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THE GOU RANT -AM EKI C AN.
VOL. X.
FOR HIS LIFE.
tins. T. Jones on Trial for the
Killing of Janies Young.
A Determined Legal Fight,
jb<- State Presents a Case of Prim a
Facie Murder.
#
The Line of the Defense.
/
the claims of a conspiracy
ON THE PART OF ODELL
AND YOUNG
AGAINST THE LIFE OF JONES,
And the Defense SAiow a Most
Aggravated Case.
THE TESTIMONY IN FULL..
IntenseXa&emot VSxeiteCanid Larje Crowds
Present at the Trial.
Perhaps no case ihas in recent
years so greatly interested the pub
lic at large as the case of the state
vs, Chas. T. Jones charged with
murder. Tfate defendant belongs to
a very prominent family in this
section and has a large number of
warm personal friend* .as well as
family friends. The deceased, upon
whom he is charged with commit
ting the offense, was one of the most
prominent and popular of the col
ored citizens of the county. The
immense throngs who attend the
trial testify to the feeling aroused
in the ease and various arettlhe spec
ulations as to the verdict.
Judge Gober, presiding in Judge
MilnerV stead, directs with a firm
and powerful hand the course of
the trial. The general facts are
set forth below and upon these
facts Solicitor General Fite, assis
ted by Mr. J. A. Baker, argue for
the state, while Messrs. Akita &
Harris, Neel, Jno. W„ Akin, John
son and Anderson will .appear for
the defendant.
There was but little trouble in
securing a jury. The state and de
fendanteach challenged ninejurors,
while eighteen went off for cause.
The jury is a good representative
jury, composed in chief of citizens
from the outer districts of the coun
ty. The jurors are Messrs, Geo,
Smith, H. B. Barton, H, H. King,
A. E. Nelson, J. P. Alexander, J.
L. Luther, sr., J. S. Lipscomlb, D.
Hranton, Jas. Shaw, E. B. Elrod,
W. E. Teat, L. A. Murphy. Some
seventy-five witnesses have been
subpoenaed, but it is not likely that
fil of them will be called to the
stand.
THE PROSECUTION.
Evidence Introduced by the State's
Attorneys.
Mr. J. Murray Africa was put
forward by the state and testified
to the employment of the defend-
CARTERSYILLE, GEORGIA, THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 5. 1891.
ant and Young and Odeil by the Eto
wah Company, of which he is the
general superintendant. He testi
fied to continued troubles between
the three parties named—of the
discharge of Jones by Odell who
was foreman of the company—of
threats made by Jones against
Young. These extended from June
up until the time of the killing. Did
not know anything of any impor
tance that Young did or said in
any of the fusses except that he was
generally boisterous and frequently
cursed defendant. He also testi
fied that when Odell discharged
Jones he put Young in his place.
Had not heard Young say anything
in reference to what Jones had said,
about the officers of the company.
Had heard threats three different
times. There was much more of
this testimony but on the same
line.
Isaac Arnold, of ebony hue, was
next called to the book and testified
that Jones had said on the E. & W.
road that if Young fooled with him
he would shoot Young’s liver out.
This was two days before the kill
ing. There were present when this
was said, Sam Saxon, Boh Stover,
Crow, Singleton and White. Did
not know who was standing clos
est to Jones when this was said.
Sam Saxon, the father-in-law of
the dead man, was pot forward.
He testified at great length, glibly
for the state; insolently and sullen
ly when cross questioned by the
defense. He testified to threats
made by Jones against Young. On
the East A West road he located
substantially the same that was told
by Arnold. Jones challenged him
to fight but he was too old. He saw
Jones on the day of the homicide;
saw him hunting for Young; charg
ed him with seeking Young/or a
fiissL Jones told hiiwi that he knew
his ovn business. He had a talk
with Young and they agreed to
meet. Jones afterward met him on
the street and shot him three times.
Young was not looking at Jones
when he was shot. Young had his
knife in his hand and had had it
every time Jones was near him.
