The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1879-05-20

language SHOWS thdt ne mas Out llmlt-
ed education.
He wore dark coat and vest-a
we'll work and rather ragged pair Of
pants ending inside Of his bootlegs. into
which they were stuffed. On his head
he wore black cap of the railroad
pattern. At first glance his features
would he said to indicate but little
more than ignorance and an ordinary
disposition. but during an interview
with a BAzoO reporter upon one or
two occasions there was flash of the
eye that gave very sinister appear
ence to his expression.
Vests Trial
Began in the Circuit Court. in Boon
Vile, on January. 18th, 1879. before
Judge Geo. w. Miller. The jury en-
paneled. consisting Of the following
gentlemen: J. l.. OBrien. w. Z.
Scott, J. w. Woodbridge, - Wait,
Dennis Luby. Aug. Schennedy.
David Smith Jr.. Benz. Goodwin. Otto
Speeler, j. Henderson and X. w.
Whitlow.
Mr.. James johnson appeared for
the State. and Messrs. Cosgrove aud
Pendleton for the defendant. A
large audience was in attendance, and
much interest was manifested in the
case.
The TrsTi ioSY.
The first witness called nv Mr.. Johnson, prose-
cutting attorney the state. ws> Louis MerliIth
who i..iu duIy orn te>iI;i.d-l live Il miles
Of BoontIlic. where ] resided since urt"ter-
found tl,, body "i the murdered man On the Farm
\ OF a Mr.. Canine lying under the foor OF an old
cabin n tn. field csn.iof tell exactly how the
body MAS lying; raised up the plank Of the fi""r
and found AZ, immediately LET iiown and left;
.i,i not remain there more tnsn three seconds
tlsushtert u was b-tWesn \" and IL o'clock IN the
morning. I returned about sy hour afterwards; .
Mr.. Jn.id hack with nie-Jo>sp h Judd.
walked INTO th. house and >sw the straw lying On
it. floor; SAW blood on the straw (: I SAW Where
sometime had been dragged across the floor. with
straw sticking up through the cracks az the floor,
| walked AROUND 10 the west end of the house,
raised lE the plank and SAW the body; the body
was removed SUNDAY evening. believe, ldiscov
cred th.. body Saturday morning; when ]
returned ! did not put my hand on the body;
neither did NJ any time: when discovered the
body il had a vest. pair Of pants, socks and =
fine shrt-whlte shirt he had nothing on his feet
hut the socks; there were wounds ON the man
when returned to the csnin saw ttst the face
WAS broken m with something: ] think there Was
a cut above the china very severe one-looked as
though IL had teen broken IN above the eyes also,
the nose was s-hed down across between the
ewes. ! also found bottle there; there was three
red apples lying ON the shelf, also a rock which
found m the fireplace covered up in the ashes
looked like n weighed about ifteen pounds. and
Was a rough one Rock shoan the wI:nessl. That
looks very much like the rock. There vas blood
on il when found IT. and looked as though IL had
lately been placed there: discovered tracks about
the door Of the caian- They went ou; the north
door; there are tao doors, one ON the north the
other on the south side. There window 10
the house. did not onrsne the TRACES
John Preston te>the>-l 1--we IN Lamine tow n
ship; was in Pilot grove on the sth of October ]
WAS sinking a cistern Tor Mr.. Gentry: SAW the
body Of the dead man a; Pilot Grove about ar 10
o'clock sunday morning: did not recognize the
body immediately A. one had ever seen before
Eu; did aftarsard-. I went up Ia the Grove out az
curiosity see Il could rscogniEe the body, the
Disagreement Of 1t startled me and did not r.-cog
nIze IL. rode with iiIcm with the corpse where
they were going To dress 1t: kept looking NJ n
aud still failed 90 recognize Il. The shoulders
seemed assume the rounded shape like the man
had seen. then thought began 10 recognize 10
but u wa> se:-safi.facfion 60 me, and aa~
not positive at the time, but thought II could
fix his nose like u had he-n then could deter
mine under the circumstances ! could not swear
positive; I had seen him on Thursfon's platform
there "A younger man with him at the time
the prisoner There resefnfhes the other man They
were there "niy ae"ni n.e minnte-' the head man
hsd on SORT OF ssck l"-k coal Al The Tune
apparently about size too small for him from the
way II was wrinkied-drawn up on tue shoulders
pants IN ms t""i>. narh pants mink HSht hat,
am mol certain a'out tiin the ian fiad on snun-
coiored coat; black. slick cap; coat, II anything.
too large extra long iapel> or skirts. overails.
brown, looked IKE they hsd neen worn for some
time: I think he had ON stogy boots, trsvel-worn
and red. there MAS no backing ON them: cheek
cred hickory cane little bundle un'ier his arm
think II Was clothing; clean shaved Defendant
WAS the younger OF the two and had rosy FACE,
conversed with the prisoner some little the man
that was killed passed along the platform where ]
was standing and got a glimpse Of ms face as he
stood there only moment looking behind the
house; came feark To where was and asked me u
there was amy saloon IN the tcwn: about this time
the other came struggling slowly a- u he we're
tired. i told this young fellow there was no saloon
IN town that knew Of Finally he told me they
were trasei-worn and tired. and " he ccnd get
something To drink n would help HIM. Afer talk
rng about the chances OF getting work. told him
there a drug store close 10y: they might do
something for MIN there, towards curing him al
the headache They both wen. over the re. ] did
not see them any more until after the arrest
Mr.. Hartman ;e-fihes-l lived IN Pilot Grove
township m October last; SAW the body of the
murdered man ON the 9Th ~ October; u MAS lying
10 an ca ,aon I ia MI anne H., arm run, suprcse
saw the murdered man the day before. af the
Grove, het~een l" and Il o'clock The first p.ace
tii' saw hii'i theV Vas III sne ssote ~ MI
Harris; the prisoner Was with him; they went
over 20 the drug store, then back to Harris again.
had no conversation; did not see defendant for
two or three weeks
Cross exsmination-That xas the first time !
ever saw them from Harris store they crossed
the railroad; don't know whether they crossed
above or below the depot J am sure they crossed
the track they r'mained there shouf hiteen MN
utes they went northeast and crossed the railroad
track; when they passed they were within about
NIFTY yards 81 me met them near the depot;
Defendant a. y