The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1915-11-27

Jerome Wilson found death an effic
lent ally in cheating justice in the
Baraga county jail at L'Anse Monday.
The gaint black, who. left one man
dead and two near death along his path
from Menominee county to Nestoria,
drank some disinfecting fluid which he
had procured from one of the prisoners,
stating that he wanted to use the fluid
to sprinkle on his bed to kill the ver-
min.
Sheriff Pennock and DR.. Won Zellen
worked over the negro for twenty
hours in and attempt to revive him.
but the fight proved fruitless and he
died early Monday morning.
The negro wrote the final chapter of
his weeks career in the upper penin-
sula when he drank the poison which
he had managed to get hold at in the
L'Anse Jail.
He wrote the first pages of his upper
peninsula career when he broke into
the home of Peter Fish near Powers,
held Mrs. Fish at bay with revolver
while he beat Mr.. Fish, who is 65 years
old, into insensibility with an iron bar,
and later inflicted three revolver wounds
on Edward Fish, son.
With officers on his trail the negro
went north on an early morning train
from Powers. Arriving at Nestoria he
got of at the station and began q wait
for another train.
In the meantime Sem McGregor, an
aged justice Of the peace. had heard of
the crimes for which man Of the ne
gro's description was wanted in Me-
nominee. The negro killed McGregor
shooting him through the heart, as the
justice was making the arrest.
After the shooting he gave himself
up and was brought to L'Anse, where
he was held for the January term Of
Court on the murder charge.
Sheriff Pennock suspected that Will
son would either attempt to kill him
self or the officers. At times he acted
as if he was brooding over his crime
and paced the floor Of his cell for hours
at time always mumbling to himself.
Sheriff Pennock several times tried to
talk to him, but be would never tell
much Of his history. Saturday noon,
after the sheriff brought in the prison.
er's dinner, he loitered around the back
Of Wilson's cell, and heard the black
mutterinTsto himself: Funny they
always feed man here with spoons
instead Of knives and forks. Its .
wonder he wouldn'c make q mistake
just once and put in knife instead Of
q spoon. guess he isn't going to take
any chances"
During the first few days he spent in
the Baraga county jail Wilson fre-
quently asked the other inmates about
the prison systems in Michigan. His
first question was "What kind Of pun
ishment does a1man get in this stale
for numbering another man, hanging or
the electric chair7" When he was told
that he would get life imprisonment he
replied "Well that il not so bad. 1t
could he worse.' After considering
his probable sentence for q few days
he confided to another prisoner that he
would never be taken to Marquette.
An inquest was conducted Monday
and the jury brought in the following
verdict: Jerome Wilson came to his
death by being alone in q cell in the
Baraga county Jail and voluntarily
drank about eight ounces Of Worrel
vermingo Disinfectant, which caused
his death. The remains were shipped
to the University hospital at Ann Ar
bor.
The negro's agony was intense and
he suffered continually from the time
he drank the poison until he passed
away. Sheriff Psnnock tried to get .
statement from him. but he refused to
tell anything. Until the end he disa-
vowed al knowledge Of assaulting
Peter and Edward Fish 1t Kloman. All
he would say was that he desired to end
his life because he did not think he
would get . square DEAL" He said .
few hours before he cied: II did not
think that ! could get = square deal
with white judge and : white jury
after killing white man.
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