The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-03-29

haste through the big county Of Cum
berland to the remote precincts of
Beaver Dam, Black River, Queuwhifie
and Little River. with "HollO the
house, bidding 100 farmers and other
citizens to come to the call of the
high sheriff of Cumberland county 10
try and determine the issue of the SOW
ereign state Of North Carolina and
Tom Walker, charged with double
murder. At 11.3O o'clock this morning
the drawing of the jury began and
contrary to general expectation CON
sumed only two hours, the twelfth
man taking his seat in the box at =
o'clock, all white men. as follows:
A. T. Rankins, wholesale grocer; A.
A. McGill, farmer; c. c. Hutaff- coca
cola dealer; B. G. HOllingsworth, dry
goods dealer; VIM. Culbreth, d. H.
Billiard, J. c. Geddie. J. c. Williams,
J. c. Beard, T. j. Purdie, Jonathan
Evans, Milton Ray.
1t is a very intelligent n trust
worthy jury. At the afternoon session
Judge Webb ordered the prisoner to
be brought into court. There was
some delay and presently Sheriff Wat
son entered the court room and whiS-
pered to the judge and Immediately
afterwards DR.. A. S. Rose county ply
sician was hastily called out of the
court room and the whisper went
around that Tom Walker had tried 70
kill himself in his cell. 1t speedily
developed that he had attempted to
beat his brains out against the stout
walls of his cell and had badly cut
his head. Rev. /. w. Hughes, rector
of st. Johns church, who was sitting
inside the bar, vas called into the
Jail as the prisoners injuries might be
serious. At this point the grand jury
was called into the court room and
polled and Judge Webb said:
Gentlemen Of the grand Jury, you
returued into this court a true bill
for murder against a man whose name
the cour for reasons best known to
himself will not now call, SO say you
ALL" The grand jury bowed IN assent
and filed out.
DR.. A. S. Rose, accompanied by DR..
J. V. McGoughan, coroner, came into
court and had a long confidential n
ference with Judge Webb, when DR..
A. S. Rose made the following state
meAt: .
He found the prisoner lying in a
pool Of blood, with four or five lacera-
tions Of the scalp and a depressed frac-
ture of the skull, two cOntusiOns on
the forehead and two on back Of head.
The prisoner was absolutely unable TO
attend in court. The judge then post
poned the case till tomorrow mor
ing's session. There was no excite
| ment in the court room but on the
east side Of the Jail and in front along
Munford street large crowds Of ner-
vous people collected, though there
was no demonstration. II is thought
, that at the dinner hour Walker must
| have in some way got To- the top OF
the cell and hurled himself head first
% the stone floor below.
During today Mr.. H. l.. Cook asked
leave to submit a paper in which he
stated that he had signed the protest
Of yesterday sent in full last night
but after fuller information he wa
satisfied that Judge Sutton in his 20
siion as assigned counsel was blame
less and he desired to withdraw hi
name as a signer OF said protest
Dc. A S. Rose states that the prfs
oaars condition depnds on the damAe
from conclsioa- The depressed nac
ture OF the skull would not be fatal