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Show JOHN 1 JONES IS EXONERATED SALT LAKE. July 20. The law of vengeance against the dcspoiler of n home was Invoked this morning and fit used the coroner's jury before Justice Jus-tice of the l'eace Stanley A. Hanks tj bring In a vcrdl:t of Justifiable homicide in the shooting of Arthur F. Sheppard. a scenic artist, by John A. Jones, at the Wellington hotel. Monday morning. Although Jones was taken back to the city Jail after the verdict was given, it wa done to allow the county attorney to further fur-ther Investigate and Issue a complaint com-plaint If It is believed necessary. P Is probable that the case will end with the present verdict. I The hearing this morning only on witness was examined. Jones offered to testify to certain facti, but ro-lusei ro-lusei tu fjo so on the terms laid down by the stale and the entire proceedings. proceed-ings. Including the arriving at a verdict ver-dict did not occupy more than 45 minutes. As the verdict was read by Justice Hanks, coroner ex-offlelo, the face of John A. Jones lighted up for the first time. It was hardly a smile, simply sim-ply a more animated expression. Some half do.en friends who stood behind him reached forward ami thook his hand and a few minutes luter he left the Commercial block, where the inquest was held, escorted by the policeman who brought him from the city jail. During the hearing Jones sat almost al-most expressionless. His large eyes seemed to drink In the evidence and he saw no one but the witness testi-lylng. testi-lylng. Hotel Clerk's Story. W. O. Adama, an old miner who Is now clerk at the Wellington hotel, was the only witness. He described the arrival of Sheppard and Mrs Jones, wife of the defendant, at the hotel, lie said that he had never seen either of the parties to the affair af-fair before. Sheppard. he showed by the hotel register, signed his name as '"Arthur Forsythe and wife, Ogden." While the man and woman stood partly facing the direction from which Jones came, walling for the elevator, the witness said he heard the shots. Adams said tJiat Sheppard ran through the door Into the ladles' waiting room at the hotel, with .Tonefj after him. closely followed by the woman. Two or three shots were fired In the corridor before the room wan reached, and the witness declared that two or three shots were fired in the room and that seven shots were fired altogether. Jones, the witness declarer, ilirl not speak and followed the couple In a minute or two after they entered. At the firing of the first shot Sheppard whirled and ran. When Adnms'had finished his testimony testi-mony Justice Hanks held a conference confer-ence with Attorney M. M. Warner, representing Jones, and Assistant i County Attorney John I Bowman. Jones was then sworn and called to the stand. Before a question .could be asked Atty. Warner announced that he had offered Jones as a witness sumply to prove the marriage. The prosecution Immediately objected to the attorney taking any part In the proceedings, declaring that the defendant de-fendant had no rights to be represented repre-sented at the inqupst. Justice Hanks declared that as there was no rule governing the matter. It had been loked upon as a courtesy to allow a man to be represented by counsel. When Attorney Bowman attempted at-tempted to question the witness his attorney told him that he did not need to answer. An effort was made to show that tho witness could be adjudged In contempt of court, but the acting coroner ruled against It. "If the witness cares to answer the questions be"iviay, but If he does he will have to go Into the entire case," said Justice Hanks. Jury Soon Reports. Attorney Warner then told the witness wit-ness to take his seal. The court then gave the usual Instructions. At the suggestion of Attorney Warner the coroner was asked to read to the jurors jur-ors tho statute relative to a murder being felonious. This it was said was usually left to the caunty attorney but no objection being raised the law of justifiable homicide was read. The Jury was out a little over 2u minutes when the verdict was returned. It read as follows: "An inquest having ben held at Salt Lake City, in Salt Lake City precinct. pre-cinct. Salt Lake county, on the nineteenth nine-teenth and lewutk th days of July, A. D 1010, before Stanley A. Hanks, justice jus-tice of the peace in Salt Lake City precinct, in said county, upon the body of A. R. Sheppard there lyln.g dead by the Jurors whose nomes are hereto subscribed, the said jurors np jn their oaths do say, that Arthur F. Sheppard Shep-pard came lo his death by gunshot wounds in th- side and head, fired by onp Johu A. Jones from a pistol, on the morning of July 18. A. D, 1910. at the Well.ngton hotel, corner Third West and South Temple streets, Salt Urke City, Salt Lake county. State of Utah; and that said act was Justifiable under subdivision 4, article 41CS, Compiled Com-piled Laws of Utah, 1907. "In testimony whereof said Jurors have hereunto sei their hands this day and year aforesaid. iSignf-d) J. H. TRACY. Foreman. H. L. DRIVKR. A. V. THOMPSON." |
