The St. Landry whig., 1845-06-19
REPORT
OF THE
TRIAL OF BARNEY B. MITCHELL, Fer
THE MURDER OF ROBT. McGAHEY.
DISTRICT CouRT, OpRLoUsAs, ,

Sbo o. uNsi VA tui buUfH SUuFtt IuGuG NEG, &s
KING, presiding, was continued three days, and
caused a deep sensation In orr community.
Mitchell is a very young, and rather cookbook.
ing man, and during the trial, evinceda firlnness
and watchfulness unusual on such occasions.
When put at the bar, and tho indictment had
been read 10 him-he answered in a determin.
ed tone--not gully
The empanelling ofthe jury occupied consid-
cradle time--as the entire panel was gone
through, and others summoned, before The Jury
was completed.
Counsel for Observation-Disclosures Attorney
(Judge Hallam), and Caleb Il. Swayzd, Esas.
For defence-Thos. II. and w. ID. Lewis, and
Judge Overton, Esqs.
After the preliminary business had been gone
through with, and the witnesses sent out Of hea.
ring ot3the evidence, the first person called into
Court, and sworn, was
VIM. Link. Who was informed, on iii or
Cd March, 1913, that the body Of a dead man
had been found II miles from Bayou Bnuf;
proceeded with DR.. Collier, Zenon Guillory and
others, to examine and bury il found il it was
nearly naked appeared TO be killed by a gun j;
smelt rather bad ;the weather was cold wound
on the left side Of the face the gun or pistol
seemed to be put up to his head, shot ranged
upwards the other side of the face looked natu,
raj; face was fair.complected; deceased had long.
black, pretty hair, though somewhat matted with
blood body was found near DIR. Co0ke's swamp
road, on the side Of the road, with leaves and
brush thrown over it deed was tall and slender
built there was a patch of cane near the spot !;
saw horse tracks there the parties did NOT seem
to have scuffied or struggled witness saw pfis.
oner and McGahey Tor one who was said to be
McGahey) together four or i've days previous.
Zenoa G%faillory sworn. Mitchell md a young
man called ard dined at his house, in tho latter
partpfF ebrutllSy, ls43 said they were going 10
the cane ridge to look at The lands; young man
was tall and slender; had black hair, fair com
plexion, and was well dreseEa; heard Mitchell
call his name; can't ~recOlloSt whether the name
was McGahey Mitchall returned to his house
some days after, at nine or ten o'clock at night;
witness asked him where his friend was prise.
ner replied he had left him in the Big cane. who
had hired an Indian to con tuct him to Bayou
Bnuf; witness offered him supper; declined la
king any, but subsequently, drank some milk i;
prisoner was much agitat$d witness spoke to
him, but received no answer sat before the fire
with liis head hetwcen his hands, was restless
andaapparently much troubled in mind said he
was afraid he would lose his horse, which deed
was riding, and that deed had traded off the lit.
he black horse he was riding for a gun prisoner
told witness he had lost his way; breakfasted
next morf lang and rode off, Witness was pres.
ent at yf inquest held over the dead hoay /;
thinks navns the body of the young man who
dined W tllis house with Mitchell at the period
%aforesta ed. 1t was Saturday night Mitchell
reached his house, on his return from the cane
ridge.
DR.. Collier sworn. Saw Mitchell the Sunday
succeeding his return from the cane ridge; Mitch.
ell inquired If he had seen a young man riding IA
black horse described his person stated he
had been with him to the cane ridge, had start
ed from the cane ridge together, had separated
on tho way, but had agreed to meet Saturday
night at Guillory's; the young man hired am
Indian 10 pilot him out, before they separated /;
prisoner told witness that he and the young man
had dined togetherat Guillory's, as they started
for the cane ridge prisoner did not mention the
young mans name, during the conversation
McGahey was a stranger 1.-THE neighborhood
was not acquainted with him he was said to be
in quest Of land. Witness was present at the
inquest held over the corpse should Judge ii to
BE- that Ola man of2so or 80 years of age, offair
complexion, and oftall and slender stature; could
not say whether the wound was inflicted by a
gun shot Of h club one Eide ofthe face was
much disfgurea, the 9th 4 side was natural
thinks perhaps deceased fad been dead four OF
Eve days.
Philip Vedsie sworn. Mitchell and McGahe,
came to his house, on the cane ridge, about the
23d February, I843, i~nquiring for land he soor
changed his conversation talked but a shorl
while about lands, but commenced talking o
roads that led to d wood back Of DR.. Cookies plan
tation inquired ofwitness how d draft was madt
negotiable or transferable witness replied, b.
the person in whose favor the draft was drawn
endorsing his name on the back Of it inquired
Of witness if the bones Of man, who, It was
supposed had been murdered had not been Eonn,
in the swamp, and if The pubic Ind TALKED mucI
Of the circumstance, and il any Efforts had bee
made by the civil authority to defect Ahe murder
err; proposed purchasing q gun from witness
told him he wanted il for Mr.. McGahey too
witness out Of the presence Of Meesahey, 10 tel
him thus said that neither he nor McGaliey la
any money, aud asked him to credit him firth
price witness then left them at his house, an
went TO his work on the road whilst on III
road, heard a gun FIRE several times returne
to dinner at IL O'Clock prisoner and dec
were still at his house renewed the converse
lion about the gun prisoner said be had trie
the gun and found il was d good gun the pric
Nd5 dSECcu uhsot aNiNvlt mas never OeNH PM
for the gun ; witness returned 10 his work on III
road after dinner; returned home in the eve
ming, and found prisoner and deceased zone. an
the gun also prisoner nor deceased did nc
bargain or propose to bargain a black horse q
any other horse for the gun Mitchell told vii
ness he had no idea ofgoing To Bayou Bout tina
evening, but would put Mctiahey in charge 1
an Indian to pilot him out /; Mitchell Introduce
| the youDg mnA nv the mama IF Me(.ahny. NJ
Gabey was tall and slender, had black hail
light complexion, and thinks was dressed /
black,
Enu,anoR n..nrn