Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-06-10
Mccormick Faces Jury on Trial
for Murder of YOwe11

last Thursday, that Of A. Moor
Mccormick indicted for the killing
. of w. I. Yowell Easter Sunday
near Donaldsburg. The jury tt
determine the guilt or innocence o.
the accused man is composed of c
B. Leech, j S. A. Herring, W. j
Tardy, A. H. Agnor, T. j. Wilson
TIE. Johnston, NJ. L. Donald, j H
Lepch, J. D. RAIDER, j, L. Potter
w. A. Montgomery and H. K
Short, Commemorative Attorney
Moore is being assisted in the
prosecution by Charles Curry OF
Staunton. Frank T. Glasgow is
assisted in the defence by Hugh A.
White.
Examination of witnesses closed
yesterday at l o'clock. Mr.. Curry
devoted three hours to his speech
in the afternoon. Mr.. White
opened this morning in an hours
speech, Mr.. Glasgow followed and
concluded at Bib o'clock. Mr..
Moore spoke for two hours, when
the case went to the jury.
A large crowd was present last
Thursday morning when the case
was called. The people of the
vicinity of Donaldsburg and
neighborlng sections were greatly
stirred by the tragedy, and many
of them came to Lexington to wit
ness the trial. Nearly fifty wit
nesses were summoned to testify
in tie case. Nc one saw the deed
committed, hence all of the evil
dence has been of circumstantial
nature. Efforts have been made
to connect Mccormick with the
crime, while he has endeavored
to prove an alibi for that Hateful
Easter Sunday.
Shortly after noon Thursday
the first witness was called, Mrs.
Mary S. Vowel, widow of the
murdered man, After her testi-
mcny DIR. A. D. Estlll, county
coroner, testified Of his connection
with the tragedy; the holding of
the inquest, location of the bullets,
etc. DR.. D.. 0. H. McClung, who
assisted DR.. Estiil, followed along
the same line of testimony. Frank
Vowel told of leaving home with
his sister for Timber Ridge church
about 10 O'Clock, and passing Nc
Cormick near Spring Valley church
and speaking to him.
Following is much of the testi-
mony by persons connected with
the tragedy:
Mrs. Mary S. Vowel (wife of
the murdered NAM: Mr.. Vowel
left home about 10 o'clock Easter
Sunday morning and started out
on the place TO look after some
calves. A short time before left
we were sitting together On the
front steps. The children had
gone to Timber Ridge church. He
left me and went up back Of hill
near barn, the last time | saw him
until / found him dead in the
field. My daughter and l went to
look for him Monday. Mrs. Hunt
said she ha6 seen nothing Of him,
and suggeI ted that We look in the
direction of the new ground, as
Mr.. Yowell frequently went there
to see after the fences, l found
him sitting leaning against the
fence, head dropped to one side
against rail He was dead, shOt
in the back of the head. Did not
touch the body, Just before child
rem started to Timber Ridge saw
Mccormick going up the road by
Spring Valley church,
w. H. Hunt; live about one.
fourth mile below Yowell's, but
not in sight Mccormick came to
my house Easter Sunday morning
and he said he wanted to buy
calves. | told him he could not
buy them on Sunday. He remain
ed about ten minutes. When he
left | noticed the time was twenty
minutes to eleven. The fence near
where the body of Vowel was
found was not line fence. After
the body of Vowel was found |
told my con to go and sit down
where the body lay, A shot was
fired but it could not be heard, nor
could see HIM there, although no
woods we're between my house and
the place of tragedy. Yowell was
in the habit of walking up to my
house on Sunday. Never saw Nc
Cormick there before on Sunday.
1. G. Copper: Tuesday A. P.
NJ. Ii. Crist ard myself
were digg ing the grave when Nc.
Con mick came aboxt 1890 O'Clock.
He spoke as if the Vowel family
knew all about the old mans
death. Pulling out knife he
said, Cooper, here's knife you
said / wouldn't get" Mccormick
then got in the grave and helped
to dig some. He said, II saw
Yowell yesterday between IL and
} CLOCK on the road. He had on
big white hat" Crist said, "You
lidn't see him at that time, for he
vas dead Mccormick then de-
,lared there were two Yowells.
he said he was up in the vicinity
If he field Sunday but did not
zee anybody. / told him that Mrs.