Had seen Youngtake adrink about
twenty or thirty minutes prior to
the shooting. Jones pulled his pis
tol with his left hand and fired with
same hand into the stomach of
Young, who fell on his side when
Jones again shot. Young turned
again and Jones shot :him a third
time. Young lived .about one hour
and a half, did not talk .of the shoot
ing at ail. He (Saxon;) \was looking
for a difficulty, but did not do any
thing to prevent it ©id not drink
any himself. Young was a large
man.
Dr. Johnson testified to the
wounds and gave as ihas opinion that
death was caused by them. Dr.
White testified as to the wounds
also.
Ben Decatur heard Jones say on
election day for Young to prepare
his box, for he Jones would put him
in it. Young replied that there
were plenty of boxes ready, and
that they would fit. Om the grade
he had heard Jones say that Odell
and Young could not live in the
same tow r n with him. Saxon, Crow,
Strickland, Singleton, Thompson
aul Wiiite heard this last S over
was not present. This was before
dinner and not when we had stop
ped off. The morning train had not
gone out,
C. T. Evans swore that h<e was at
Miller’s store at the time of the kill
ing, heard gun fire, jumped up, saw
Jones with a pistol in his hand.
Saw Young fall and Jones shoot
twice more, the last shot just as
Young fell to the ground. When
he first saw Young he was standing
with one foot in the drain, the other
upon the walk toward Jones. Jones
was near the middle of the walk.
The pistol was a 32, self-acting.
Geo. Cooley was with Young and
Suddeth when Jones passed by,
saw Jones go by and come back,
then approach Young and say, “I
want to see you.” They walked
out together four feet from the walk
side by side. Young had had his
knife in his hand whittling,supposed
that he had sliut it up and put it in
his pocket. They had some talk
and stepped apart when Jones pull
ed his pistol from his right pocket
and fired upon Young. He shot
three times. Jones had on a sack
coat and drew his pistol from the
right hand pocket. Did not drink
anything that evening, had no bot
tle on the stairs. Did not see Sam
Saxon, he may have been there in
the erowd.
Jno. J. Calhoun was standing on
the E. * W. depot platform, saw
the shots and heard them, they suc
ceeded each other rapidly i it must
have been a self-acting pistol; was
not looking for any oifficulty.
With the testimony of Mr. Cal
houn the state closed, when Mr.
Harris opened for the defense. He
drew a short sketch of defendant’s
case, rehearsing the main features
and declaring that the jury would
find nothing against the defendant
worthy of censure. The court hav
ing exhausted the day,was adjourn
ed until Wednesday at 8:30 o’clock.
THE DEFENSE.
Testimony Introduced in Behalf of the
Prisoner.
At 8:30 o’clock the court house
was comfortably filled with people
eager to hear the testimony intro
duced for the defense. That testi
mony was as follows:
George Miller: I was In Cartersville
on the day of the killing of Young. I
saw Young and Jones on the street at
the time of the killing. Young was ad
vancing upon Jones when Jones tired
and just before firing Jones stepped
back as Young advanced. Three shots
w ere fired rapidly, the second as he was
falling and the third as he struck the
ground. Don’t know' what Young had
in his hand; he had his arm drawn up
and I could not see the hand. I heard
no conversation between them. The
pistol seemed to be self-acting, No, 32-
Young advanced upon Jones a step or
two.
Wm. L. Beason: I was on the street
near the scene of the killing. 1 saw Mr.
Jones come across the sidewalk and
heard him say, “Jim, I w ant to see you.”
A yellow negro went to him and they
had some talk. I heard something
about Monday morning and saw Young
advance on Jones with knife drawn. He
advanced two steps. Jones fired upon
him three shots after he had stepped
back. Jones asked Young if he intend
ed to meet him on Monday meriting or
did he pretend to say that lie wwold.
Young replied: “Yes, by God, I .to.'S
Jones said: “We can settle now. - ” Then
Young advanced about two steps wiith
knife drawn as if ready to eut. Jones
fired then and Young fell. I was bn.t a
few feet from the parties and they were
but four or five feet apart. Aim •certain.
Percy Reufroe: I was about twenty
five yards away and got up to the scene
of the difficulty shortly afterward.. Saw
knife in the hand of Young a I went
up. Don’t know whether it was open
or not. I think Mr. Mel! got the knife.
