The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-10-20
Negro Murderer May Have a Chance
For His Liberty II Her State.
nhents Can be
Proven.
BROTHER MAIN WITNESS
Motion for Continuance Was Filed
Today by Attorney craig-case
is Set For Trial Mon
day, p. m.

That John Roland was set upon by
three persons armed to the teeth and
shot Mrs. Lily Jones in self defense
is the opinion of Mrs. Lulu Roland.
his mother, who relies upon the state
ments made by her nineteen-year-old
son, French, to substantiate this be-
lief Something OF what the defense
in this case will be was gained today
from affidavfts filed today in support
Of a motion for continuance. The case
is set for Monday afternoon, 2 p. M,
and Attorney John g. Craig asks that
the case be continued until the No
yember term of court The affidavit
of Mrs. Lulu Roland follows:
l, Lulu Roland, being duly sworn,
depose and say that am the mother
|of John Roland, who was indicted by
the grand jury for murder In the first
degree, and that am living Just
across the street from the place
where the shooting In this case Is said
to have occurred. French Roland,
my son, who Is 10 years Of age, went
over to Anna Gross house with John
Roland and saw the occurrence. That
said French Roland, If present at the
trial of this cause, would swear that
he went over to Anna Gross with
John and went into the house with
him and heard him ask Lily Jones,
the woman who was killed, for the key
to his own house, and that she refus-
| ed to give him the key That Anna
Gross ran at said John Roland with an
iron poker or some heavy instrument
and that Lilly Jones came at him with
a knife or pair of scissors, could not
say which, but she had some instru-
ment in her hand and that the two
women attacked him, and just at that
time q man threw chair, just missed
| Johns head and struck the wall. That
then John began to back out of the
place and the three, this man and the
two women followed him up toward
| the door and on out into the street.
Then said Anna Gross struck at John
with the weapon she had in her hand
and John struck her with his fists.
The man who threw the chair and who
was with the woman was Ed. Hillger,
and he was following up and abusing
John Roland with foul epithets and
threatening to kill said John Roland.
When John Roland struck Anna Gross
with his fists, Ed Hillger rushed to-
ward John with something in his hand
and John put his hand In his pocket
and pulled something out, then the
shots began. Lily Jones rushed be-
tween Ed Hillger and John Roland at
the time the shots were fired. Then
Immediately after the shots were
fired Hillger ran. Then Lily Jones
walked few steps and sell. and
French Roland said to John Roland,
Johnny, you have shot Lily, and John
responded no haven't. That he
would further swear that / took hold
of Jones and tried to carry her into
the house, and that called to Anna
Gross to help me and that she re
fused.
| And further swear that I had Lily
Jones near the kitchen door, and then
Hillger came running from the alley
through the yard towards where Lily
Jones and were and that he had
something in his hand and that he
was threatening as he was running to
Kill John Roland. That when neal
the place where Lily Jones and | were
that John Roland from outside the
fence fired at Hillger and when JohI
fired from outside the fence, Hillgel
ran back through the yard toward thu
alley, and then John Roland crossed
the street toward my house and afte
going across the street that the SAT-
witness heard shot and went owe
to our house we found John Roland ~
ing across the sidewalk in the bacI
yard. A doctor was sent for and h,
was taken TO the hospital. That thes
facts your affiant verify believes sait
witness, French Roland, would testif.
10 II present at the trial of said caus
and also to the further fact that Johl
roland was intoxicated on that even
ing, that he had been drinking all tn
afternoon. The above facts were de
tailed to this affiant that the said wit
ness would testify to same IL calie'
as witness In this case, and hav
personally tried to get French Rolan'
to come to Keokuk to be present a
this term of court, by writing to hin
and he has promised to be here beter
the twenty-seyenth of November
1911. to testify In this case and tina
affiant believes the facts set on
above are true and that she knows o
no other witness by whom such fact
can be fully proven That the nam
of this witness is French Roland an
he is at the present time at Memphis
Tenn, and that have heard from hin
and that on account of his work h
has informed me that he cannot ge
here before the thirteenth day or tn
fourteenth day of November, 1911
but will be here at that time,