Butler County KS Archives Obituaries.....Jones, Will November 26, 1903 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Peggy Luce pegsue59@cox.net January 19, 2007, 9:55 pm The Walnut Valley Times, November 27, 1903 The Walnut Valley Times November 27, 1903 WAS HE MURDERED? Will Jones Found in the Road, Dead. Shot and Killed in the Night, Absence of Harry Henderson Causes Suspicion. Will Jones was found in the road, shot to death this morning, Dec. 21, a short distance southwest of Cave Springs, which is seven miles south of El Dorado. Chas. Wright found the body stiff in death. Near by was his team and buggy, the team tangled in its harness. The horses had evidently run away and over some rocks. Jones body had been thrown from the vehicle. If Jones had enemies it is not known, but he and a young man named Harry Henderson went to Leon together yesterday and Henderson is now missing. The authorities are looking for him. It is whispered there was trouble about a woman but this has no reliable source. Jones was about 30 years old. Since the death of their parents a year or so ago the three Jones brothers have “bached” in the family home about three miles north of Haverhill. The tragedy occurred about half way between John Knutson’s and C. W. Wright’s. It is believed to have occurred after 10 o’clock. Sheriff Young was ‘phoned and with Coroner Hunt went down to the scene early this morning Demor Loach, a weakly, sickly man, a man of roving disposition, is in jail, suspected of being the murderer of Jones. His rather pretty young wife is also in custody. It appears that she is the cause of the trouble. Her husband left her near Haverhill and Henderson took her to Augusta, remaining over night and returning to his home with her next morning. He, Henderson had been “making love” to her and feeding her candy until she told her husband that she would not longer be dragged around the country by him. Henderson and Will Jones went to Leon together Sunday afternoon. Henderson remaining over night and Jones starting to return home about 8 p.m. It is believed that Loach lay in wait to kill Henderson; seeing only one man in the buggy and taking him for Jones he shot him. WHO KILLED WILL JONES? The Mystery Still Unravelled – Henderson is in custody – May be the Guilty Man – Is a Third Party in the Crime? (From Tuesday’s Daily) Harry Henderson turned up at the home of his parents in Spring township about dark last evening, then went to Haverhill from where a telephone message was sent to Sheriff Young, Under Sheriff Jolliffe brought him to El Dorado at midnight and he is in jail. Henderson’s story is that he went with his friend and chum to Leon Sunday afternoon; he himself to see Maggie Griffith. He left Jones in the buggy and entered the Griffith house for about ten minutes; then re-entered the buggy with Jones. This is the last known of Jones alive. Henderson was seen to enter the Baptist church soon after, just as the minister began his sermon. Then according to his own story he returned to Griffith’s. Accounting for his whereabouts the night after the tragedy he says he left Leon about 10 a.m. walked west to the old Boellner farm on which is a small grove of Russian mulberry trees and slept in the grove until 4 p.m. when he started homeward, arriving about dark. He declares’ his innocence and that he knows of no enemy Jones had. His sleeping in the grove is strange indeed, he had no overcoat and the grove is bare and cheerless for a winter day. It is now very certain that Jones was shot in or near Leon; one shot passing through the rim of his hat, entered the corner of the left eye passing down the neck and severing the jugular vein. His murderer was probably on horseback, or possibly in the buggy. The weapon was held so close that the shot tore a hole in Jones’ hat rim almost as large as a dollar. The hat was found in the road about 1-1/2 miles north of Leon, near the Lewis Brissey farm. It appears as if the murderer rode up along side the top buggy and hailed him and as he stuck his head out sidewise, fired. His body remained in the buggy for a distance of 5 miles, when the gentle team must have run over something which threw the body out of the buggy, on the head, in the road about a half mile east of Knutson’s. There Charles Wright found it Monday morning, stiff in death. The body had a buttoned- up overcoat, hands were gloved; nearly $14, a watch and a full loaded revolver not lately discharged were found on the body. The lap covers, cushions, etc. were near the body. Jones and Henderson were friends, chums and the conclusion seems certain now that if Henderson did not shoot Jones that he knows who did; indeed it seems very probable that there is a third part connected with the killing. Henderson says that he went to Leon with Jones not intending to return with him but later said he was surprised when he found that Jones had gone home and left him. The Henderson family live about 1-1/2 miles north and ½ mile west of Haverhill. Demor Loach who says his real name is Brown seems not connected with the tragedy at least not with intent. He and his wife just previous to the tragedy were stopping with Ad Andrews, near the El Dorado mill bridge in El Dorado and at no time could Loach have been away long enough to reach the scene of the murder. The body of Jones was taken to his home and today Coroner Hunt will hold an inquest which will doubtless bring out evidence of who are the guilty. MURDER STILL A MYSTERY Coroner’s Investigation Fruitless in Discovering Murderer of Will Jones – Some New Facts in the Case (From Wednesday’s Daily) A coroner’s inquiry into the murder of Will Jones was held at the Jones home in Spring township yesterday, December 22, whither the body was taken Monday. A great crowd was in attendance. They were disappointed only some six witnesses were examined and no material facts were elicited. J. H. Leonard, J. P. of Spring was acting coroner. Maggie Griffith of Leon, testified that Will Jones and Harry Henderson drove up to her home Sunday evening, December 20, that Henderson called for a few minutes, then went away with Jones in the buggy. This was about 8 o’clock. She next saw Henderson in the Baptist church, he entered about 8:30 and took a seat behind her. Henderson and Miss Griffith had at their earlier meeting in the evening, agreed to meet at the church after services and with them Will Jones and Miss Jennie Ptteroton who was to meet and be introduced to Will Jones for the first time. Henderson had sought several times to arrange a meeting of Jones and Miss Potterton. Miss Potterton was also at the church; when the three left the church they were unable to find Jones; he had driven away to his death. The