The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-04-19


Far Prosecutim-B. F. Fidlcy, states attor.
ney, $, p. Shope, and d. l., Gregg.
For D:fence-T L. Dickcy, N. II. Purple, and
J. o. Glover.
This trial was commenced in the circuit court
for this county on Thursday the 4th inst. The
whole Of the first and second days, and par, of the
third, were taken up in empanelling jury. There
were, on the part Of the people twenty jurors
challenged for cause, and seven peremptorily. On
the part Of the defence, thirty. chaleng-
cd for cause, and seventeen pcremp,orily. Scve-
raj jurors were also excused from serving on the
ground that they had conscientious scruples
against finding verdict Of guilty in case where
the punishment is DEATH and few were excused
on other grounds. Finally, however, the parties
succeeded in getting the following jury, who were
sworn to try the cause
Norris bod, Stephen Morey,
Robert NJ. Dow, George Cook,
| Henry j.. Owings, Peeg Frink,
Jonathan Massey, Hczekiah Terry,
| William Whaley, Thomas Loring.
George Cooley, Archibald r. Ross.
Saturday. Aprle
| The panel being full, on motion ofT. L. Dick
ey, it was ordered that the witnesses on the part
of the people should retire from the court room du-
ring the examination of the witnesses On the part
OF the people, aud come into court as they are Sc
veralIy called. The following witnesses were
then sworn and ordered To retire in the custody of
an officer: Major u. Wallace, Chas. Bachelor,
Miles Rouse, Salmon Price, a. rambling. Linus
| ~
motion by the prosecutor, for a similar order IN
reference to the witnesses the part OF the delen-
danl, was ovcnuIed by the cnurt.
| The cause was then opened by an address to
the jury by b. +. Fridlcy, states attorney, after
which proceeded to the examination of witnesses
on the part Of the prosecution.
AJram r. H.f6rd cacd.-Rcsides on Indian
Creek, III La Sale county, about two miles iron
where this matter happened. Knows james NJ
Phillips, Identities PhlIlips) Had some consl-
derable acquaintance with Lowell Morse, us much
as any nelghhor would naturally have with ano-
thcr during the time he was on the creek. The
last he saw of Lowell Morse was the time he saw
the corpse in the coffin before iucment. Saw
! the body of Morse on the 2Slh day OF January,
! 1873 On the morning of that day, the sun about
an hour hgh should think saw the dead body oil
! Lowell Morse, lying upon hi, back, on the c. ) n.
c. sec. 81 town. SO, II. OF r. 3 {. 81 p. m, III the
county ol La sale. AT that time, did not mi
nutely observe the body, only 10 take hold OF the
hand aud raise the arm. There was, from the
westward TO where the body lay, considerable
trail Of blood, which witness could trace very rea-
Oily from the fact OF lis being III stubble field and
a light snow having fallen the previous night
Was foreman OF the jury Of inquest which was
holden upon the body next day. From research,
a bail had entered the right shoulder, passed thro
! It, breaking the arm bone, and entered the chest,
without coming oct under the arm. 1t passed
through the ventrlcc or Issue Of the heart, about
Two inches from what butchers term the deOlror
and lodged IN the opposite breast, that Is, the left
breast outside the ,ibs, between the skin and ribs,
passing entirely through the chest and the body,
except the outward skin. To explain this exam
inaIlon, Dr. uungman and Miles Rouse perform
ed the examination. They did the cutting. The
breast bone was severed at the bottom aud at the
sides, and turned up. Saw the ball. 1t was very
much dIsigured. II would he hard to describe IT,
1t was eaden ball, and must have weighed. when
entire, considerable less than Gan ounce Should
say about between 80 aud 80 to the pound The
first person remembers seeing, after coming ia
sight Of the place where the body lay, was Sam'l
Garter, sitting upon the fence The fence was
about ten rods from the body. About that time,
there was quite number IN sight Saw NJ. ID.
Wallace, Linus Holiday, aud >. Price. Thinks
| Fed. Carter and Daniel Grail were there about
the time he got there. 1t would he huII TO emu
mcrate further, as the crowd accumulated 50 fast.
Stepped the distance from the fence Ia near where
SAM. Carter sat aud the first blood. 1t is either
- or % steps. Counted 5 steps To a rod. 1t was
also % or % from the first blood, Ivy the blood
track, to the body. One distance was % and the
other 25 steps. Did probably not step III the line
Of the blood, us that was IN zigzag probably q
feet each way out OF a straight line. stepped in
a straight line The general course of the blood
seemed to be in adrect line, or nearly so, towards
Morsc's dwelling house, from the fence, near
where Ssml. Carter sat. (Map shown by prosccu-
tor, upon Which witness points out place Of Phil
fps house, stable, the fence, &c) There was a
number OF lacks OF grsn-irom 3 to mot far
from where the body lay. The stacks were near
each other, very nearly east OF the body Morse :
house was about 81 rods from where the body lay.
Thinks the stacks were from = To 10 rods from
where the body lay, the northerly ones abou, east
Of it, the others rather south Of east. More had
A stable little south Of east from his houses or
10 rods from the house. Witness would no, be GER
tain as to distances except where he has measured
and SO states. North of Morse's there is a slough
which runs first enthusiastically some 30 rods
thence towards the south in gradual turn Of 30
or 40 rods; thence south-eastery till II leaves the
premises. points out OH map.) There is, also, or
Phillips ~, another swale which runs in south
westerly direction Points out on the mar.) Silas
Price was at the head Of the family living in
Morse's house. Should think Linus Holiday
also lived there. Has good general acquanl-
ance with the premises. Should judged the map
to be correct. Witness made The map at Mr. frid.
ley's request, without measurement, from his
knowledge. should think the body was some
where from 20 To 30 rods from Phillips house
South of The stable, 60 80 rods is pair Of bars
Eascrly from the stable is plum thcke,, inter.
spcrscd with hazel, from 2 to 3 rods Should
think, a short distance, the ,hlcket is nearly ini'
penetrabIc Is justice OF the peace there.
Cross erdminsd.--lt is nearly 3 weeks since