Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-26

about the murder. could not stand
by and see an innocent person punish
ed for such an awful crime am
sorry that l had to be mixed up In
such n terrible affair. but 1t seems as
II l was sent out there that night on
purpose"
Mrs. Gibson then told how she had
happened TO go out to the Phillips
farm on the night OF the murder.
She produced <a large fiashlight,
which threw a light sufficient TO IL
illuminate a large expanse and allowed
the reporters TO see the interior OF a
barn behind her farm house, which
had been very dark before. In ad-
dition TO raising pigs. mules and dogs,
the widow makes n living by growing
corn. She stores the corn in the barn
at the rear. and she explained TO the
reporters how some OF her neiEhbors
had been stealing corn and chickens
from her farm.
Saddied "Jennyr to Chase Thief.
This used to be Apretty good place
before land specilntors began ceiling
lots TO foreigners. These foreigners
buy little scrap OF ground, build n
shack and then depend for n living
for what they can steal from their
neighbors. Last night row and her
two pigs we're stolen. Ii was because
] thought one OF my neighbors was
stealing corn from me that l left my
home on the night OF the killing. One
of the dogs got the scent of the fol-
low and scratched at the door. ! Rus-
pected that man / saw sinking
foreigners who lives near me, and l
went to tho barn and out n bridlesand
a saddle on Jenny. Then ] started
| out TO catch the fellow.
saw a man going down toward Dc
Russey's lane. ! decided that | would
| follow him and mako him explain
what no was doing in the neigh bor-
hood ana show me what he was carry
ing away with him. 1 had made UP
| catch ono OF those thieves somo night
| and empty a shotgun into him. I
felt that that would be tho only way
to stop this stealing around here
| Took Roundabout Course.
| Jenny Is an especially smart mule.
She knows n lot OF tricks. When she
comes to a brook or log at night she
! usually gives a little whinny as a
warning before she lcaps over the
obstacle. She can jump higher than
my head She wears shoes on All but
one hind hoof. A person would have
to have exceptionally sharp cars TO
hear her following him.
Before we reached the Phillips farm
that night the man that l had been
following eluded me. Having a sus-
piclon that ! knew the man, l took a
roundabout course no as to come out
on the little lane which runs In from
De Russey's lane. past the old Phillips
| farm house.
Jenny was picking the road, in
fact, az she cut across the Phillips
farm in the direction of the house !
| for the first time heard voices They
were not very distant at that time
but as we continued across Mt an IN
creased pace ! crouched down on the
mules neck 80 that II the man
sought was there he would not eus.
peot that anyboys WAS on Jenny,
back II was 60 dark am convinced
that nobody could have seen me-"
Four Yelling at One Another.
II was littlc before O'Clock wher
she left her home, Mrs. Gibson said
| y uhA yh3ylrs A,x- "A
10 O'Clock when she came oloee TO tn
four persons who were quarrellns
She continued:
The quarrel wns terrible. The mul
kept going on toward the four people
but they were IN such a state, tn
quarrel was so bitter. that they dIdS'
notice our approach, and we got al
most on top OF them. They wore yell
ing At each other IN extremely lou
! tones. thought at first that som
girl was being attacked, and then
, saw that there were two men and tvr
women.
After they had been qunrrclire 70
some time. all four OF them began (
light. 1t didn't all happen in a minut,
But suddenly there We're shots. fou
Of them. 1 saw a man fall and the
/ saw n woman fall.
Jenny became frightened Al III
T shots and turned around and ran. w
went home as fast as we could and
= did not so back TO the scene until lon
atterward. after / had told my stor
= to the authorities.
Positive Of slayer's Identity.
Z When ! read about the discover
or the bodies under the tree on IN
following Saturday. knew wha
{ crime I had witnessed"
Who was the man who commits
the murdeN" Mrs. Gibson was asked
r Il won't tell his name" she repl,e,
: Il have been cautioned by the AL