Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-09
RICH PLANTER TO GO
TO PRISON FOR LIFE
CONVICTED OF POISONING WIFE
AND RECOMMENDED TO MER-
CY. w. t. JONES AWAITS PRIS-
ON SHACKLES.

UNION. S. c., Feb. CIV. 7. Jones
was found guilty of murder with req
ommendation to mercy. Sentence has
not yet been imposed.
For hours the fate of w. T.. Jones,
charged with the murder of his wife
last July. seemed to hang in the bal
ance. The jury, to which was given the
case last night at S:45. after most
able charge by Judge Memminger, having
not reported at all until about noon
today, when 1t was announced that
verdict had not been reached, but when
after a further citing of facts. and ex-
pounding the law. the twelve men were
sent back by Judge Memminger who in
structed them that they must reach
verdict so that the case would not have
to be tried again.
Then at nine O'Clock a large number
OF spectators had assembled at the court
house to hear the verdict of the jury
in the case, 1t being generally believed
that some report would be made by $3.50
anyway When that hour passed and
nothing came from the jury room, public
interest crept higher and higher.
Forcing Suicide is Murder
Judge Memminger and the court offic-
falls were present but when waiting a
while and no information being sent out
by the jurors. breakfast was ordered for
them it being served about eleven
O'Clock.
A short time before noon the jury APP
peared, and on being questioned by Judge
Memminger, the foreman, Mr.. w. d. An
derson, who is bookkeeper at Lockhart
mills, announced that they would not
reach an agreement because of certain
fact.
Judge Memminger then proceeded to
cite the case of a woman in Oconee
county He quoted to show that cir
cumstantial evidence could be considered
in the arriving at a verdict and that
a person forcing or inducing another to
commit suicide was in the eye of the
law in this state guilty OF murder. He
then ordered the jury back to the room
telling them that they must try to
reach verdict. About 1870 court took
recess until o'clock, at that hour
the jury came out and announced that
they had reached an agreement. The
verdict was then read, guilty of murder,
with recommendation to mercy
On hearing the verdict, Jones, who has
stood up under the terrible strain of the
trial since last Wednesday, being one Of
the most composed persons in the whole
court room. with the exception OF a few
minutes yesterday, when he broke down,
turned deathly pale. and 1T was thought
that he might collapse however,
He spoke to his counsel, and was then
in a few moments, taken to the JAIL
where he has been since last July.
Motion for New Trial
A motion for new trial will likely
be made at once, and in the event this
is refused, the case will be carried to the
supreme court. Every legal effort will
be made to save the man from imprison-
ment for life, which the verdict today
will mean, and, especially will this be
done, as Jones is a man Of considerable
wealth, being worth from $4,000 to $50, GOO
Interest I'm the trial has been most
intense For while 1t was thought,
after Judge Memminger's ruling as to the
evidence, that the result would be mis-
trial or an acquittal, but after his
charge to the jury last night, the opinion
became general that the result would be
either a mistrial or conviction.