The Pensacola journal., 1917-01-27
[. MI TCRELL
PLEADS GUILTY
AND GETS LIFE
Barbaree Pleads Not Guilty.
Jury Chosen and Trial
Begun.
MUCH INTEREST
is EXCITED
Hobbs Brothers Charged
With Murder of Tom
Stephens.
SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL.


Milton, Jan. 26.-In the circuit
court today, Elder Mitchell, who
turned states evidence in the cases
of the Roberts brothers, who, mainly
upon his testimony, were convicted
of murder in the first degree, was
heard after arraignment in a plea of
guilty to murder in the second degree.
Such plea was accepted by the
state, and Mitchell was sentenced to
spend the rest of his natural life in
the state prison.
Mitchell was arraigned on an in
dictment charging him jointly with
the Roberts brothers and Barbaree
with effecting the deaths Of Peter
Wyman and wife, on Santa Rosa
Sound, in June, 1915, and when he
announced his willingness to plead to
the charge of second degree murder.
it was made known to him that there
were two charges of like nature
standing against him. As ne entered
plea to each of these charges, he
was sentenced to life Imprisonment
on each of them.
Barbaree on Trial.
The case of the State of Florida
VS.. John Barbaree was then called.
This defendant is charged with aid
ing in effecting the deaths of the old
couple, and when arraigned he enter
ed plea of not guilty The case
then went on trial, the work Of Sc
curing the jury being easier than had
been expected.
A venire of fifty was ordered yes
terday in this case, and all who could
be found were summoned and appear
ed at the court room. There was no
lack of interest in the proceedings
the case attracting possibly as many
spectators as did the trial Of the three
Roberts brothers last year
The state examined but twenty
veniremen before jury, satisfac-
tory to state and defendant was Sc
cured.
The 'Barbaree's Jury.
The names of the jurymen VINO win
determine the guilt or innocence or
Barbaree are: NJ. r. Cooper, Walter
Carpenter, NJ F. Odom, J. r. Jerni-
gam T. B. Peadon, ). d. May, C.. T..
Gray, w. S. Lewis, B. Nj. JernIgau.
Jr., r. B. Hobbs, C. C. Hamilton anc
B. r. Cobb.
Upon completing the jury, all wit
nesses were sworn, and the trial OF
Barbaree started. 1t is possible thai
it will be finished late Saturday eve
ming.
New Indictments.
Several new indictments were pre-
sented when the grand jury filed into
court this morning.
A true bill was returned against
Marvin Hobbs, charging him with as
sault with intent to murder, the al
legged attack having been made upon
one James Stephens with a knife.
The Hobbs Case.
The grand jury also presented
true bill against Marvin Hobbs and
Claude Hobbs, charging them with
the murder of Thomas Stephens, the
latter having been killed with a pis-
tol. The trouble occurred in the
northern part of the county about the
middle of November last. Tom
Stephens was shot and wounded, ex-
piring few days afterward, it is al
legged, from the effects of the wounds
James Stephens was seriously cut
with knife, but recovered. The
Hobbs boys are brothers, and the
Stephens boys were brothers. James
Stephens married sister of the
Hobbs brothers. Tom Stephens was
not married, and Marvin Hobbs is
single, but Claude Hobbs is a mar
ried man.
Two Plead to Escaping.
The state attorney filed informa-
ton against Mack Chairman and John
Mclean, both colored, charged with
escaping from custody. Both plead
ed guilty but have not been sentenced.