David Jones, charged with murdering Sam Small, an eccentric white farmer on a Chowan County road Saturday, August 30, was not tried at the term of Superior Court in Chowan, which adjourned yesterday, but the case was continued by order of the court to the next term, and in the meantime, Jones is being held in Washington County jail.
Jones was removed to Washington County last Friday night, when officers became fearful of his safety in the face of public sentiment, after George Russell had turned state’s evidence, and aided in his capture. Russell is being held in Edenton for State’s witness.
Russell and Jones, 20-year-old negroes, suspected by Chief of Police Robertson of Edenton, who with Officer Pratt, caught Russell early Friday afternoon. Russell immediately told the officers that he and Jones had planned to hold up Mr. Small and rob him on the Wildcut road that Saturday night as he was on his way home. Mr. Small was known to have generally carried money in his pocket. The negroes, according to Russell, went to a store and bought a gun, and held Mr. Small up intending to rob him and let him go. But the victim put up a fight, and Jones fired at him and killed him.
The sudden appearance of Wallace Griffin in an automobile put the negroes to flight, and they made their way to a negro cabin where they were given refuge for the night. After the excitement was over, they emerged and made their way about town, unsuspected, until Chief Robertson got busy on a clue, and they went in hiding again.
Jones was caught hiding behind a trunk in a negro shack at Edenton. He was next the weather-boarding and covered with a number of old quilts.
Other Cases
Court has been moving swiftly at Edenton this week and Solicitor Small secured a number of convictions, one for murder and one for assault on a woman, as well as several convictions for minor offenses.
--Clinton Bond was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to seven years in prison for the murder of James Bond in July. Both were negroes, and deckhands on the steamer Guide. Clinton Bond, following a dispute with James, struck the latter over the head with a rock, choked him unconscious, and threw him overboard.
--Leon Twiford, a white man, formerly a resident of East Lake, who calls himself a preacher, was given two years on the roads for an assault on a woman, he having broken into the home of Mrs. Minnie Smith on September 1 and touched her on the foot waking her.
--A negro woman, calling herself M.E. Miller, who was found guilty and ordered to leave town when tried in the lower court, appealed her case and was acquitted in Superior Court when tried on a charge of prostitution. She was arrested when a number of sailors were found in her home recently.
--J.J. Bunch was placed under suspended sentence for driving a car with improper lights.
--William McClenny, a fisherman, was taxed with the costs for setting his nets outside the limit marked by the Fisheries Commission.
From the Elizabeth City Independent, Friday, Sept. 12, 1924
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83025812/1924-09-12/ed-1/seq-1/
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