The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-08
JONES IN HIS CELL
Says Frank Moore is
Working a Game
Asserts That He Can Prove an AIihi
in the Murder and Arson
Case at Standard
Oil Plant.
Especial to News and Observer)

Norfolk, Va, Aug. 7.-Earle Jones,
a white youth of nineteen years. his
light hair tossed about his head his
derneath, leaned against the bars of
a cell in the upper corridor of the
Norfolk Jail and discussed with appar-
emily little concern and less apprecia-
ton of the gravity of the conditions,
his implication at the hands of Frank
Moore, of Raleigh. n. c., i'm the burn
ing of the Standard Oil plant in Raj
eigh and the murder of the Waterman,
David Strickland, on the morning of
May goth last. He declared with
characteristic indifference his inno-
cence of any association in the triple
crime as charged by the youth Moore,
now in the Raleigh Jail pending the
investigation.
Il left Raleigh some time soon af-
ter the middle of May, said Jones;
land | have been here ever since, be-
cause in less than a week after lar
rived here | was i'm Jail on the charge
of trespass and given four long months
in this place. i guess it is good luck
for me that | am in jail, though and
away from Raleigh, for hen any one
becomes associated with such charac-
ters as Frank Moore Burch and Will
liams it would be hard for them TO
get clear"
'How can you prove your innocence
of any Implication in this terrible at
fair?" asked your correspondent Il
was not there at the time said he
with emphasis as he Strengthened him
self, for the first time seemingly be-
coming conscious of the fact that ne
was really charged with some thing
that were he convicted might end his
career upon the gallows or I'm a feloas
L -, a dIat. hat / =
not i'm Raleigh at the time and knew
nothing of the affair until Sheriff Wal
ters and some other man" he could
not recall the name, called upon me
sometime ago.
at is just some game Frank Moore
is Trying to wore TIE lis mean 3er
crazy enough to do most anything, but
but / really don't think he had nerve
enough for such a big thing as that
He never would have dared | know
him like a book, and if he don't look
out I'll squeal on him about some
thing not quite so large OF the days
gone by. Ihave seen enough of that
fellow Frank Moore, and he has caus-
ed me and others considerable trouble.
He has to accout for more crimes than
he could work out in three life times
if he only got two years for each one,
If he was convicted for them and right
around Raleigh he done most of his
dirty work He served some good
long sentences and had hard time
| understand on the chain gang and
| would not care to see him suffer
more, but / can tell you now il ! am
ever called into court on his account
he better be running when | get there
for l certainly will fix him and he
knows it..
81 left Raleigh and came to Norfolk
to get work" he continued, II came
on a freight train, beat my way, for j
had no other way of coming and
had hardly landed here before | was
picked up by one of these police down
here for trespassing on the Seaboard
property and on the recommendation
of the railroad lawyers / was given
four months i'm Jail for simply walking
across the yards. i thought it hard
luck but what can do"
1.-THE fact that / am away is evil
dence for me i'm the oil mill business
| cannot name the exact date, but IL
must have been between the seven
| teenth and twentieth that came away
| from Raleigh, and | was told by Sher-
| if Walters that the fire was about the
same time; therefore; ! am sure
can prove that ! am not guilty no mat
| ter what Frank Moore says.
Jones said that he would not hest
tate to go if he was awnted; except nc
said "for the shame 1t will cause my
moor mother Mrs Jessie Jones who
But for the m, fw mfwy fwpy fwy
lives i'm OakdaIe Avenue in Raleigh.
But for the trouble that it would
cause her to have me mixed up in
this affair, / would be glad 20 go
back and stand any test with Frank
Moore"
Moore seems to think that he could
establish an alibi that would entirely
he q
are in this mattre of the date of his
arrival could not be learned today,
for the keeper of the police records
is in Portsmouth where Jones is con-
fined was not at his post today nor
was there and assurance available at
his Office as to when he would be at
hand again as the weather is quite OPP
pressive.
There seems to be some uncertainty
Judging from what the attaches of
the prison say, as to whether Moore
can prove the alib or not; it is
question among them as to the date
of his appearance. And If an alibi can
be actually proved there is a sugges-
ton that he will be held as an in
direct accomplice; but of course this
is mere speculation save in the mat
ter of its relation TO the suggestion
that extradition papers with war
rants were awaiting the prisoner
Jones when his term expires here.
Relative to this of course Jones was
not approached. In a cell the youth
from Nthe Tar Heel State PAGES up
and down with nothing in his face
that he is conscious of his plight or
that he is. guilty of so desperate an
act His face is practically a blank
in expression and the first impression
an interviewer receives is that the
man is almost an imbicile; yet with
all he talks with rare directness des-
pite the lack of any concern.