Bob Stover: “Am an engineer wi .the
East and West railroad. I was the
road several days and one -day J heard
some talk about Young a,ud Odell.
Jones made no threats. The bulk prin
cipally was about a fuss up at the Eto
wah works. There may bare .been
threats but I heard none.
B. C. Tberrell: 1 know Jones and
Young. Know Odell. I saw Odell,
Jones and Young in front of Knight’s
store. I did not see the fuss between
Jones and Odell, but I saw Odell run off.
He went toward the Tennessee house.
He came back in about ten minutes
with Jin Young. Mr. Knight and 1
met them on the street; they were bois
terous, and Odell, popping his fists,
said: “We are ready for him.” Knight
and others persuaded them to keep
away from Jones. On the Tuesday af
ter, I saw Young at the Tennessee
house and had a talk with him, in
which he said that lie had Odell's pistol
and was prepared for Jones and he said
he would get him if it occur red again
and would have got Mm on the works
but was prevented. He had the pistol
when he went back to where Jones was
on the day of the difficulty with Odell,
near Knights.
W. H. Hargis: I was present at the
works when Jones was discharged. Odell
and Young came in a cart together.
Silva and Africa came together. Odell
came to where Jones and I were and
asked Jones what he was doing then.
.Tones replied at work. Odell said: “Did
I not discharge you?” Jones said;
“That does not count.” Odell then said
something about “blae-bellied yankeo
s of b s.” Jones denied it. Young
then spoke up and said that Jones did
say those words. 'Odell sent Young to
take charge of Jones’ men. Africa had
come up in the meantime. Young
went to the hands. Odell went to Young
in the woods. Jones went towards
home. Odell and Young came out of
the woods and followed after. Odell
came back after ten minutes; Young
twenty-five minutes later. Odell went
back to his buggy. Young joined him
and told him that he caught up with
Jones and cussed him for everything
he could. Young said that at the time
he “overtook Charlie Jones, the grand
rascal, I cussed him for everything I
could think of. I would have cut his
guts out, but was prevented. Jones
tried to shoot me.” Odell said to me:
“Now, what do you think of your
bully?” Odell and Young went off" to
gether. Young remained in charge of
the squad only a few days. I told Jones
of all this. Jim Young was a dangerous
and desperate man, Jones is a heavier
man than Young) about the same age.
Odell stopped Ills buggy some 50
yards away and came up and
Youfig after him iu a few minutes.
Young was appealed to by Odell to
prove sayings of Jones which ho did.
Jones told Young to leave that he did
not want to kill him, Young left and
Jones went toward his buggy. Odell
then joined Young at the squad, and
they both came back and followed on
after Jones. Young’s route to his hands
was not by w here Odeil stood. Africa
was close enough to hoar the conversa
tion between Odell and Jones.
Chas. .Smith: I was on tho grade when
Jones was discharged. Odell said it
would do no good to follow him. Jim
said he did not care, that be was going
to follow him. I did not see Jones and
A oung meet. Young was a pretty
rough man. Jones is disabled in his leg
and I think in pis arm. Young was a
stouter man t|ian Jones, Odell and
Young came from up ihe road. Odell
went no fnrtlikr than where 1 was.
Y’oung went oii around the grude after
Jones. Young was a dangerous man.
Dr. Johnson testified as to the disa
bility of the defendant in both arm and
leg. The effect of those would render
him a clumsy man. Young was an ac
tive, vigorous man; more so than Jones.
As I went to the polls 1 saw Jones and
Young talking. Young appeared ex
cited and talked loudly, I asked Jones
what was the matter. Young said as I
came up that there were “plenty of
coffins that would fit me.” Jones was
still, talking quietly. Young was bois
terous, he had a pjecoof plank under his
arm or in his hajffil.
J. L. Ellison: If mow Jones and Young.
Saw difficulty . between Young and
Jones in July on the works. Charles
and Jim Jones, Hud Satterfield and my
self were tailing when Jim Young
came up and stopped. Charles Jones
aked Young what made him tell that
lie on him. Young said he had told no
lie, Jones saidfjc had and then Y’oung
started at JonesF with his knife, which
he had in his fijind when he came up.
