George W. C. Jones: Convicted Of Murder

George W. C. Jones (The W is for Washington) he was born 20 Dec 1869 in Hawaii to George W. C. Jones (1831-1903) & Harriet E Neddles (1842-1891) (Hawaiian Princess).

Inmate: #6525 Folsom Prison

Rec: 2 Sep 1906

Crime: Murder 1st Degree

 I love his mugshot, look at that mustache!

His photo in the newspaper

The victim was Mrs. Elizabeth Brandrup, she had been currently separated from her 2nd husband and was working at the Linden Hotel with her daughter Mary McDonald. (Photo below)

The crime scene:

Mary found her mother's body. She explained in court she heard and felt the spirit of her mother tell her where she was. Here are some newspaper articles.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68694962/elizabeth-brandrup/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68694104/elizabeth-brandrup/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68694045/elizabeth-brandrup/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68688695/elizabeth-brandrup/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68688560/elizabeth-brandrup/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68688433/elizabeth-brandrup/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68688336/elizabeth-brandrup/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68687140/george-c-c-jones/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68687204/george-c-c-jones/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68688052/elizabeth-brandrup/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68694962/elizabeth-brandrup/

He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.

He tried to appeal it and that didn't work

George's father was a very well known man in Hawaii he owned a place called the Volcano House, which was a hotel.

Here is a photo of George 

I found this short biography and information about this hotel and it is very impressive.

https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/historyculture/george-jones.htm

George Jr. was in prison until 1921 when he was paroled, by 1937 he was asking thee Governor for a pardon.

I have no idea if he got one or not. He had 3 years of college according to census records and I couldn't find him in the 1930 census, but in 1940 he was living Hay Fork, Trinity Co., CA He was a laborer of some sort. He must not of ever married as I didn't find any records. I did find all his siblings.

Frank Phillip Jones

1857–

Edward Mitchell Jones

1862–1927

Dayton Coney Jones

1865–1938

Arthur Kaina Jones

1868–

George Washington C. Jones

1869–1951

Marian Akana Jones

1871–1956

Louisa Jones

1872–1966

Bernice E Jones

1874–

John Harry Jones

1874–1928

Byron A. Jones

1875–

Emma Jones

1876–1915

Charles A Jones

1878–

Jeanne B Jones

1883–1970

George would die in Trinity County, CA on 16 Aug 1951.

His mother Harriett Neddles Gilman's parents were Harriet Kapu Kawaha'ea was born in 1815, in Ka'a'awa, Oahu, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States as the daughter of Kewahaea and Makakau-Kuaana-Kauakahi-A-Kama. She married John Neddles Antony Chu Chu "AKA" Kuene Gilman in 1834, in Hanapëpë, Kaua'i, Kingdom of Hawaii.

There is so much history here for this family it's remarkable. So my question would be, was George innocent, was he set up? or was he guilty? It was all circumstantial evidence except for the women who saw someone on the bed in his room when he opened the door for the maid. If you had a dead body on your bed would you open the door? I sure as heck wouldn't. My next question is why wasn't the estranged husband questioned and why wasn't he in the courtroom taking the stand? It would be very beneficial for a descendant to get the court records for this case.

Whatever the truth really is, this story is extremely interesting with spirits and murder, beer bottles, closets, hotel room and so on. I tried to find a photo of this hotel but it was probably destroyed by the 1906 earthquake or fire as it was in San Francisco, but I am not sure. What a family and what a story, keeps you on your toes when you read all the newspaper articles for sure, they really are full of details and I love the crime scene drawing.