The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-07-23
Jury Reaches a Verdict
in a Jiffy
ANSON CROWD JOYFUL
Chnryc OF Judge fccble> 10 u" ""'
Indicates That the Court NhN
Impressed With the Strength
Of the Evidence OF the
states Witnesses
states W'iinc
1snecLal Il NeNs - obserNerl

IN the case ~ John Jones on trial
as one 81 the alleged l3ncaers e Joah
y Johnson returned a verdict OF not
guilty at four O'Clock this afternoon
after being out about hair and hour
As soon as the defendant Vas DIS
charged. the people IN the court room
around 10 congratulate nm
and when the Arson county prNlt'
got down stairs they gave vent 80
their juEilat.1n on the court mouse
square. They sgd a great majority OF
people here. however. have been CON
ndent OF acquittal from the start
~Immedlately on going into the jury
room. the jurors took a paper bal
lot and the verdict OF not guilty was
unanimous. Only one ballot was taken
and then the jury sat around and
taxed, they said. for haif an hour,
that the return Of their verdict might
not look a If Il were made With un-
scemlv haste
When court assembled this morn
ing the state on he suggestion 81
Judge PEBBLES formally mol pressed
the third count in the Indictment
against the defendant Jones. which
charged him witch the actual lynch
ing and killing Of J V Johnson.
The jury therefore had 70 consider
the first and second counts only charE-
ing defendant with c~onspirlng To break
Into the jail and with actually break
ing into the jail and taking out John
on for the purpose Of lynching him,
Council for the defense took an eN-
ception to the mol pros. saving that
the defendant was entitled to
a verdict Of not guilty on the
third count" as agreed at the begin
ming" There is some dispute etween
counsel On the " sides as 10 such an
agreement having been made.
The Line of Argument.
The seven lawyers chosen out Of the
large array of counsel for defense TO
address the jury laid neariy the whole
force of their arguments upon the evil
denCe impeaChing the testimony Of
Sheriff Began and II =. Kendall, ST.
None u them went at length into the
defendants alibi, probably because
they considered it strong enough TO
stand bv itself. The Solicitor and his
two assistants for the State gave most
Of their time to bolstcring up the tes-
timony and characters of Began and
Kendall from the evidence and to
pointing out flaws in the defendants
alibi. Very able arguments were
made on both sides. and whatever the
event neither side IAN be reproachcd
with not having given its best effort
in the conduct of the case through
ont.
At Il o'clock all the addresses We're
concluded and the court adjourned till
3 O'Clock, Judge PEBBLES stating that
he would require more time than what
remained OF the morning session for
his char"e. The jury seemed glad to
get the recess. They looked tired af-
ter listening to eight hours Of sum
ming ND l.. counsel.
Judge PEBBLES charge to the jury
occupied three quarters Of an hour
He said that he had written out most
OF It, but wished to make some pre-
Iiminary remarks concerning acme
statements made by counsel in their
speeches to the jury. The charge was
decided in favor Of the State. n
Judges preliminary remarks were as
follows.
If heard correctly. and II did
not hear correctly YOU viii be guided
by your own recollection, under
stood one of the counsel in this
case to say that If you found the
defendant guilty IN this case he might
afterwards be tried for murder, and
that the proceedings in this case might
be used against him in that ease. 4
is my duty to tell you that this is not
so.
IF the defendant Joined a party
of men and went TO the jail for the
purpose of lynching j. V. johnson and
got him out and then lynched him.
they were guilty Of three offenses. Of
murder, of breaking into Jail for the
Of releasing n prisoner and
Of conSpiring to break into the Jail.
The state Of North Carolina has elect
Ell me 10 indict him for the two minor
offcnsrs. ana the solicitor has aban-
dored the our for murder. If you
convict tho defendant in this case
that IS the end of that transaction
and there ear never be another trial
unless this court errs in admission OF
testimony or in its charge to you.
Even If thu we're so, you. as hon
est conscientious men, could not take
It into consideration without violat-
ing YOUR oath and perjuring yourselves
in the eyes Of God and man
"One Of the counsel for defense also
told you OF a case that occurred In
England Of a man who had proved
his identity as the heir Of an estate
by the testimony OF over sixty VT
nesses and Inherited the estate
through that Identification. and VET
was afterwards proved to be an i'm
poster and was convicted Of perjury.
That was not proper. and YOU must
not consider it"
II Facts and the Law
Entering upon the charge proper
Judge PEBBLES reminded the Jury tha,
the defense admitted that J Y TobrN
son was IN jail on the night Of NJ
- 1905 and that he was taken out
a MOB n lynched. This crime.
SAID ms honor, was not on1v
an offense against the law -
tNorth Carolina. but an outrage
against pubIic security and moralitv
II We come TO such a pass as to die
regard such ofenses no mans iifa
YOU'D De safe, our laws would fan
!nto disrepute and fail to protect Iifa
liberty and property. ~
our purpose is 10 find whether or
not John Jones is guilty of the crimr
charged. Upon you ought n -.
slder the defendants testimony Won
consider his interest in this action apI
II you are satisfied he told the trT,.L
credit. oue
In considering the testimonv =.
peter Jones, Della Jones ard W.
wen, you must consider their rela.
.iohsnip 70 the defendant ana whet6-
er that relationship might arec. a.
not their l u
III considering the TESTIMONY -.
nose witnesses who said the
contributed 70 the expense Of tba ~
Ieise' you must consider whatbar
not mat would affect their testIno,y =
me Judge then went into a ~recanit
Ciaton OF the on 49,
4 Ef0aG u-hifa ,S.E--D III pcLE