Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1905-03-30

county, OIaLe OF MISSOurl.
GEORGE A. MORRIS, ,JR.....Pl'ff.
VS..
f. X. JESSE, A. G. BARNES, G. A
BARNES and j. G. LAKENAN.....
................ Defendants.
PETITION.
Comes now George \. Morris,
Jr., the Plaintiff in the above en-
titled cause, and, for his cause Of
action against the above named
defendants, states:
That he is Il resident and citizen
of the County of Audrain, State of
Missouri, and has resided there for
the greater part of and almost
continuously during the last %
years.
That he has at all times been an
honest and law abiding man and
citizen, and behaved and conduct
ed himself as such from Ills ma
tivity to the present time, and
among his friends, neighbors and
associates, and all others who
knew him, was so known and re-
puted.
That on or about the 10th day
of July, 1902, the above named
defendant, G. n. Barnes. i'll the
said City Of Mexico, Audrain
County, Missouri, shot and killed
one Rhodes Clay, and thereupon
the said homicide became the sub
ject Of inquiry by the grand jury
and the other legally constituted
authorities of said Audrain Coun.
ty, and this plaintiff was required
as il witness in that behalf on the
part of the State, and was a COM
petent witness in that behalf,
which facts at once became known
to defendants and to each of them.
That at subsequent term of
the Circuit Court of said Audrain
County, to-wit, the June term of
the year 1908, the grand jury of
said County returned a true bill
indictment against c. A. Barnes,
charging him with the crime of
of murder in the killing of the
said Rhodes Clay.
That later, tO-wit, at the Octo-
ber term of the Circuit
Court of Lincoln County, Mis-
souri, Ito which court the said in
dictment had been removed on ap-
plication for change Of venue
made by the said {. A. Barnes)
the cause came on for trial, and
the defendant was acquitted.
That at the trial of the said in
dictment, this plaintiff was Il wit
ness on behalf of the State, and
from the time that the investiga-
ton of the said homicide was first
begun by the grand jury and the
legally constituted authorities of
Audrain County, tO-wit, in the
month of September, 1902. it was
known to the defendants, and to
each Of them, that it was the pur-
pose aud intention of the State in
said prosecution to call this plain
tiff as Il witness in the invcstIga-
ton or trial of said G. A. Barnes
on any charge for said killing.
That the defendants, and each
Of them, we'll knowing all the
matters and things hcreinbcfore
set forth, but contriving and i'll
tending 10y all means within THEN
power, whether lawful or unlawful
to secure the acquittal Of the said
G. A. Barnes from said charge of
murder did, on or about the -
day Of May, 1903, in the said
City of Mexico, in Audrain Coun.
ty, maliciOusly and wickedly con.
spire, combine, confederate and
agree with each other to injure,
break down aud destroy the good
name and fame of this plaintiff
and to destroy his credit as wit
ness for the State on the trial 0.
said indictment, and TO secure ), hi!
removal from the State of Mis-
souri, altogether, in order that i
S would not be possible for him t.
a be present and testify Mt the tia
OF said indictment or at any in
l.. vestigation had of the charg
f; against said Barnes.
n That to accomplish the end anC
J.. purpose of said conspiracy, the de
e PENDANTS did, at the time and plac