The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1889-06-20
THE BRITToy TRIAL.
Opening Of the Case by Counsel.
Sloane Opens for the State, While Hart
Follows for the Defense.


selection of a jury was commenced last
Thursday morning and occupied the re-
naming part of the week. The jury
was completed on Saturday last, but was
not sworn until Monday. The names Of
the men who sit in judgement on the
evidence and facts Of the case are John
Siminson, Thos. Polk, John Satterfeld,
Henry Plummer, Chas. VanPelt, John
Duncan, Chas. Hire, Samuel Wolf, Geo.
Hulitt, Wesley Gall, Thos. Dick and
Henry Trout. The statement OF the
case was presented to the jury by Uric
Sloane on behalf of the State, charging
Marion Britton with willful, deliberate
and malicious murder. Gov. Hart pre-
sented the case for the defense, going
into details Of the origination OF the
family troubles which resulted in the
killing of John Brown. As the readers
of the NEWS. HERALD will remember
a brief statement Of the trouble
appeared in these columns nearly year
ago. 1t will be remembered that Marion
Britton was q brother.in.law to John
Brown, whom Britton shot, and that
some time after the death Of Britton's
first wife he was engaged to Miss Mary
Brown, another sister OF the deceased.
This engagement was finally broken of,
and In this estrangement much bad
blood was engendered. As result of
some of the bad feeling and foolish say
ings a charge of lunacy was preferred
by John Brown against Marion Britton.
It will also be remembered that the
charge was not sustained. Now it will
hardly be considered the province Of
newspaper to publish the sensational
stories that have been going the rounds
Of the communities since the culmina-
ton of the trouble between Britton and
Brown, which ended in the death of
Brown at the hands of Britton. And
particularly would this be out of place
since evidence sworn to is being given
to the court and jury. The courtroom
on Monday morning was packed with
an interesting crowd. 1t is highly prob
able that the interest in this peculiar
case will not diminish until the jury is
discharged. 1t shall be the effort Of
this paper to give to its readers brief
and true statement Of the testimony in
the case as it progresses.
After the statements by counsel to the
jury, J. q. Foulk identified q photograph
Of the Parker House building taken by
him in which the position of the chair
occupied by John Brown at the time he
received the first shot from the hands of
Britton is shown. The jury then walked
to the scene of the tragedy, so as to be
better qualified to understand the testi.
mony. The first testimony given in be-
half of the State was by DR.. H. NJ.
Brown, followed by DR.. B. F. Holmes.
These gentlemen were called to attend
Brown Immediately after the shooting
and also performed the autopsy. They
described the appearance of the wounds
at their first examination and also their
serious nature from the first. They also
stated that death was the result of the
wound in the neck, testifying that the
spinal cord was severed by the bullet.
The next witnesses called who gave
any description Of the tragedy were Joe
Miller and Dan Scott (barbers at the
Parker House), who testified to hearing
the first shot and the actions OF Brown
as he entered the Parker House and his
efforts to escape from the presence oi
Britton. They, with Sigel Frey, Henry
Minsus, Cyrus Nordyke and "Bud'
; Stratton, declare that John Brown i'm.
mediately after the frat shot entered
the Parker House in q STOPPING position
with his hands thrown up, closely fol-
lowed by Britton with his pistol drawn
that Brown was running wildly about
the Office of the Parker House, going
into another room opening out Of the
Office, finally turning facing Britton, who
instantly fred, the ball taking effect IN
Browns neck. The first shooting and
the actions OF Britton as he came down
the street towards the Parker House
keeping close to the buildings until op
posite the stairway leading up to Armory
, Hall, then his moving to the opposite
! side OF the pavement and passing down
to the place where Brown was sitting
turning quickly to the left, revolver in
hand, advancing and firing without utter
ing a word, was impressively told by
Robert johnson, who had been watch
: ing Britton's actions meanwhile
; thinking he was man that he johnson,
wanted to see. The same testimony as
to Britton's actions on the street was
substantially given by Otho Landess
: A. J. Parks also testified to the position
of the parties at the time the first shot
was fred. These witnesses above
; named were the most minute in theil
: description of the whole affair. Other
y n 4 N