Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-05-11
A HUNG JURY.
The Rock Radford Case.

- Psi Ks
After having been continued seven
times, a change ofvenue being grant
ed to Trigg county the last time, the
case of Miles G. Radford, Indicted
for the murder of Henry ID johnson
in Christian county on Nov. 3rd,
1882, was called at Cadiz last We'd
nesday. The Commonwealth was
represented by its attorney, Jas. d.
Garnet and Jno. c. Dsbney, county
attorney OF Trigg. The defense was
represented by Messrs. Mcpherson,
Feland, Henry and Burnett, of Hop
kinrville, and Sims, of Cadiz. The
defendant by his attorney, produced
an affidavit of what he could prove
by j. c. Whitlock and r. Newcomb,
absent witnesses, and moved for an
other continuance. The court over
ruled the motion aud a trial was en-
tered into. A plea of not guilty was
entered,
THE JURY.
The following jury was empaneled :;
Thos. A. Jefferson, John Ladd, W..
A. Goodwin, David Freeman, w. G.
bingham, Jno. f. Grisby, Jas. Battoe,
D. L. Oakley, G. f. Baynham, j. l..
Malone, Il. j. Pearcy and Abe Quick.
The first eight named were taken
from the regular panel.
THE CoMMoNwEALTH's WITNESSES.
Mrs. CYNTHIA NJ. TUCKER: 1 was
once the wife of Henry ID. johnson.
He lived at Rock Radford's, in Chris
tan county. lie was about As years
old. He had lived in Christian
about 20 years. He came from TEN
nessee. lie married in cambridge,
in Christian county, in 1867. We
moved to Radford's in 1881. lie
was farming-farmed the first year
OIL shares, and the second year he
had land rented. The house we
lived in was less than quarter of a
mile from where defendant lived.
My husband made crop of corn and
tobacco-tobacco got burned in Oc-
tober. Don't know how much corn
he raised. / think the corn had been
pulled off the stalk. My husband
was killed on Friday morning. l
was with him. lie had wagon
and started TO gather the corn. We
started about 7 o'clock-were in
two-horse wagon. We went close
by defendants yard fence. No one
was along except my husband and
myself. AS we got by his fence, de-
PENDANT came out with his gun to the
gate. 1 could see him plain. De-
PENDANT came out and told Mr.. john
son TO stop, and he Immediately
stopped. Defendant asked Mr..
johnson what he was going to do !?
lie said "to gather my corn, to make
bread for my children" Defendant
claimed the corn for his rent. Mr..
johnson told him he would.pay him
if he had to work one day for him,
and for his children the next. Mr..
johnson told him that Esq. Coleman
and the lawyers at Hopkinsville told
him that he was entitled to his corn.
Defendant said, aft you listen to
those clodheaded lawyers at Hop
kinsville they will get you into
trouble" We started on then to-
ward the cornfield-defendant in
front and my husband and in the
wagon and defendants two grand
children, two Misses Weaver, who
defendant had called, were behind
the wagon. When we got to the
gap that enters the cornfleld, defend
ant stood outside and Mr.. johnson
got out of the wagon, remained in
the wagon. They were about eight
or ten stops apart. Defendant said
johnson, forbid you in the pres
ence of my two grand daughters, TO
pull down my fence" Mr.. johnson
started towards defendant looking
down at the ground, and when about
the length of a fence rail apart, the
defendant raised his gun and said,
"comc no closer" and instantly fired.
His whip dropped out of his hand.
He turned and started towards me
and fell, never spoke again. The
whip was a leather one with small
white-oak staff. The staff was
about two feet long and about as
large as my thumb at the big end
and tapered to point. 1 carried il
10 Hopkinsville several times-show-
ed it TO Judge Brasher. No one but
the defendant, the two Weaver girls
and myself was present when the
shooting took place. We had five
children. We owned two mares
He was going to put the corn in a
crib OH defendants place.
When CT oss-questioned the witness
stated: My maiden name was Will
liams. had lived in Christian coun.
ty ten years before l married. My
child was born 26th day of March
year before last. Was married, il
will be, three years next fall. Twas
, married nearly two years before my
first child was born. My husband owed
defendant some $l4 or SIS, for goods
The wagon belonged to Mr. Dickerson
My husband had gone out to gather
corn the Wednesday before. was
not at home on that day. helped
him to plant the corn. lie had two
fields. Don't know how many acres
, he had. We had started to 60 to the
field farthest off. never said or did
anything during the conversation
between Mr.. johnson and defendant
Mr.. johnson did not try TO snatch
the gun. 1 married in November
My child was born in March of thu
next year. Ny husband had beer
dead about one year when l married
Mr.. Tucker.
3 JUDGE j. Z. BRAsHER was next in
troduced. His testimony was as fol
lows: II live at Hopkinsville. Ian
lawyer, and, at present, Judge O
City Court. I heard Johnson's evi
, dence. She exhibited a whip severa
times. l had been employed b,
her to institute suit for damages, and
bod oayaral conversations with Inv.