The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-07-21
JOHN A. JONES
is EXONERATED

1
SALT LAKE. July 20.-Thc law Of
vengeance against the despoiler OF n
home was invoked this morning and
caused tho coroner's jury before JUS
tice OF the Peace Stanley A Hanks
u bring In a verdict OF justiflable
homicide in the shooting of Arthur
+. Sheppard. a scenic artist by John
| A. Jones, at the Wellington hotel.
Monday morning. Although Jones
was taken back TO the city Jail after
the verdict was given. 1t was done
I 10 allow the county attorney to fur
| tber investigate and Issue n COM
plant II It Is believed necessary. II
, is probable that the case win end
with the present verdict
The hearing this morning only one
witness was examined Jones offered
TO testify to certain facts. but re-
fused To do So on the terms laid down
4 by the state and the entire proceed
ings. including the arriving at a YER
dict did not occupy more than As
minutes.
AS the verdict was read by Justice
Hanks, coroner eX-offlcio. the face OF
John a. Jones lighted up for the
first time. II was hardly a smile, sim
ply n more animated expression
Some half dozen friends who stood
behind him reached forward and
shook his hand and a few minutes
later he left the Commercial block.
where the inquest was held. escorted
BY the policeman who brought him
from the city jail
During the hearing Jones sat al
most eXpressionless. His large eyes
seemed 10 drink IN the evidence and
he saw no one but the witness testi-
lying.
Hotel Clerks Story.
w. O. Adams. an old miner who Is
now clerk at the Wellington hotel.
was the only witness. He described
the arrival of Sheppard and Mrs
Jones, wife OF the defendant, at the
hotel He said that he had never
seen either of the parties to the al
fair before. Sheppard. he showed by
the hotel register. signed his name as
Arthur Forsythe and wife, Ogden
While the man and woman stood
partly facing the direction from which
Jones came, waiting for the elevator.
the witness said he heard the shots.
Adams said that Sheppard ran
through the door into the ladies'
waiting room at the hotel, with Jones
after him. closely followed by the
woman TWO or three shots were
fred In the corridor before the room
was reached, and the witness declared
that two OF three shots were fred in
~. hof Qhnfc
fired altogether,
Jones, the witness declared. did not
speak and followed the couple In a
minute or two after they entered. At
the firing of the first shot Sheppard
whirled and ran.
When Adams had finished his tesG-
mony Justice Hanks held a confer
enco with Attorney NJ. NJ Warner,
representing Jones, and Assistant
County Attorney John r Bowman
Jones was then sworn and called to
the stand Before a question could
be asked Atty Warner announced
that he had offered Jones as witness
sumply to prove the marriage. The
prosecution Immediately objected to
the attorney taking any part In the
proceedings, declaring that the de
fendant had no rights TO be repre-
Sented at the inquest.
Justice Hanks declared that as there
was no rule governing the matter. II
had been loked upon as a courtesy to
allow a man to be represented by
counsel When Attorney Bowman at
tempted TO question the witness his
attorney told him that he did not need
TO answer An effort was made to show
that the witness could be adjudged
I'm contempt OF court but the acting
coroner ruled against it.
"If the witness cares to answer the
questions he may, but IL he does he
will have TO go into the entire case"
said Justice Hanks.
Jury Soon Reports.
Attorney Warner then told the wit
ness to take his seat. The court then
gave the usual instructions. At the
suggestion of Attorney Warner the
coroner was asked to read to the jur-
orS the statute relative TO murder
being felonious This ii was said was
, usually left to the caunty attorney
but no objection being raised the law
of justi6able homicide was read. The
jury was out little over 20 minutes
when the verdict was returned. 1t
read as follows:
AN inquest having ben held at
Salt Lake City. in Salt Lake City pre-
cinct. Salt Lake county, on the nine
teenth and tewntieth days of July, A..
D 1910. before Stanley a. Hanks. JUS
tice of the peace IN Salt Lake City
precinct. in said county. upon the body
of A. r. Sheppard there lying dead
by the jurors whose homes are hereto
subscribed. the said jurors upon their
oaths do say. that Arthur F. Shep-
pard came to his death by gunshot
wounds in the side and head. fired by
one John A. Jones from a pistol. on
the morning of July Is, A. D. 1910. at
the Wellington hotel. corner Third
West and South Temple streets, Salt
Lake City. Salt Lake county State of
Utah: and that said act was justiflablc
under subdivision 4, article 4lGS. Com
piled Laws of Utah. 1907.
I'm testimony whereof said jurors
have hereunto set their hands this
day and year aforesaid.
(Signed) j. FL TRACY, Foreman.