American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-02-08
The Muse Trial.

On Wednesday the Both nit Mr..
Joe Muse was arrested and brought
10 town TO answer before a c0Dmit-
ting court, the charge made against
him of killing Mr.. Mckay, an aged
aud highly esteemed citizen of ihis
county who was aSsassinated, while
sitting in his house on Saturday,
o6;h uIt., shortly after night tall.
On Friday morning at ii o'clock,
an investigation OF his ease was ems
tered upon, before JUSTICES Pitch>
ford and Faueett, With j. I. Single
ton for the prosecution and K. z
Smith for the defense. The iaves
tisation closed on Tuesday after
noon ut 4 o'clock. The evidence
was entirely ciIcumstantial. and
as follows: Mckay
was killed with "buck shot" dis
charged from shot gun near a tree,
few feet from the window of hIs
room, A short time previous he
had charged VIM. Willis aud joe
Mu-e of stealing, because OF which
Willis had made repeated threats
against him: tracks of two men,
one wore a No. s boot, the other
"A No. 6 shoe. were seen seen near
The tree fiom VIII ch the, gun WIS
fired the No. 6 track esem bled in
REGULARITY and size that of Willis,
the tracks were followed to sllere n
horse aud mule appeared to have
been hitched about one fourtli of n
mile from MoKay's house; beyond
which the track could not be follow
ed, an old woman hearing the
screaming at McKa!'s bouse, and IN
going to the door, obseryed two u Ell,
one tall the other log man run
ming by her from the direction of
Mckays. On the evening of the
killing WIN. Willis and Joe Muse
we're seen at Muses. house, six miles
from the scene of murder two re-
ports of gan were heard, like the
flashing of powder from gun after
cleaning II, at Muses. house, late on
the evening of the killing, Muse
was asked to loan his horse and he
declined, saying he might want to
use it himself that night. Willis and
Muse were seen together at dusk
On the day of the killing, at Muses.
house. Muse wore a No. 6 boot and
Willis No. 6 shoe buckshot aud
wads such as Muse was accustomed
to use, was found IN a line from
where the gun vas fred. Willis
staid with Muse Saturday night and
Sunday and was with him at his
house on Monday morning, and
hearing on Tuesday that Muse was
arrested, he fed to parts unknown.
1t was proved that Mckay had a
controversy with other parties a
short time before the killing, but that
said parties had made up with him.
Tohear this investigation, the Court house
the place of trial, was SLED almost to
snffocation, with citizens of all ages and
eolors, whose continued presence during
the whole trial, manifested great and I'M
usual interest. Cusious to know what
hand had perPetrated 20 sinful q decd. they
listened with rapt attention to witness
after witness, until the matter ended AMI
on Tuesday at o'clock p. IN. tho court
after n few moments consultation. not
withdrawing tho able, logical and earnest
argument of the talented counsel for the
prosecution, in chaste and eloquent langu
age announced to the p risoner that he wa,
discharged. Thus closed most Ia borious,
yet int resting invest igation of a crime
that shocks humanity, disgraccs civiliza
ton and will forever damn the perpetrato,
of the BASTARD y act.
We learls from the Southern Times, tba,
the Or escent City vii he a2.e scene OF a,no
Their grand CarnjysI1n the 18th inst. Rex
has issued his proelairatien for Mardi Gras