Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1920-01-29
BRAGG 10 HANG
FOR MURDER OF
DEPUTY JOHN MORTON
Jary Out 20 Minutes Returns Verdict
Of First Degree Murder Without
Recommendation.

Eugh Bragg, young murderer of
Deputy Sheriff John Dennis Morton,
will hang for his crime at Mounds
vile on April 2. The death sentence
was passed upon the legless youth,
who shot and killed the deputy sheriff
at Cowen, on January ~, by Judge
William S. O'Brien, at 5 o'clock Tues
day afternoon after a verdict of
Asguilty of murder in the first degree,
with no recommendation made" had
been returned by the jury following
ten minutes deliberation.
Examining Of witnesses was com
pleted late Tuesday afternoon and the
case given to the jury at $40 o'clock.
After receiving the charge of Judge
O'Brien the twelve men, who were to
decide the fate of the self-confessed
murderer, were closeted together and
left to put the final spoke in the
wheel that for the past few days has
slowly been grinding out the penalty
10 be inflicted upon young Bragg for
his cold-blooded murder of the pop
MIR deputy sheriff.
Very few of the large crowd of
Moantaineer spectators who were
present at the conclusion of the tes-
tinony, left the court room when the
Jury retired for its deliberations. It
-. +bo raparoI <xy,;pfoy +ba+ +ba ~
ton of the twelve mountaineers who
had been selected to act out the final
act in the tragedy that has held the
interest of every household through
out the mountainous region of Web
ster and Nicholas counties, would be
speedy, and the larger part of the
spectators who had travelled miles
through the dense country in order
That they might be present at this
moment, appeared content to remain
in the court room even though the
period of waiting be of hours dur
alton
Intense silence pervaded the court
roem as the word was given out that
the jury had reached decision. AS
the twelve mountaineer jurymen,
headed by their foreman, G. S. Har-
per, fled in, there was not sound
to be heard in the small and over
crowded room. Sitting between his
two attorneys the young murderer,
whose fate rested in the words that
were to be delivered by the foreman
within the next few minutes, did not
in the least show that he was con-
aerned over what was transpiring.
Guilty Of murder in the first de-
gree, no recommendation offered
fke words rang out over the court
room. Following the deliverance of
jse verdict the jury Of mountaineers
for the first time in several days re-
la1ed that look of strained attention
tAat had fixed the face of every
member since the opening of the trial
while a second of silence on the part
Of the spectators was soon followed
by subdued whisperings.
The courtroom soon began to emp
ty itself of the large crowd of spec
tators, who now satisfied that full
Justice had been done for the shoot
ing of their friend, and in many cases
their relative, were eager to return t.
their homes and resume the worE
they had left several days before
A short time later it was announc
ed that the sentence would be pro
nounced by Judge O'Brien The couri
room again filled up and the prisoner
with his counsel, was brought in
Bragg was then sentenced to b
hung at Monndsville on April 2.
The sentencing of Bragg brough
70 a close murder case that has at
traeted the most interest and hal
been the most largely attended cas-
that has yet been held in Webste
Springs When first the news wa
flashed over the mountainous region
of Webster and Nicholas counties tina
the popular and we'll known deput,
sheriff had been slain in cold bloo'
BY the youth whom he had severa
times befriended, the mountainee
friends of Morton soon gathered an,
it was feared for time that vic
Ience would be done.
Bragg was first arrested by Depu
ty Sheriff Morton on the charge 0
passing worthless check for $500 il
Nicholas county. While passing thr1
the streets of Cowen, in Webste
county, the youth suddenly drew
gun and fired twice at the officer, bot
shots taking effect. Young Brag
was recaptured only after he ha
threatened shooting into mob tina
had collected around the home of hi
sister, where the YOUNG man ha
taken refuge. Morton later died a