The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-15

| ellis firm in Raleigh. He exhibited
some mail that was stopped in AZ
| sit and was not permitted 10 reach
| the firm" There We're a great many
unmailed letters written in Powell s
hand. He showed the original draft
of the letter head admitted to be in
Powell's handwriting, which was
shown to connect Powell with the
| scheme"
Mr. Arthur Kelsey, deputy clerk of
U. S. District Circuit court in No: iolk,
said the financial condition of j. b.
Powell in January, 1904, was bank
ruptcy. He was declared bankrupt in
1902, and has not yet been discharged.
District Attorney Harry Skinner an
nounced that the government rested
here.
Powell on the Stand.
At $3.50 O'Clock, when the afternoon
session commenced, the witnesses for
| j. b. Powell We're sworn, and Powell
| himself took the stand. He said he lived
| in Norfolk, and that city had been his
home for ten years. He was born in
Franklin county, North Carolina. He
said he first met j. c. Jones about
the 10th of December 1903, having
been introduced to him by J. G. stone,
Ca government witness.) He saw
Jones several times, and just before
Christmas he said Jones proposed to
open a business Jointly in Raleigh
Jones, Powell said. represented him.
self to be a wealthy man, owning
considerable property in Nortl Caro-
lima, and proposed that they open up
a furniture establishment in Raleigh.
Several days later, after we had
talked over the matter fully, SAID
Powell, I'VE formed a contract. on
a Qr6 nf a
Raleigh to meet Jones, having an en-
gagement with him here, but could not
find him. He was not at the motel.
Next day ! went to Martin and Blouht
streets and examined the store house
later rented. Next day l returned 10
Norfolk. On the 9th | met Jones, tod
him of my trip to Raleigh. Next day
we perfected a contract, and the
agreement was that | should receive
$25 per week to take charge of the
business in Raleigh. Jones was too
busy with his firms, being travelling
man. and could not himself actively
participate in the work. L went TO
the office of Lawyer Eason to draw
up a contract and on the second time
Jones was with me. Eason SAID ne
would draw up the contract and get
ed two bank books TO me,
and they represented him to have
i'm the bank, l think at Goldsboro,
about $4,000. | am almost sure II
was a bank at Goldsboro. Jones wrote
a number of letters and postal cards
containing orders, and told me to have
them copied on the typewriter, and
let his (JoneS) name be signed 10
them The last time l saw Jones was
two or three days before 1 got ar
rested in Raleigh. Every single order
/ had and sent out were transcribed by
me from Jones writing. Immediately
after | returned from Ralelgh the HrSt
time, Mr. Garner Ca WitneSs) had the
printing of the firms stationery ana
cards done. When / got the letter from
Jones & Powell in Raleigh, showed IL
to Jones; he said it would not make
any difference as to the likeness OF
the names, but upon my continued
objection, ne went out and had the
style changed. When | found that
Jones and Powell still remained on
the left corner of the stationery 1 went
ont with Mr. Garner myself and nad
it changed again.
Mr.. Harris, attorney for the defense.
attempted to Introduce the changed
stationery, that Solicitor Skinner oo-
jected. declaring that it was manu-
factured for the occasion and that he
did not hesitate TO assert the allega-
ton.
The objection was sustained, and
the counsel for the defendant except
ed After further explanation thc
Judge ruled that the changed sta
lionery was competent. Il was TO nave
come TO Raleigh on Monday, February
1st," continued Powell put
| came five days before this
on Wednesday, Stone was to have
come several days later. l received
a letter from Jones saying that goods
were arriving in Raleigh, and that ]
should be there to receive them.
spoke to Jones about leaving NORTON
DIT once, but he would not, and al
vertised for a man. L mad Deeil ia
bankruptcy proceedings, and put my
sons name as a member of the urn
instead of my own. The reason there
were three names, was to get char
ter of Incorporation in Virginia, ana
[ was to have been president OF the
company. In regard to the statement
Of Stone, that | was trying TO lntlnl-
date him, he ought to be in jail Ioi
life While | was in jail in Raleigh
Stone was collecting my accounts II
Norfolk, and there is no telling how
much money he stole from me. He
never turned one cent over to my wife
or to my son. Stone was not con
victed, the trial justice said, because
the charge against me in Ralelgh wa
TOO serious for him to convict another
man on my statement. Stone was tht
first man that told me about the negro
porters on the S. A. L., and through ms
fundamentally they carried TO ahc
brought mail from Raleigh for me
The reason why these letters and CARDS
were mailed in Raleigh, and dated
from there, was because Jones TOLD
me that 1t would have looked ugly TO
a Raleigh firm to be mailing Letters
from Raleigh. Mr.. j. II. Brooks an
swered my card in the paper. and
employed him and sent him TO Ral
eigh, giving him letter of instruc
tons, ordering him what to do VIII
the freight, and to get the store Ii
order. Relative to the tomatoes Jone
told me that he had purchased som'
tomatoes and asked me if | could dis
nose of them / asked a grocer II
Norfolk il he could handle them: NJ
said YES. offered me rs cents per dozen
and after telling Jones of this he tol'
me to sell them to this grocer. Brook
came to Raleigh, and next night re
ceived a telegram from Brooks, tell
ing me that he was in trouble. | wire
him that | would come on the mex
train. / got in Raleigh next morning
went to see Mr.. James Pou, and