The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1918-06-07
ERNEST WILSON'S
GUILTY, DECLARES JURY
Alleged Slayer of Bernie Dickinson.
Madison County Farmer. Testified
That He was not in County whea
Murder Took Place.

Jackson, June Ernest Wilson
was found guilty of second degree
murder this evening, after the jury
had deliberated for several hours.
Wilson was accused Of the murder
of Bernie Dickinson, a well-to-do far
mer living on the Madison-H Haywood
county line.
The defendant, young man of the
Denmark vicinity, today told his sto-
ry on the witness stand, relying upon
an abb for his defense to the charge
of first degree murder.
The case was turned over to the jury
Saturday afternoon by Judge N r..
Barham, following lengthy argument
by attorneys for both sides. The trial
was heard with fervid interest by a
large crowd from this and adjoining
counties.
Defendant Wilson's testimony de-
described a circuitous route over the
country from March 26, when he states
that he left Brownsville, until arrest
ed in Nashville on the afternoon of
April II, going from Brownsville to
Memphis, Nashville, Birmingham,
Greenville, Miss, Memphis and Nash
vile in the order mentioned. Accord
ing to his statement he was not per-
fectly clear as to his exact whereabouts
on the night of the killing, but he did
state with positiveness that he had
not been back in the Leighton commu-
nifty since his departure from Browns
vile on the afternoon of March &C.
Defendant said that he was "a years
Of age, his father and mother both liv-
and, and that he has never been mar
ried; that he is farmer or unskilleo
laborer, and that his purpose in going
to Memphis and the various other
\ places mentioned was to obtain en-
ployment. Staying at Memphis almost
a week without success, he went 90
Nashville, and declined at this latter
place to go to the powder plant be-
cause submission to vaccination was
one of the requirements there. Claim
ed he wrote several persons FROM
Nashville. Thence to Birmingham
with the same result as Nashville-no
work secured. From there to Green-
vile, Miss, where he hoped to get
farm work, but discovered that it was
hard for a white man to get on there
on account of the excessive negro popRI
ulation, and he again went to Menu
phis Here he was employed by a LAY
Dor agent to go to Nashville to opgasp
in work at the Du Pont powder plant
! On heingaaalsed why he had ecQTsb,
4 Sdered employrlsat % wkhe-. SSis
plant he said that his money was
about all gone and he had to do s1me-
thing.
Reaching Nashville early Thursday |
morning, April IL, he, with the others
in charge of the labor agent went to
the powder plant about o'clock and
was arrested that afternoon. Denying |
the statement Of the arresting officer
that pistol and knucks were found on
his person when arrested, he said he !
gave these weapons to the officer at
the ferry There was so much red
tape about getting properly registered
and assigned to work that it took up
the larger portion of the day to get
properly adjusted and no attempt and
no attempt was made to check in that
day, and he was arrested before night
and was guarded at the police station
during the night. Questioned by the
officers very closely he said that his
detention was on account of the pistol !
and knucks, and that he did not know
of the death of Dickinson until the
next day when he was told that he
was charged with and being held for
murder
Defendant identified the SHOES which |
have played such conspicuous part
in the trial, said that they were re-
moved from his feet under protest,
and that he was without shoes several
days until an old pair was sent him
by officers at the Nashville Jail, where
he was detained until brought to Jack /
son. Wilson was somewhat confused
as to dates, and some other matters,
but upon the whole made a good Wit
ness for himself, stating that he never
gave any but his proper name in his
| travels.
He denied any of the threats against
Dickinson which had been testified to
| by a number Of the state witnesses,
and stated that he had ordered the
pistol and made the knucks because he
travelled a great deal and wanted them
for personal protection. In this con-
nection Gen. Anderson brought out
that the defendant had owned knucks
that carried knife inside which res
pended to the pressure of a spring.
At the close of the examination of
the defendant a number of character
witnesses were introduced by the at
torneys for the defense, and all stated
they thought they knew the reputa-
ton of the witness and that according
to that reputation he was entitled to
full faith and credit in a court Of
justice.