Y’oung was yefy violent Satterfield
stepped between Jones and Young and
stopped Young. Jones had no pistol.
Young’s son, Jim, was there, Jones
may have had a pistol in his grip-sack,
which he had o-a his ■WmiMe* T m. r t
J • ~ ~ . :■* ’ 7 T- ~ *•
know. Young staved down there a lit
tle while and thfrn left. 1 don’t know'
whether Young went back to where
Hargis was. He. left but I don’t know
Where he wept.
R. B. Haterttekto I know Jones and
Young, East June and July I was at
work for the Etowah Company; Jones
was at work there also. I saw Jones
and Young in a difficulty up there on
the works. There had been confusion
for some time, and on the day of the
difficulty I was talking with Jones and
Young came along with his knife in his
hand and walked up to where we were.
Jones asked him why he told that lie?
Young said he had told no lie. Jones
said lie had and must retract it. Young
said that that was too hard to take and
stepped forward towards Jones with his
knife in his hand. I stepped up in front
of Young and caught him and carried
him off. He tried to get away and told
me to turn him loose. I turned him
loose and went back to Jones. Young
came back again and I told him to
leave; that if he wanted to fight to go
elsewhere. Young finally left and when
about 75 yards distant useif oath after
oath and could easily be heard. He
was very boisterous in his manner. I
kept down the difficulty as much as I
could. There were some eighty negroes
and about eight or ten white men near
by. Jim Young came down in a trot
with a pick. I told him to drop his
pick and taue his father away. Young
was a fussy, overbearing man, suppos
ed to take the advantage if he could.
I heard Young make no threats against
Jones. Young came down the road be
hind Jones. As he came up he had his
knife in his hand whittling. When I
caught hold of him he tried to get away
and told me three or four times to let
him loose. Jones left first and then
Jim left. After we quit work I saw
Odell and Jim together in the cart. The
fuss took place about J o’clock, p. in. I
thought I saw Odell up at the other
squad. Odell and Young were like
brothers. Odell was not friendly to
Jones. His feelings for Jones were bad.
11. J. Ellison: I was on the works
about seventy-five yards from where
Jones and Young iiad the difficulty. I
saw Young advance on Jones with his
knife. Jones stood still,, putting his
hand on his grip. Young jumped about
and cursed a great deal. He kept up
this talk for four or five minutes. I
could hear him someone hundred yards.
He was violent in his manner apd*
threw hi* hat about and was generally
abusive, don’t know where Odell was
at that time. I did not See Young when
became up to Satterfield’s squad.
Horace Nicholson: I knew Young;
beard him threaten Jones. This was in
July after tiie fuss on the works.
Robert Maxwell: I did not see the
killing. I walked up to Jones and told
him to giye me his pistol. He said “all
right” and went with me to jail. He
went freely. I don’t remember to have
seen Beason. Young was lying on the
ground. Did not notice Young espe
cially. Jones’ pistol was a sel -acting
one.
Wui. Lackey: I was present at the
difficulty last July between Jones and
Young. I could hear Young talking.
He had a knife in his hand and was
waving his hands about, cursing and
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stamping about. Could hear Young near
a quarter or a half mile. Heard Jones
say nothing. Young bore a reputation
for being a fussy, violent man.
J. N. Dobbs: I was in town the day of
the difficulty between Jones and Odell.
I saw Odell run. Odell went up the
street and in a few minutes came back
with Jim Young, side' by side. They
came back to near Knight’s stor and
were met toy Mr. Knight who stopped
them. Ido not know what became of
Odell and Young. Young was a bad
tempered fellow, considered dangerous.
Ren Akerman: I know Jim Young.
He had the reputation of being a fight
er—a pretty bad man. Young talked
with me several times about Jones. 1
told Jones of these talks, and told him
to becareful. The first talk was in June,
I think. He said that Jones had told a
d —d lie, and that he would have cut
Jones through if he had not been held,
aud that if he did not watch out he
would cut hiskthroat and his guts out,
too; that Odell would back him in it, as
it was Odell’s fuss. He said he had to
kill a man; that.it was Jones. I told
Jones of this. It was a short time be
fore the killing. The first time I told
Mr. Jones was in August. I told Jones
the substane# of Young’s remarks, not
the language verbatim, and advised
him to look out.
