The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-02-10
JONES TRIAL BEGUN At UNION
~ cEARGED WITH KILLING HIS
WIFE LAST JULY.
n- Jones Died From Effects OF
ssrychnine-Lattle Time Lost In se-
curang . Jry-Defendant Has
Been In jail Since HIS Arrest
Chief ssstice Pope stopped First
Yfaal

Union. Feb. 3.-The case of the
SKATE va w. Tyrrell Jones. charged
nm the poisoning of his wife on the
IN day OF last July. was commenced
IN the court OF general sessions here
today. Judge r. withers Memminger
ugssiaing.
1he alleged crime was committed
NJ the beautiful home of the defend
ant. In the little town of santus. eight
uaz1es below Union. on the Southern
Hallway. For years there were re-
ports In this section OF the marital
ereebies OF the prisoner and his sec
ond wlf>.
Mrs Jones is described as having
6een a gentle woman OF more than
psssing 0tractiveness. who married
ehe man whom the law now charges
With causing her death. while In her
esens. Jones IL man OF consider
able wealth. estimated at more than
Sbe.ooo. They were. married about
ufteen years. The prisoner is az
years Of age. 9 feet 8 inches tall and
weighs about $50 pounds. He is an
ssnreptionsliy fine specimen of physi-
cal manhood. He has been In jail
since July last year. several days hav-
1ng passed between the death of his
wife and his arrest. He was refused
oau 10y Judge ID. Il. Hydrick and by
shs supreme Court. which dismissed
An appeal from Judge Hydrick's do
-csion- The case was called for trial
on the nth OF last September. but
GAS continued upon an order from
Chief Justice Pope. pending hearing
az me appeal In the proceedings for
,triai -
AT 1890 O'Clock this morning the
State announced It's readiness for
trial The sherin was directed to pro-
-duce the prisoner In court. Twenty
minutes later the defendant In this
'cazs. which promises to be the most
interesting and sensational In the
criminal annals OF South Carolina.
entered the court rociu. accompanied
ny Deputy sherir Long. Jr.. and the
prsoner's fourteen year-old son, Har-
~. a good-looking lad. who remained
tby his father's side during the day.
Jones appeared fresh and there were
: apparently no III effects. of his long
-oonfnement. He entered smiling.
'o0wed to number OF acquaiutances
and shook hands with his counsel, as
follows: George Johnstone. of New
berry: James Munroe. Townsend q
Townsend and ". Il. DePass, OF the
Union bar. The prosecuting attorneys
ars- solicitor T. 4. sease. p. II. Nell
nm. OF Columbia: Wallace & Barron
and y. Ashby Sawyer. OF Union. A
formidable array OF counsel Is pre-
ssnted on each side and every inch of
ground VIII be contested---that much
- already evident.
Considerable time was consumed
BY the defence In calling the names of
witnesses A further delay OF nearly
<wo hours was 'ised by the prepar-
alton by the dsfendant of affidavits as
90 testimony which would be given
by certain absent witnesses. Fifteen
such afsdavits were submitted. The
prosecution was willing TO admit all
bat four. and requested the court to
have bench variants issued for the
cntire number. the admission of the
eleven affidavits being contingent
upon the non-appearance OF the Wit
nesses This request the court grant
al and the warrants were prepared.
Most OF the witnesses are under bond
The first tilt between counsel occur
red when Col. Johnstone stated that
the defence was anxious to go to trial
whereupon Mr.. Nelson stated that the
States had always been ready. and
was not responsible for delays that
had already occurred. The defence
moved that the indictment be quash-
ed. claiming that same was deficient
and not definite. This motion was
promptly overruled by Judge Mem
minyer. The next move OF the de-
fsnce was to ask that the State say
under which OF the two counts In the
Indictment II would elect to have the
case tried. One count charges the de-
fendant with administering and caus-
ing 20 be administered poison which
produced the death. The second Is
that the defendant did make an as
ssast and infiict upon the deceased a
m~rtsi injury and mortal sickness.
from which she died" The indIct-