The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-05-03
WHILE HUNTING FOR "A WHITE
WOMAN NEGRO SEARCHED
THREE HOUSES.
MADE THREATENING MOVEMENT
ATRpAN RUSH WHO KILLED
HIM ON THE SPOT.

HI III. MN ON ~ ne SfOl
Curled up across stone about
two feet square, some thirty stops
from Dan Rush's front door. near
White Rock. on the B. D. Fleming
farm. Coroner Amos, Deputy Sheriff
Watson, Policeman Frank Ridgely
and two newspaper men found the
body ofsJohn Jones at an early hour
this morning. The dead mans hat
was lying near his head and the rel
soil beneath him told the tale$o of a
life having ebbed away. An examl.
nation revealed large bullet hole
near the clavIcle Immediately In front
of the left shoulder. A search
through his pockets revealed a. ten
cent piece, un old leather pocketbook
and a red necktie. The glare OF the
eye and the stiffness OF Tie body
showed that life had been extinct for
several hours.
Several women and children were
sitting on Mr.. Rush's porch and a Wis
| 1t to them brought out the story OF
the killing which ls+one Of the most
unusual ever known in the county.
Dan Rush, a man about thirty.five
years Of age, lives on farm owned
By Mr.. B. D. Fleming, of Fairmont.
He has a wife and little child and an
invalid brother lives with the family.
A wayward sister, bearing the name
OF Rose IIilberry. frequents the home
at intervals. She is a noted charac.
ter about town and her reputation for
intimacy with negroes is well estab.
lished. II
Between three and four o'clock yes.
terday afternoon, according to the
story told, John Jones. a coal black
negro, called at the house Of Rush
and inquired concerning the where
abouts OF Rose Hilberry. Mrs Rush
and her baby were 1.-THE only occupants
Eof the house at the time. She told
him the Hilberry woman was moi
there, but this didn't satisfy the ne
gro. He then proceeded to search
the house and not finding her, he
produced revolver, threatening to
| kill Mrs. Rush II she did not tell
where to find Rose. Mrs. Rush says
he showed her a box OF cartridges
saying the six in the gun were 70,
her and the remainder for the bal
ance Of the family. Mrs. Rush tolt
him heiwoman was at the first house
out the road. He then started ava.
and Mrs. Rush. with her babe in hel
arms, fed to the field where her hus
band was ploughing. The invalid
brother was also in the field at til,
time. On leaving the home, Jonet
took the. wrong road and went bacl
down to the street car line. He callet
at the home Of George Piles, tn,
house formerly occupied by Mr.. BID
Fleming near the old mill Site H
inquired for the Hilberry woman, bu
Mrs. Piles. who was alone, excep
having a small child In her arms, toll
him she knew nothing OF the woman
did not even know her at sight. H
then left there and went up the ca
line to Jack Murphy's. He would no
take Mrs. NTurphy's word about til
matter, but went into the house an
searched up stairs and down. Nc
finding the woman, he returned I
the Piles home and made scare
there, looking behind the doors an
under the bed. still not finding til
object Of his search he concluded
go back upon the hill and talk
Mrs. Rush. BY the time he returne
there. however Dan Rush had gon
+ into the house and gotten an old, larg
bore deer gun and was on the watch
, outfor him. He$looked3 down the hi
land saw Jones coming up. Rus
d walked around behind the garde
g. fence and watched his move ments. h
flwalked up within a few steps ofFwher
y Rush was standing. not seeing hin
8 however. Jones then turned an
? went Into the house. but no one wa