Luke Ginn: I was working for the
Etowah company at the time of the diffi
culty between Jones and Young. I
heard "nothing sajd by Jones, but did
hear cursing by Young. I don’t remem
ber exactly what* he said. Young bad a
knife. He told me that morning that
he expected trouble that day with Jones.
He had an open knife in his hand when
became up to Jones, I was about 30
or 40 yards off. 1 saw Satterfield and
J. Jones take Jkn Toting away Iroin
('has. Jones, he kept up tfie talking
so mi time. I know of no threat that
Young made.
W. H. Renfroe: Young bore the rep
utation of being a violent, dangerous
man; a very dangerous and very bad
man. I saw him on the day of the elec
tion.
Jere JJ. Field: I saw Jones and Young
on the election day. Young was talk
ing loudly, Jones quietly. I went up
and got Charlie to come away, that that
was no time for a difficulty. I told Jim
Young not to go on as he was and he
said he was not going to be bluffed by
Charlie Jones; that he was ready to go
in his coffin then. "Jones said he was
not after any difficulty, but was only
trying to convince him, Young, that he,
Jones, had not said certain things about
Odell and others. Young heard it and
said, you did say it. Young was a vio
lent, dangerous man.
Jasper Jones: I saw Young about an
hour before r,he shooting and had a talk
with him. This was at the corner of
Crutcher’s store. Mr. Jones was going
across the railroad towards the flying
jenny. I said “yonder goes Mr. Jones."
Young replied “yes, by Clod, I am going
to kill him.” IDs said that lie was to*
meet Jones on Monday and shoot k out
with him. We left the corne£ and start
ed across the railroad. I did Jiot go on,
hut turned back. Young went on. I
saw the difficulty. I was some forty ot
fifty yards away. Young threw himself
into position as if to catch Mr. Jones. I
saw nothing in Young’s hand at this
time, but saw a knife after the shooting.
Don’t know whether it was open o/ not.
It was in his right hand. During the
difficulty, or just as it began, Jones
stepped backward. Tide was about the
time Young placed him self in position
as if to catch Jones. Jones shortly fired.
Horace Nicholson: 1 know Young and
Jones. I heard Young say tiiat Odell
had discharged Jones and Jones had
abused him on that account, for*which
he (Young) intended to kill Jones if it
took ten years from that time, He said
in August that Cartersville was not
largo enough to hold. Junes and him
self and that he was going to kill him.
Nothing but Jones’ life was going to
satisfy him.
W. W. Wofford: I knew Young. I
heard him say in November last that
Jones would have him (Young) to kill,
I told him he had better let Mr. Jones
alone.
J. Alexander: I was in front of the
Racket Store when Young was shot
about ten feet behind him. I saw Young
spring at Jones and then Mr. Jones
shot 1 don’t know what Young had iu
his hands. When the first shot occurred
they were three or four feet away. Two
shots fired rapidly, then a short interva l
before the third. Young was overhear
ing and violent. *
Jim Whitehead: I got to the body of
Young and saw knife in his hand about
half open. He was lying on nis left
side with the knife in his right hand.
WillMilam: I was in the doorofthe
Racket Store when Young was shot.
Young had his leftside toward me. I
saw him step forward and raise his arm.
Julies stepped backward and then fired.
J. C. Powell: I was in Cartersville at
the time of the shooting of Young. I
saw Young lying on the ground with a
knife—open knife in his hand, and the
blade up the wrist.
Spencer Phillips: I was in front of
Knight’s store, about twenty feet from
the killing. When I first saw them
Young was in the act of moying. Mr.
Jones stepped backward aftd shot just
at the same time.
Jim Jones: I saw the difficulty at the
Etowah works. I was working a squad
of men there. lam a cousin of the de-
CONXINUED OX EKiHTII PAUB.
NO. 28.