Richmond planet., 1908-05-09
j. Wesley Jones
PrediCanent.
The WeII-knOWn Letter-Cdr-
rier Charged With Murder.
EFFORTS BEING MADE TO SEND HIM TO THE
ELECTRIC CHAIR-EVlDENCE NOT BELIEVED
TO BE STRONG ENOUGH TO CONVICT

The grand jury Of the Hastings
Court of this city indicted Letter
carrier j. Wesley Jones for the al
legged murder of his wife. The true
bill was returned on the third inst.
This viii necossitate an expensive
trial. When Che funeral of his wife,
Nannie took place. ne was I'm the Sc
cond Police station. BY the efforts
OF his friends Jones has been gant-
ed a furlough by the Postmaster, un-
iii tho case against him is decided.
The following report explains it,
self:
Policeman r. l.. Krcngle threw q
dangerous aspect ON the case against
John Wesley Jones. the colorCd mail
carrier suspected of wife-murdor. iu
police court this morning. when he
testified that he had heard the wo-
man scream for holp and had seen
her hand prints i'm blood ON the front
porch. where she had d-aggcd her
body after the beating had been ad-
ministerod.
Mr.. Krouglo and Mr. Walton.
second officer. each testified that
Jones stated 90 them after mis- arrest
that he had beaten his Wife. and
that he had tried TO Kill her. and
vas sorry hc had not done SO. MT.
Krcngle testified that IN his opinion
the charge against the man was fc-
lonious in its nature and that it
should have been SO charged in the.
first instance.
Martha Tompkins. colorcd IN
a. ID L.lr q j..
the time of the assault. April 10. un-|
til her death. April b.. testified tuat|
She. Mamie Jones. suffered much I'm
consequence of the beating and thar
q physician had been summoned toI
treat her injuries. DR.. Carpor. "a
colorcd physician. examined tho
Jones woman soon Otter the accident
and found her nose broken. Tie tcs-i
titled that the man was drunk.
Jones is represented by Attorneys
smith and Talley, and the Common
wealth by Mnitrce Folkcs DIR. Tay
Tor viii also give expert testimony at
the police court hearing. WhicA will
conclude his afternoon.
DR. Taylor testified. I'm the CON
Guiding testimony to-day I'm the ease
OF John Wesley Jones. that he could
not state positively that his blows
had caused the colored mail carriers
Wlte's death, and that she might /
have died from any sudden emotion.
"A person i'm her condition was ant I
TO die from blow than otherwise" ," |
added the coroner.
Attorney Smith argued that the
possibility of death having been
caused by the blow did not create /
probable cause. and he asked that
the case be dismissed DIR. Taylorl
In q second statement said that if hel
had 90 pass upon the case he would /
not convict the prisoner, even though /
the woman's enfeebled condition may
have tended TO hasten her deat1.
After deliberating Justice Crutch-
field said that he was unwilling to
take the responsibility of dismisslngi
the case, and Jones was sent to the
grand jury to answer the charge of
Attorney Talley stated that to be
sent to the grand jury meant that the
prisoner would be at once dismissed /
from the postal service. but this did
not alter the verdict
Mr.. Folkes stated that he would
ask bail in the sum of $4,000 for the
prisoner. Justice Crutchfeld would
not hear the application, which must
be made in the hustings court.
Jones went back to Jail.
-News-Leader, April so, 1908.