Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-10-28
TWO WARRANTS ISSUED
FOR MEMBERS Of MOB
Daring Rescue of Nelson
County Murderer The Gil
max of One of The Most
Dramatic Trials in Virginia
Criminal History. Rewards
Offered For Rescuers

Lynchburg, Oct. 22.-Special. Two
warrants were issued at LovinRston
today for the arrest Of persons suspect
ed OF being members Of the mob which
liberated John Moore yesterday morn
ing at ! O'Clock.
Supervisors have offered reward OF
fifty dollars each for arrest and con-
viction of members OF the mob. Five
deputies were sworn to go in quest of
Moore.
Lync!,burg, Va. Oct. % The his
tory OF the Howl. Moore murder case
in Nelson county, which eliminated
early yesterday morning in the rescue
of John Moore, who wis under con-
domination for the murder of Frank
Howl IN that county lsst May, is one
of the most intensely interesting and
dramatic episodes OF the recent Vir-
ginia criminal court history. Since
the incipiency of the case it has teenl-
cd with thrilling sensations which
read something after the manner OF
an up to date dime novel or yellow
back. None of the twenty five or more
crimes in the past two decades in
that county, even including the ia
nous Loving case, furnished Sd many
climaxes. All the Howl-Moore case
needed was prominent characters. fol
sll of those who have figured in it are
from the lower walks of life, from
the active "moonshiner" mp to mer
of the lower casts OF society to which
Howl and Moor belonged.
Intense situations arose soon after
the poisoning OF Howl in his home on
the night Of May 14th, when Moore
was visitor there, for after Howl
died in commissions from the drugged
moonsline liquor, it became necessary
for the man, who is convicted Of hi.
murder and who admitted under oath
undns relations with the wife of the
dead man. to shave his dead body and
pre- pare him for burial. Moore coun.
ssled an early burial but his actions
aroused suspicious on the part Of
nsighbors who dropped in to lend q
kindly hand. After the burial this
gave rise to community gossip and
three days after the burial came an or.
der to exhume the body. This done
and DIR. Mallet at the University of
Virginia, found three fourths Of a
grain of strychnine therein.
MOORE sURRENDERs HIMSELF
Then John Moore, infatuated with
Mrs. Roxie Howl. disappeared. A
liberal reward was offered for his ar
rest and in several weeks he returned
from Ohio and surrendered himself.
Following this the grand jury jointly
indicted Moore and the widow, Mrs.
Roxie Howl for the murder. In the
meantime Moore stated In the county
Jail that the moonshiners of the noun
tain section had poisoned the whisky
he gave Howl to make way with him.
This is alleged to have incensed these
alleged moonshiners and the county
authorities deemed it necessary to Sc
crete Moore, in the mountains of the
county, part of two days AMI thel
carry him to the Charlottesville jail
for safe keeping, for fear of mob vic
lence.
Then came MooIe's trial. He denied
all knowledge Of the crime. Mrs. Howl
and her children threw little light on
it, but after weeks trial the jury re-
turned verdict of first degree muir
der, but sentence was suspended as it
was desired to use Moore as a witness
in the trial of the WIDOW, his alleged
accomplish