The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-12-28
MYSTERY ABOUT
This KILLING
No Cne Understands Why
Alex. Jones Killed This
Harmless Negro Tenant

More or less mystery sur
rounds the killing OF Alfred
Fercbec. a negro farm worker
at the home of Alex Jones, a
prominent Newland Township
farmer on the Newland Road.
about ten miles from Elizabeth
City. Jones is held for a pre-
liminary hearing Friday morn
ing under a $4,000 bond.
Ferchee was brought tO the Com
munity Hospital in Elizabeth city
last Thursday night in a Seml-con-
ScinuS condition aS q result of Il
blow on his head. He WAS put
under opinS Sns and died Sunday
afternoon without rcsaininS con
seriousness or making n coherent
statement. The autopsy revealed
that he had been dealt Il crushing
blow on the left temple. the blow
fracturing his skull from II point
over the left eye TO point just he
hind the left ear. Ii WAS blow
that might have been struck from
the side or from behind. but could
not have been easily dealt face to
face. Jones will plead self defense.
Alfred Fcrebee was one of the
most dependable and respectful nc
-rocS in Ncwlaud township. He lad
lived at peace with his nei%hborS
all his life. according. To reps;S
gathered 10y this newspaper. For
u years he hud lived in II little
Tenant house on the lands of the
late W. Frank Williams. He stuck
bv Mr.. Williams during his life time
and when Mr.. Williams died. Alfred
stuck by the widow OF his former
rmulovcr. worked her lands and did
MANY of her chores. He WAS not II
robust negro and is said to have
been Il CunSumptive.
LAST week Alfred had done some
work for Mr.. Jones. Alex Jones Is
u Snn-in-law uf Mrs. Williams and
lives with his motherin-law, just
across the road from Alfred :
Shauty. Came supper time III Al
fred'S cabin and Alfred told his wife
ne WAS going over to Mr.. Jones to
Get pay for his work. He also
told his wife that be had loaned
Mr.. Jones SO which h" also eX-
urrfcd iuI get. Us h" needed 1t Tor
some christmas shopping i'll town.
. II" didn't eat his supper. Shylh: hc
would hc back III few minutes.
He w;lS brought back by two other
rnlored men. bleeding from his mead
and left eye. and moaning with pain.
He said Jones had struck him.
No on" seems to have witnessed
the trouble. Two negroes. nalnrd
pructOr and Moore were III Il Iarll
ON the Williams place and heard
the disturbance: they ruShcf out
of the barn to find Alfred writh-
in: in pain on the ground and Jones
Stnn,lin. by with Il club. Jones Is
said To have brandiShcd the club at
the two negroes and threatened to
use il on them if they intcrfercd.
Sheriff ChaS. Reid says that
when hr served Il warrant on Jones
that night. Jones said: We'll
there's one damn good thing about
it: nobody saw it.
And it may pan ont that 1t was Il
very good thing for Mr.. Jones tl;lt
no one did SEE it,. because everybody
i'm Nrwlnnd seems To have liked and
rrSprctcd the victim of his assault
Mr.. Jones is Il brothcr-in-law of
W. l.. Cohoon and is Interested with
u. f.. Williams in tn" construction
Of that segment of the state high
way system which connects the VII
En..r of South Mills i'll Camden
Cnuutv with the Ncwland Road IN
Pasuuotamk. \ number of col"rcd
men in Newland township. inter
viewed by this newspaper. say tnfN
have worked for Alex. Jones ana
found him to be- Il good boss. They
don't understand why he Killed Al
fred Ferebee. Some say Jones Is
hot headed and impetuOuS. Others
suggest that corn liquor was ab'IlI-
duut i'm the Newland section at
Christmas time. But no one seems
/ to know anything.