Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-03-04
COURT.
TRIAL OF THE BRYCE-MOORE
CASE.


A. NJ, His Honor Judge Thomson presiding.
After tho call and organization of the Grand
Jury, tho Solicitor handed out tho following
bills:
State vs.. Milton w. W. Nicholson, for murder.
State vs.. Wm. Roach, assault and battery will,
intent to kill.
State vs.. LaRooh, assault and battery will,
intent to kill.
State vs. John Milligsn, assault and battery
with intent to kill.
State vs.. Daniel Prcssy, grand larceny
State vs.. Turner Osborne and David Brad
berry, for murder.
His Honor then delivered 10 tho Grand Jury
clear and forcib'o charge rs to their duties in
tho several cases handed to them aud referred
to tho pcrnicious practice of carrying concealed
weapons. Two indictments for murder are
before you, and if you find tho fact of the
killing by tho accused, then you will find u
truo bill, whatever the grade of tho oilcnsc may
finally be determined to be. Murder was then
defined and illustrated There arc several in
dictments for assault and battery with intent to
kill. Before you can find q true bill you must
find that il killing had actually taken place,
the crimo would havo been murder. You may
find true bill for simple assault and battery if
you find there was no formed intent TO kill
There is bill for grand larceny and this con-
siss in tho taking nnd carrying away Of tho
personal goods Of another with q fclonious
intent, tho goods being of or above Tho value Of
twenty dollars. If goods be proved Of less
value than twenty dollars, you will find for the
defendant. In reference 10 homicilcs Ills Honor
epoko of the ncfarious practice Of carrying con-
cealed weapons. Tho first offence after tllc fall
of our fore parents was q homicide, brother
Staying brother. Tho practice Of carrying
deadly weapons virtually declares the law to be
insufficient TO protect The citizen. lie hoped tho
Grand Jures would put their seal of condcmna-
tion on tho practice. Men with pistols in their
pockets arc too apt TO use them OH slight provo
caton.
When the Grand Jury had retired The prison
crs, Jerry Moore, Amcricus Moore, Aiken Moore
and Riley Moore were brought into court, and
on being ready for trial, The court proceeded 10
organize jury, now ycniro for fifty jurors
being issued from tho five mile box,
During the forenoon, while tho panel from tho
five mile box was being summoned, the case of
tho State vs.. John Singleton, for assault and
battery, was called This was aM appeal from
Trial Justice IIokc, and by consent the judgment
Of tho Trial Justice was confirmed.
At IL o'clock NJ, there being no business
court adjourned until p. NJ.
In tho afternoon Of Monday tho Moorcs were
again brought into court, and upon their cx-
pressing their readiness TO 60 TO trial, tho
organization OF jury was begun from the
original panel, when tho following jurors we're
accepted and sworn: Thomas l.. Gibson, f. ii,
Strihling, s. NJ. Crawford, j. j. Vissage, D. A..
NIulky.
On Tuesday morning Mt 10 O'Clock the court
proceeded to fill up tho jury from the five mile
box as follows: Joseph M. Kelly, c. ii. llcssc,
L. F. Sharp, ]. Il. Hendrix. II. i. J. W. Schro-
der, w. a. Miles, Henry Bicmaon. His Honor
appointed j. II. IIcndrix foreman, when tho
State proceeded with its evidence, the Solicitor
having first called the attention Of the jury TO
tho facts reliod Oh by.tho State. The State pro
posed 10 show the crime was committed at the
timo stated and in this county; that the defend
ants, Americus and Riley Moore, did the act
and that Jerry Moore and Aiken Moore were ac-
ccssorics before tho fact; that they had 100
tive TO kill Bryce TO got back their land and re-
turn to this State; that three of them crossed
into this State on the morning of the night
whom Bryce was killed and returned next day,
and that tlcy wcrc tracked from The river TO the
field of Bryce and back TO tho river, the tracks
being measured at various intervals. The jury
were told they were not required to find who
killed Bryce, but whether the defendants arc The
guilty parties.
Mrs Rcbccca Cox sworn-Is sister Of de-
ceased Killed in this county on 25th of Au-
gust, 1870. Saw the body before entirely dead.
Killed in field ono hundred yards from witness
to tho plaoo and found him dying. Saw two
men that night running from the place Moon
was shining bright.
Cross examinctl- Full moon as bright as I
ever saw it.. Run towards the spring. Can't
tell color of clothing. Live near the deceased.
Saw parties from house about ono hundred yards.
DR.. W. A. Williams sworn--Was physician nt
most moytcm. Found tho body in the house Of
dccoased. Went there day after hc was killed.
Examined the body. Found thrco Wounds ono
on top Of left arm; cut out flesh several inches.
Another on right side low down, and ono in back
on right of spno near lower rib. Did not dis
scot tho body. small orifce in tho right, but
did not penetrate. Tho rib was fractured near
back bono and tho oriGco about thrco.fourths Of
an inch in diameter. Saw DO evidence Of wound
in front II was sufficient TO produce death
Am satisfied it caused the death.
Cross cxamned-Cannot say whether Bryce
,yas shot or not. Death might have resulted
from paralysis or hemorrhagcs Shot in back
entered at lowor edge Of right lung and ranged
npWnrds md outw0rds. Iho wound on arm ana