Alex Jones Guilty in Death of Alfred Ferebee, March 21, 1924

Jones Guilt. . . Verdict in at 10:38 Friday. . . Sentence Had Not Been Passed When This Newspaper Went to Press But Appeal is Expected

“Guilt of manslaughter, and we ask for him the mercy of the court.”

So spoke F.F. Garrett for the jury of 12 men who at 10:38 o’clock Friday morning brough tin their verdict in the case of State vs. Alex E. Jones, charged with second degree murder as a result of the death of Alfred Ferebee, negro farmhand in the employ of the family of the defendant’s wife for the last 20 years, who breathed his last at the Elizabeth City hospital Sunday afternoon, December 23, dying, physicians testified, as a result of a blow on the head which Jones admitted was inflicted by a club in his own hands.

The jury signified at 10:35 that it was ready to bring in its verdict, but there was a three minutes’ delay while the defendant was being brought into court. For a tense instant the jury and prisoner faced each other, and then came the verdict. The minimum penalty provided by law in a verdict of manslaughter is four months in jail or State prison. The maximum penalty is a prison term of 20 years.

Sentence had not been imposed when this newspaper went to press, but an appeal on the part of the defense is expected. the verdict, though in line with the evidence of the case, came rather as a surprise to the city Friday morning, as it was freely predicted about the courthouse when the jury failed to agree Thursday afternoon that the case would end in a mistrial or an acquittal.

Following are the names of the jurors in the A.E. Jones case: A.W. Hales, J.P. Mercer, C.L. Ives, N.H. Caroon, P.A. Bundy, J.C. Long, T.L. Layden, J.W. Alexander, E.R. Jennings, F.F. Garrett, B.C. Munden and W.S. Hooper.

From the front page of the Daily Advance, Elizabeth City, N.C., March 21, 1924

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Jones Found Guilty

Elizabeth City, March 22—O.E. Jones this afternoon was found guilty of manslaughter in superior court here in connection with the death of Alfred Ferebee, negro farm hand, last December. An appeal was noted after Jones had been sentenced to not more than five nor less than two years in the state penitentiary.

From the front page of the Durham Morning Herald, March 23, 1924