In southwest Missouri, most southern sympathizers were driven out of the state. Many moved to northern Arkansas, around Sulphur Springs, and never returned. They were definitely not welcome.

One who did return was John Jones. His family were very early settlers in Jasper County and Newton County. Jones was seeking a share of the land that belonged to his parents before the war. He would have better stayed away.

John Bass Jones was killed by unknown assailants 16 April 1867 after being called out from the John David Jones house. He was shot twelve times. A coroner's inquest failed to indict anyone for the murder. The case was
closed and locked away for years. A zealous prosecutor decided to reopen the case in March of 1880. David Collins, William Spencer, James Greer, Thomas Greer and William Flemming, along with other prominent men in the area, were indicted for the 1867 murder of John Bass Jones. All were acquitted.

Three of the alleged killers, the Greers and Spence, were biological relatives of the murdered man. All were members of "The Union League". Collins was my grgreatgrandfather.

The sympathies of the authorities can be seen in the coverage given by the local newspaper. The newspaper provides a vivid description of the setting:

"The defendants were in court and carried about with them the conscious look and bearing of men wholly innocent of the foul charge which was worked up and fulminated against them by Democratic malice, for no better reason than that they were sterling Union men and are and have been good citizens and stalwart Republicans. The well known ability of the counsel for the defense guarantees that the true animus of the prosecution will be thoroughly shown up, and the rights of the defendants maintained and protected. Of the twenty-four men sworn this morning, fifteen were accepted and the sheriff was ordered to get twenty-five more jurors. It will perhaps require today and tomorrow to fill the panel, as the case has been much talked of and has excited a great deal of just indignation in the breasts of good citizens all over the county. The readers of the BANNER shall be kept fully posted in every detail of the trial which will be come one of the most celebrated that ever occurred in the county" (Thursday, March 25, 1880). [And we complain about our biased news reporting today!!!]