The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-03
THEY BOTH WANT HIM.
Officers Quarrel Over the Possession
of Lewis Jones.

There is a sequel to the story of Lew
is Jones, the man who gave himself up
to the police of Cleveland, Ohio, in the
sensational manner described in Satur-
days State Journal and confessed to
the killing of Gid Scruggs, a halfbreed
Indian.
city Marshal Smith, of Coffeyville.
Kan, and Sheriff Pruett of Montgom-
cry county, are both trying to get pos
session of the man, for the purpose Of
claiming the honor of the arrest, and
perhaps a share in the rewards which
have been offered.
Sheriff Pruett was in Topeka Monday
to get a requisition from the governor
for Jones. At the same time, City Mar
shall Smith. of Coffeyville, was in
Cleveland, in an attempt to get pos
session of Jones himself.
Sheriff Pruett, however, had antici-
pated this with telegram directing the
Cleveland officials not to turn Jones
over to Marshal Smith, but to hold him
for a requisitiOn. It is regarded as
rather doubtful whether the Cleveland
authorities can do this. Smith may be
already on his way back to Kansas
with Jones, and Pruetts trip may be
in vain
Two rewards We're offered for Jones
arrest at the time the murder was COM
mitted- one of 500 by the state; an
other 500 was offered by the county
commissioners of Montgomery county
The one Of 500 offered by the state has
lapsed, and is not likely to be renewed.
Sheriff Pruett said, while in Topeka
Monday:
THE city marshal of Coffeyville does
not like me very well, and that's why
he is trying to get possession of Jones'
I have come up here to get a reQuiSi-
ton because I want to have no queS-
ton about my authority TO take the
prisoner. 7 received a wire from Cleve-
land this morning to the effect that
Smith is there, and that the CleVe-
land authorities wanted to know
whether or not they should deliver
Jones to him.
Il wired them, of course, to hold
Jones until get there. have spent
500 of my own money trying to locate
Jones, and l would like to get the re-
ward to enable me to break even /
have flooded the country with reward
cards; sent out $500 of them. When
the Cleveland authorities notified me
that they had a man named Jones, I
told them to have him photographed,
and send me the picture I had about
given up hope of catching him, and had
made half a dozen trips, only to find
rest. When got Jones picture from
Cleveland, I knew at once that the
right man was found at last.
Zones killed this man Gideon
Scruggs in drunken fight over a
gambling affair. He hit Scruggs, who
was a halfbreed Indian, across the head
with six-shooter. Jones was arrested
for assault, and put up SO in Coffey-
vile police court LOI Ills dppSdId1CO lilG
next morning. Before time for Jones
hearing in police court, the Indian died,
and Jones hit the road. He has not
been seen since by the Montgomery
county authorities
According to the story from Cleve-
land, which was printed in Saturdays
State Journal, Jones gave himself up
because his conscience has been trou-
bling him. The facts of the case seem
to be, however, that Jones is tolerably
confident that he will be acquitted by
the Montgomery county jury It ap-
pears that Scruggs attacked Jones, and
that the killing was largely in self-de-
Tense Scruggs had a bad reputation in
COffeyville- Jones says he ran away
because he was afraid that mob of
the half breeds would take 1t into their
heads to storm the jail and lynch him
# he gave himself up at that time. He
says that the country down there is
more civilized now, and that he be-
lieves the officers can protect him.
Jones' relatives live there,
and own considerable property. Jones
wants to get back home, and help en-
iOy the prOpertV