The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-05-18
LAST HOPE GONE
The State Suprens Court Denies the
Usien Murdere. a New Tr!al.
FOUGHT TO LAST DITCH


naliy Loses Out, and Mus: Spend
Remainder OF Days in Prison
". 7. Jones. convicted wife muir
derer Of Union County. Is now safe
and sound in the penitensiary. where
he will spend the balance Of his days
Convicted Of the killing Of his Own
wife. Marion Jones. the prisoner.
who has spent many months in the
Uason Jail. was Monday evening re-
fused rehearing by the Supreme
Court. and the remirtitus was sent
down Immediately. The Supreme
Court. in a few words. tells that
Jones's only hope for even stay Of
sentence is over:
After careful consideration OF the
within petition. the Court Is unable
70 discover that any material matter
or question has been overlooked or
dssregarded. It is. therefore. crder-
ed that the petition be diemissed and
that the order heretofore granted.
staying renittitul. be revoked" Tkis
order. signed by Chief Justice Ira B.
Jones. and Associate Justices Eugene
B. Gary and c. A Woods. means
life long term in the Penitentiary
for ". T. Jones'
AS 70 Federal question is Involved
the opinion OF attorneys Is that the
case Is ended. and that Jones must
spend the remainder Of his days IN
the State prison. unless petition for
pardon should be granted. There was
considerable talk OF an appeal 10
the United States Court at the time
Jones's case was affirmed by the SUI
prerne Court OF this State. but this
is not regarded as within the range
Of possibility.
W. T. Jones. wealthy planter. OF
Santuc. Union county. has a serious
crime TO- lie wake nights and think
over when be comes to the State pEis-
on. His wife. on july 8. 1908. met
. horrible death by srrychnine and
the testimony pointed to her hus-
band IS the guilty man. Statements
OF his counted strongly against him
at the trial. A chain Of ci-cumstan-
tial evidence was woven around him.
and In February. 1909. a jury de-
elared Jones was guilty OF murder.
The case. while as to the evidence.
must have been very strong against
Jones. Instances Of III treatment Of
his wife and testimony that on the
night OF the killing cursing was
heard at the Jones home. the fright
ened look os Mrs Jones as she en-
tered the room Of a man. who stop
ped at her home one night. these
and other matters were brought out
at the trial Il is even true that ef-
forts were made to cast shadow
upon the character oS Mrs Jones.
In order 20 saye her husband from
the hand Of the law. She was then
in her grave. but the verdict OF the
jury showed that these IL men did
not belive what was told them about
Mrs. JONES' Refused bail before JUS
tice {then Judge) 5ydrick. Jones
vas placed In the county jail, where
ne has been ever since.
ASIDE from the general interest
that the order of the Court win
create as to Jones. there Is an add
ed legal interest. especially TO the
people oe Charleston, because Judge
Memminse-. throughout. has been
upheld by the Supreme Court. and
the latest order Is even more strong
II onpltmentary TO Judge Memmia-
gers ability.
II win ae recalled by those who
lave followed the case. that Judge
Memmiager urged the jury to agree
r,on a verdict. calling the attention
OF the jury to the necessity OF jurors
agreeing. It being thei. solema duty.
On this poin: the Supreme coars sid
It was a Circuit Judges duty to SO
instruct the jury in such 3 situa-
zion
oea Judge Merminser. taxing
Hcyt-Hayes case as an example.
charged the jury on circumstantial
evidence. In this. too, ne was upheld
by the Supreme Court IN ID, mat
ter Of statements by jurors, .Se Cir
cult Judges ruling was upheld also.
The order refusing a 1ehea-izs ost
emphasizes these ruling. OF Judge
asemminser. because nearly alt the
exceptions were based rpon these
rulings.
Circuit Judge Charles G. Daazser
wrote the opinion in the case. rftei
sitting with the Supreme cou.' on
acc: .nf Of the Disqualification OF
jcsitce E4 drick. for the reason above
stated Thes the order Is signed by
o<.y three Of the Justices