The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-01-09
Two Negroes Who Committed
the Double Crime in C|eve-
land County Dec. 18th
FORECAST OF EVIDENCE
THAT FASTENED CRIME
ON THE ROSS NEGROES

JulpC NcDD VIII loIIioTToN >OhNShc
the Special Term of Court for the
Trial Of the Murdcrers Of the
Splendid Cleveland Planter and His
Sweet Young Wife. and Orphaned
Their Only Child, q Little Wee Tot
Of a Girl, One Year Old-John Ross
'.Confesscs" Again, This Time I'm
piicating a White Man and Another
Ncsro-Dctails Of the Crime and
Forecast of Trial.
Shelby, Jan. 6.-Monday, at noon.
Judge j. l.. Webb will convene the
special term Of court for Cleveland
county, ordered by the governor re-
Gently. for the trial OF the murdcrers
OF Mr.. and Mrs. John Dixon. splendid
people. residing on their plantation
near Shelby.
John Ross and Hack Ross are the
negroes committed by the ]coroner's
jury. II who will be held for the
crime.
Ross has made several alleged Com
fessiOns' In each O. which he has at
tempted TO implicate others in the
crime.
In John Ross last confession he
ifnplicates n white la GLADDEN. and
Clayton Hoyle, colorcd.
The State is satisfied John Ross
killed Mrs. Dixon. John Ross will be
tried first for the murder Of Mrs
Dixon.
The officers Of the local military
company are sending out notices fol
members to report for duty early
Monday morning.
Malice and Fermentation.
Mr.. Dixon and his wife were most
hrutally murdered. The crime occur.
red at their home, ten miles north o.
Shelby. on the morning of December
Is. The killing was done with al
axe. Mr.. Dixon was called out durin.
the night and murdered in his barn
yard, his wife being killed later il
bed.
Mr.. Dixon's head was crushed i
with the blunt side of an axe. an,
Mrs. Dixon was hit with both tn
back and blade Of the axe. A blood
axe was found or the place with hal
on it, corresponding to tina Of Nj
DiXon's. Their only child. a lit!
Girl, twelve months old. was unharm
~. SHt Was III the DcO with ne
mother. who was breathing her la:
when found.
Evidence Adduced Mt Coroner's Ii
quiry.
At the inquiry the fir
evidence was that of John Ross an
Major stroud, two negro wood chO,
pers, who passed the Dixon hon
about daybreak. John Ross is q s1
picious character, and he had gone
Major ctrn1y6'S n n ~l;n - IT, --
to sharpen his axe.
~DiabOlically Planned.
John Ross said: Mrs. Dixon can
tc the window and called to us aI
said something was the matter: to
for help; n that she was holdir
her head in her hands, and that bloc
was running from a wound in Il
side OF her face" He said Mrs. Dixie
said two men had called Mr.. Dix,
out, ~ostensibly to help get a mule O
OF n ditch.
Ross started to Mr.. Thomas Dixon
the father of Mr.. John Dixon. h;
mile away, and Major Stroud start
to Fallston. four miles away, for
doctor.
barn, and saw two strange VIII
men. The first one asked him whe
he was going. He replied that he Y
going to chop wood. and ask whe
John Dixon was, and he told him
did not know. And the second N
stepped out Of the barn and depart
with the first through the woods. r,
passed within nine yards Of VIII,
John Dixon lay. and would have st,
ped over him if he had gone strais
ahead.
Stroud Says Ross Lies.
Major Stroud. who has been a
Spected old negro in the cOmmunt
says most Of John, Ross story Is
true.
Splendid People, the Victims.
John Dixon was thirty years old