Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-06
TERRITORY GORE.
Sanctioning the Sale of Whisky
Without a License.
FIGHT IN A COTTON FIELD.
Tom Moore on Trial for His Life for the
Third Time-Charies Palmer Found
Neutrality-suspicious. Disappear
ance of Monroe Camp
A Case of Peculiar Interest.

Special to the Gazette.
PARIS, Ten, Nov. BIN the Federal
court yesterday q case of more than passing
interest was placed on trial. For the third
time Tom Moore is fighting the government
for his life. Once there was hung jury
and once verdict and sentence Of death.
On May %, 1889. Charles Palmer left his
home near Emmett, l. T., to go to Jones'
mill, a distance of about nine miles. About
shutdown that evening some of his neighbors
found his dead body in the road. He had
been shot from ambush by an assassin.
Suspicion pointed to Tom and Nelson
Moore as the perpetrators. They We're ar
rested and brought to this city and placed
IN Jail. After lapse of several months
Nelson Moore gave bond, but Tom re-
manned in jail.
At the October term of the court Nelson
Moore failed to appear for trial and his
bond was forfeited. Tom Moore was placed
on trial. He was unable to employ counsel
and II. B. Birmingham and J. w. Ownby
were appointed to defend him. He was
convicted, but the court granted him a new
trial
At the April term he was again arraigned,
out mistrial was the result. The jury
was empaneled yesterday afternoon and the
evidence was all in and the argument had
closed at 1890 O'Clock last night.
The testimony showed that Tom Moore
was seen in the woods. where Palmer was
killed, short distance from the place, and
shunned observation. There was other
circumstantial evidence.
The case is of peculiar and extraordinary
interest. Palmer was 4 well-to-do citizen
OF the ChiCkasaw Nation. In 1855 man
named Monroe Camp made 4 crop on his
place and lived at his house. Nelse Moore
also made his home there. In the summer
Nelse Moore returned to his former home
IN Missouri, and in the fall came back,
bringing his brother Tom with him. The
Moores and Camp began to keep house
about quarter OF a mile from Palmer
In November, 1855, they came to Palmers
late one evening and wanted to borrow his
horse to make trip with a load of seed
cotton to Caddo, I. I. They got him, stat
ing that they wanted to start early the fol-
lowing morning.
During the night Mrs. Palmer heard a
wagon pass their house and got up and
looked. She recognized the team as the
one the Moores and Camp were to drive.
The next morning Mr.. and Mrs. Palmer
went to Camp and Nloore's house to look
after their cows and other things While
there they discovered blood stains about the
house and wagon tracks leading to Blue
river, which was only few hundred yards
away.
In few days the Moores returned with
out Camp. They announced that he had
decided to leave the country and had sold
them all of his effects. They took charge
of all he had, and Wore his clothing, boots
and watch
Camp failed to come or write back. Let
tiers of inquiry were written TO Enon, in
Tarrant county and to his former home in
Georgia, but no tidingS came of him. People
began TO suspect foul play.
Ar Indian woman named Lizzie Lisleetub-
bee, who was about fifty years old, had also
set claim to the place on which Palmer
lived. On Sunday, May 19, 1889, Tom
Moore married the woman and espoused
her claim.
Judge Bryant charged the jury this morn
ing