. That story I told
you last night was about myself"
Without a word Jones was led into
the jail and formally and duly incarce-
rated. He was told, however. that he
was purely voluntary prisoner; that
the sheriff had no legal right to hold
him ana that his Imprisonment would
be terminated the moment he said the
word. Then Horn started telegraphing
with the Kansas authorities. In the
afternoon he got the following reply
from Sheriff Andy Pruitt, of Mont
gomery county:
Louis Jones wanted here for murder.
Will come at once"
Jones is an interesting person to talk
to. He says he was born in Missouri, |
and that he was educated in college
there. All summer he has worked on
the boats of the Cleveland and But
falo Transit company.
Explains Himself.
"Why did I give myself up?" repeat |
ed Jones, when asked to explain his
strange behavior. Because I wanted !
to get it off my mind. No, I am not
superstitious he smiled. 'I wasn't |
haunted with the mental picture of the
man I'd killed. Why / wouldn't know |
him if he were. to stand right here be-
fore me. He was a half breed Cherokee
Indian, and was a bad egg, too.'
Jones then went on to narrate how |