The Monroe journal., 1921-09-09
Shot While Asleep.

Shot While Asleep.
Domestic infelicity was intensified
a few months since when Whitley
declined 10 buy an automobile for his
4 Wife. She bought IL anyhow. and
since then she and Hayes are said 10
have spent much time riding about
at night Her husband and Oldest
son were never permitted to ride in
The car. Finally the husband was
shot 20 death while ne lay asleep at
his tobacco barn. The coroner was
unable to develop a clue, although
the entire community suspected the
wife and Hayes OF guilty knowledge.
Suspicion grew, and last Friday
afternoon the case was reopened and
the woman arrested. The Jail was
full, and with deputy to watch
over her. she was closely confined in
room at the hotel in Snow Hill.
After sleepless night she turned TO
the deputy with What do YOU reck-
on they'd do to me II was 10 tell all
| know about it?" That was the
beginning of full and complete con-
fession. Hayes was arrested and the
old negro. Confined separately they
confessed. and comparison of their
stories in magistrates court tailed /
them in every detail.
How Conspiracy Was Made
Ii was about the middle of July /
that the woman, Hayes, and her two
smaller boys drove Is miles TO the 4
house of old Wright Rouse, negro /
conjure doctor, and asked him TO /
throw a spell'' over Whitley. He
declined but finally gave her some
thing which he said would kill her
husband ii she put it in his coffee.
Hes too wise TO take tive tried
i before" she is said to have an
'wered.
" A week passed-so ran the three
ronfessions-and the pair returned
10 the old negro. They offered him
$500 to Kill Whitley, and he accept
I'd the offer. The following Thurs
lay was appointed for the murder. !
Hayes went for the old negro in an
borrowed from Seth Wat
son, brought him to within quar-
er of a mile of the tobacco barn
where Whitley was curing tobacco,
md instructed him how to go about
he murder. Hayes then went to an
)ther barn about quarter OF mile
lway and stayed until he heard the
hot.
Mrs. Whitley and her two sons
vent down to the barn about eleven
,'clocs and induced Whitley to lie
Town and go TO sleep. At a quarter
o IL they left him asleep. and went
o the house. The boys retired and
he woman waited. Presently she
leard the shot that killed her hus-
'and Rousing her sons out of bed.
he ran down to the barn. The old
legro had worked well Whitley
vas dead, lying In the same position
ut his wife had last seen him. with
bullet wound near the left temple.
he flesh was burned with the pow
Ter.
Suspicion at Work.
The neighborhood was aroused,
he sheriff had bloodhounds brought.
The old negro's tracks were plainly
isible. but the hounds would not
ollow them. Not a clue other than
he tracks was discernible. and the
Ulcers admitted their impotence.
uspicion went to work, and after a
month, fed with rumors, grew to the
oint that Mrs. Whitley was sudden
y taken into custody. No officer told
er on what charge They DUST took
er to Jail and let uncertainty get In
g deadly work.
Before daybreak Saturday morn
lg. the alleged conspiring triumvi-
ate had been arrested. and before
ightfall, the three had made sepa-
ate confessions. neither knowing
hat the other had told. The pre-
trial was held and the three
gain told their stories in open court.
he three were sent to jail and the
lystery that had baffed the COM
unity had apparently been solved.
The old conjure doctor amended
Is confession to the point Of declar-
& that after Hayes had brought