"MORE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE WALSTONBURG MURDER"
The New Bern Sun Journal, September 6, 1921
"Developments in the confession case of Mrs. Sarah Whitley, of Walstonburg, who admitted she and Tom Hayes hired Wright Rouse, an old colored man with one arm, to killed her husband, Will Whitley on August 3, 1921, for $500, began to come thick and fast yesterday, the most startling fact being that Wright might have been the murderer of who white men, whose bodies were found on the right of way of the Norfolk Southern near Walstonburg, Greene county, in past years, one man being killed some twenty odd years ago and the other more recently. The other big developments of the day in Snow Hill where the three were in jail yesterday was the admission by Wright that the other two in the plot to kill Will Whitley had also planned to have him kill Mrs. Hayes thereby giving the a free hand to live together with Mrs. Whitley and even marry.
Mrs. Whitley Admits It
Wright's admission was also admitted by Mrs. Whitley and Hayes when officers of the law had gotten the confession out of Wright. Mrs. Whitley stated that Wright had told her of the plan to put Mrs. Hayes out of her way so that she could have Tom Hayes all to herself. This development was not expected, and in fact, may have questioned all three of the prisoners in reference to the possibility last Saturday, following Mrs. Whitley's confession to the planning of her husband's death. At that time, she and the others would admit nothing along this line, answering no such plan had been thought of. The latest development has astonished many but has also only been what many had considered to be the truth of the matter. The charge against the three has become all the more damaging and serious with the latest admission of a second murder. Hayes was to get the same amount for this second murder, it is understood.
Still Not Sure
The development that Hayes had probably killed two men in the past astonished the officers in Snow Hill. Hayes has so far kept from a direct admission but it is expected that he will come "across" with the "whole business" today or tomorrow as she will be quizzed and shown no pity in this matter. The confession, placing the killing of Will Whitley, led officers to place the blame for the other two unexplained and yet shadowy deaths at his doors. With this suspicion, talk began to go the rounds and the officers began to get busy. Wright would not admit the charges but said he had been hired to kill Mrs. Hayes, intimating that he had killed other before.
Officers believe that something definite will be found out today or tomorrow. Mrs. Whitley will be moved today to the Greenville jail to await the criminal term of superior court, criminal section, the second week in December."
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