Mexico weekly ledger., 1880-03-18
MERRY MOORE
After Twenty Months in Jail
And Three Trials. He il Found
Not Guilty."

AA sAS - ~SASS VIM iAk VI
his brother-in-law Albert Gentry, in
this county on the 10Th of June, 1873,
was called and tried at Bowling Green
last week, to which place a change of
venue had been granted from this
county. The history of the case as
shown by the evidence in the case is
about as follows: In 1866 Moore's
father with a large family of children
moved from the State of Indiana to
Boone County, Missouri, and rented
a farm near by Sturgeon. Shortly
after, defendants father died, leaving
the entire family in very humble cir
eumstances to be supported by the
defendant, who was the eldest child.
Defendant had the support of the
family until 1868, when he went to
Columbia, where he worked at the
carpenters tt ade for four years. In
1872, while working at his trade near
Sturgeon, he met Miss Alice Gentry,
a sister of the the deceased man, Al
bert Gentry, to whom he was shortly
thereafter married. In 1873, he pur-
chased a little farm of forty acres in
about a quarter of a mile of his wife's
brother, where the said Albert Gentry
then lived, built q little cottage and
improved this farm as his home. In
1873, Gentry and Moore had some
words about pay for some work done
by Gentry for Moore, Gentry claim
ing Moore owed him 50, Moore claim
ing it was but So. At this time Gen
try abused Moore, drew a knife on
him, and threatened his life. Moore
evaded him and got away. The very
next day Gentry went to Moore's
house, and in the presence of Moore's
wife, made all assault on Moore with
! Il club, until his own brothers had to
take him away by force. There for
peace Moore paid Gentry's brother
the full amount Gentry claimed, and
took a receipt in full. After this to
the time Of the fatal meeting, the two
parties met frequently and were on
speaking terms, but had little to do
.rIfh nn.h nthnr S.ams that Annrn
had rented a small woodland pasture
joining to Gcntry's, the lat,er's house
being but a short distance from the
pasture. In this pasture Moore kept
his cows and a few hogs. Gentry
had a vicious dog which had been in
the habit of going to the pasture ard
worrying Moore's hogs. On the 18th
of June, 1878. Moore about 8 a. M,
drove his COWS to the pasture, and
took some corn along for his hogs as
was his custom. Calling his hogs, he
fed them the corn, and found one
badly torn. He concluded at once
it was Gentry's dog. He started
home, and OF his way heard the dog
bayins his hogs back where he hao
fed taem. He then goes home, gcts
his pistol, which had but two shots il
it, and goes to where he left the hogs
lie found the hogs gone, and tn,
corn but partially eaten. He searclle:
for the hogs and dog in the pasture
and goes to Gentry's house hear b.
and speaks to Mrs. Gentry about Thu
dog tearing his hogs. She referred
him to her husband, WHO was chop
, ping some as yards from the house
, Moore went cut III eight or ten step
of Gentry and said, albert, do yo'
know YOU dog is tearing my hogs al
to ~pleces?' Gentry answered, "N'
/ don't" Moore said, ''IIe is; ant
if YOU don't do something with him
will kill him." Then Moore turne,
to leave in direction by the house
1t seemed that Gentry flew into
t passion, calling out, "No, d-n you
: YOU will never kill that dog an
e rushed at Moore with his ak. Moor
gave back, drawing his pistol. an
n called to him ''stop! stop!! stop!!!'
G and fired, no. hitting him. Cent?
e kept going on him, aid when in abou
five or six feet Of Moore with his a
d drawn, Moore fired the second shot
h which took effect, entering thre
s inches to the right of his median lin
and one inch below the level of tn
d navel passing almost directly throug
l. the body lodging just under the ski
If in tue poslerior, diverglng dow
half of an inch and inward to tn
k spine one inch. Gentry died of tn
= wound about eight hours after
If Moore went directly and %surrendere
It himself to the officers. 1t IA prove
d that Gentry was a quarrelsome an
dangerous man, and had more tina
t, once threatened in a wicked and IN:
e lignant manner that he would at til
j. proper time put Moore out of tt
,e way, while on the other hand it ws
l. shown that Moore had always born
a most enviable character for pea6
h and good order. This case was fir
e. tried at Audrain county in June, 1877!
e, Shannon G. Douglass of Colnmbi:
T. and the county attorney representa-
ID the State, Gen. Guitar of Columbi'
4, and Forrist & Fry of Mexico, for tt
lie defendant. After a long and clos
lie trial the jury hung, nine of who
I'd stood for murder in the first degre
one for second degree, and two fl
acquittal. The case was again trie
at Mexico in October. 1879. and Il