The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1918-06-21
BOURBON CIRCUIT COURT.

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The sessions of the Bourbon Cir
cult Court, which began here Mon
day morning were resumed Tuesday
the principal business being the trial
of the case of Oscar N. Johnson,
charged with the killing of Walter A.
Rice, in this city on the night of jan
uary 10. Both sides having an
nounced their readiness, the trial
was entered into.
Considerable time was devoted to
securing a jury, which was finally &C
complished and the trial of the case
was begun at three o'clock Tuesday
afternoon. The jury selected to try
the case is composed of ]. H. Fuhr-
man, j. w. Liver, j. F. Ingels, Geo.
w. Link, James Doty, Albert Mitch
ell, John F. Young, Richard H. Wills,
Edward Spears, j. T. Judy, Luther
Mcintyre and Charles Green. After
statements to the jury by the coun-
sci on both sides of the case, the TAX
ing of testimony was begun A large
number of witnesses for both the de-
Tense and the Commonwealth were
present. and the time of the Court
was taken up with hearing the EVIL
dence.
The principal witness was A. S.
Askew, travelling man, who testified
he was in the restaurant where the
shooting took place, in conversation
with Johnson and Rice, and that
there was nothing in their CONVEX
sation to indicate any ill-feeling be-
tween them. When Johnson was
preparing to leave the restaurant
Rice invited him to call on his wife,
who was in Livingston, adding that
she would be glad to see him. John
son left the building, but returned
soon and opened fire on Rice without
saying a word as to his intention or
warning his victim, according to the
testimony. Johnson, following the
shooting, surrendered to the police,
saying that he felt justified in shoot
ing Rice.
Both men were in the employ of
the Louisville & Nashville railroad,
and were well-known here and in
Eastern Kentucky. The Common
wealth was represented in the prose
cution of the case against Johnson
by Commonwealth Attorney Vic
tor Bradley, of Georgetown, County
Attorney D. D. Cline sand Attorney
John ]. Williams, of Paris, and
Judge L. w. Bethurum, Mt. Vernon:
the defense by Attorney Oscar T. Hin
ton, of Paris, and Hon. Edwin P. Nor
row, of Somerset.
The taking of testimony continu-
ed through Wednesday until three
o'clock, when both sides closed. The
principal witness for the defense
was the defendant, Johnson, who tes-
titled as to occurrences, both before
and after the tragedy. He declared
insulting remarks made about his
sister by Rice was the cause leading
up to the shooting. A number of
witnesses were introduced to show
that Johnson had bad reputation
for peace and good order in the COM
munity in which he resided. DR..
Albert N. Barry, an expert from Ann
Arbor, Mich, testified on forms of in
sanity. Rebuttal testimony closed
the case, and the arguments were
taken up. Attorney Oscar T. Hin
ton opened for the defense, followed
by Judge Bethurum for the prosecu-
ton. He was followed in a powerful
argument for the defense by Hon. Ed
win p. Morrow, of Somerset, tempo
rary insanity being the plea of de-
Tense.
At the close of Mr.. Morrow's argu-
ment Judge Stout ordered an adjourn
ment taken until nine o'clock yester-
day morning, and the jury was turn
ed over to the Sheriffs, with the usual
admonitions. At the opening of Court
yesterday morning the closing argu-
ment for the Commonwealth was
made by Commonwealth Attorney
Bradley.
Upon the reconvening of Court yes
terday morning the argument for the
Commonwealth was renewed by
Commonwealth Attorney Victor
Bradley, whose speech of an hour and
a half, closed the case and the argu-
ment for the prosecution. Judge
Stout then read the instructions to
the jury, which, in effect, were that
under the law and testimony, they
were to fix the penalty at life impris-
nnment or DEATH He then gave
them the usual admonition, after
which they retired to their rooms
and began their deliberations. At
noon they were taken to the Windsor
Hotel for dinner.
Upon the reconvening of Court for
the afternoon session the spokesman
of the jury called Judge Stout and
announced that they had agreed upon
a verdict The verdict was handed
to the Clerk, who read it. The YER
dict inflicted the death penalty. The
usual questions were asked, each
of the jury responding in
the affirmative, making the verdict
one. The jury was out on
the case about two hours. Judge
Stout ordered the verdict placed on
the record, and the jury was dis
charged.
This is the first time in many
years that the death penalty has
been given in a murder case in this
county. The defendant, Johnson,
who was brought into Court to hear
the verdict, was visibly affected, and
showed signs of nervousness. He
was taken back to Jail in charge Of
Jailer Thos. Taul.