whereabouts of Jones is unaccounted for after he drove away from Griffith’s. Henderson says he got into the buggy with him, that they drove around the town for awhile, finally pulling up at the Baptist church, while he entered, leaving Jones holding his horses, and awaiting the termination of the services; and he professes to have been much surprised that Jones would go and leave him after making the agreement to meet Miss Potterton. Did they ride around Leon together? Did they drive up to the church together? What happened in the half hour between the time of Jones and Henderson’s arrival at Griffith’s and Henderson’s entry of the church? Jones is not seen after leaving the Griffith’s until found stiff in death by the road side, with overcoat and gloves on, carriage wraps and buggy and his clothing saturated with his blood flowed from his severed jugular. At the Jones’ home, where the three brothers have been “bachling,” recently a neighbor, a Mr. Murphy, was counseling with Will Jones about their partnership in the renting and tillage of some land near by Jones to prove his ability to enter into the partnership drew out a long bill book and exhibited $142 in it; also showed another and shorter pocket book with money in it. Both of these books and their contents are missing, the other two brothers – and nobody – knows what has become of them. On Jones’ body was found a snap purse with nearly $14, in it; his watch and a loaded revolver. But what became of these books? Henderson says he carried no gun to Leon, that he had a 32 calibre with only three loads in it but he shot them away at a mark and laid the gun away at home. Mrs. Loach, whom Henderson took to Augusta over night, says he had a revolver, full loaded, and that he also had a box of shells and several loose cartridges in his pockets. Going to Augusta he carried the gun much of the time in his hands. Jones was shot with a 32 calibre gun. The Walnut Valley Times January 1, 1904 Volume XXXIV, Number 50 BELIEVED THAT HE KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT THE MURDER OF HIS BROTHER, WILL – QUEER ACTIONS EXICTE SUSPICION Walter Jones, a younger brother of Will Jones who was murdered on the night of Dec. 20, was arrested during the process of the play at Ellet’s Opera House last evening and is held in the “insane” room at the court house. The Sheriff was about to send to his home for him when he was found in town. Walter Jones has acted queerly from the time of his brother’s death, has told various stories that do not tally with the facts. He has dropped remarks that show an uneasy an fretted mind, explained some of his doings in a contradictory manner until the authorities suspect him, and he is therefore held a prisoner. His strange anxiety while his brother lay dead in the house to know “who will divide his property; who will pay the expense and who will buy the coffin?” was the wonder of all who witnessed and heard. But the main feature is that when his brother Will left for Leon Sunday it was with the understanding that he, Will, would return next (Monday) morning in time to care for the stock. Walter proposed going to Wichita, and with this understanding with his brother, says he had a ‘phone message there of the death of his brother, and ran his horses all the way home; stated that he left home at 4 p.m. and reached home the next morning at 8. He told in Augusta that his brother had not returned home and he was worried about his absence. The officers are still in pursuit of clues. There is the strangest commingling of evidence in this murder case that renders it unusual indeed. OFFICERS WORKING ON JONES CASE Everything Possible Being Done to Find Who Killed Will Jones Sidney Blakeman and county attorney Rees Sheriff Young, and Deputy Joliffe, are sparing no effort to ferret out a clue that will lead to the discovery of the murderer of Will Jones and it is believed that new developments will be unearthed soon. It is said that Merton Marshall a young man who lives near Haverhill, met a buggy going on a run near the Glaze place – the Sunday night Jones was killed, about 11 o’clock. It was impossible for him to distinguish whether the vehicle carried any persons or not, tell whether it was pulled by one horse or two. Walter Jones who is under arrest, charged with murdering his brother, went to Wichita Monday morning, presumably before he heard or knew of his brother’s death. He drove to Augusta and took the train from there. Returning to Augusta on the next train he drove his team on the run to Haverhill where someone told him about his brother’s death. He then drove out to their home. It is not known what time he started for Augusta. He was seen to pass a farm house a mile or so north east of there about 7:00 o’clock in the morning. He says he did not leave home until early in the morning and if this was the case it could not have been him that Marshall met. One of the circumstances that makes Walter Jones case look bad, according to a rumor, occurred, while was being examined at the court house just after his arrest in the gallery of Ellets opera home on Christmas night. After the warrant was served County Attorney Rees said to him, “We have a “cinch” on this case now, and I want the gun you killed your brother with.” “I haven’t go the gun I shot him with,” was the reply. The officer queried quickly, “What is that?” “I mean I don’t know where the gun is that he shot him with.” “Who do you mean when you say he shot him with?” “Harry Henderson.” Wesley S. Jones the eldest brother of the Jones boys was in El Dorado today. When asked about the affair said: “There is nothing I care to say about it further than that I have no idea who killed my brother. I have been working for L. H. Armstrong and saw Will alive the last time in Augusta. That was on Saturday. He and Walter were together. I stayed in Augusta that night and have witnesses to prove it if necessary.” “Had there been any trouble between Henderson and your brother Will?” “Not for some time. Some time ago before my mother’s death, Will had been going down to see Henderson’s sister. Henderson told him to stop going there and threatened to fix him if he didn’t stop. Will told mother about it and she told him to quit going there and so he did. There are some other things I might tell but I do not think it would be best to do so at this time. Sheriff Young was in Augusta today and Deputy Joliffe and Sidney Blakeman went to the vicinity of Leon this afternoon and it may be that some important facts in the case will be revealed here tomorrow. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/butler/obits/j/jones753ob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ksfiles/ File size: 13.8 Kb