The north Mississippi herald. (Water Valley, Yalobusha Co., Miss.) 1888-1929, 1921-02-11
MELTON ACQUITTED
OF MURDER CHARGE
Claimed Self-Defense in Slay-
ing of Brother-in-Law.

COFFEEVILLE, Miss, Feb. A.
''We, the jury, find the defendant not
guilty" was the verdict rendered this
afternoon at the close of the trial in
which Robert Melton was tried for
the killing of his brother-in-law, Lee
Tierce, on March 27 of last year.
+ This trial, which has been of more
interest than any murder trial in this
county in many years, began at o.
clock Tuesday afternoon. Robert
Melton was tried for murder in the
first degree, a special venire of so
was represented by District Attorney
Richard Denman, assisted ny ii. H.
Creekmore, of Water Valley. Stone
& Stone, local attorneys, rey:as fed
the defendant.
Tuesday afternoon was tai en- Ip
with securing a jury The following
were selected; d. M. Brown, D. ".
Mooney, J. A. Massey, :. 2. McLavy,
w. E. McComb, p. NJ Howell. j. 4.
Cole, III. Stevens, James 3 3'swel, j. F.
ArbucIle, A. F. Patton, " II. 81 Ike,
with D. G. Chapman and Rich Evans
as bailiffs.
On Wednesday the evidence was
submitted in which all the details of
the tragedy were brought out. On
Wednesday, Mach 27, Lee Tierce had
gotten off the noon train and shortly
afterwards, between 1890 and l o.
clock he was seen in front Of Bates
drug store.
DR.. o. T. Coleman was the first wit
ness to testify as to the nature of the
wounds. He also testified that Tiercc
told him after he was shot that if he
had done what he should have done
the evening before that would not
have happened.
DR.. B. B. Sayle was the next wit
ness called. He also testified as to
the nature of Lee Tierce's wounds,
saying that as he remembered it, one
wound was on the right side and an
ether on the left arm.
Jim Simpson, one of the witnesses
for the state, was next called. He
stated that he was about six feet away
from the shooting and that he witness
ed it. He said that Lee Tierce was
coming around the crowd, going
north, when Melton shot him first.
shooting three times, and follow lg
AAAA NY VIC SbIENN, SetNilIAg 2l ~ ltliii
hovs: he has shot me all to pieces"
Then he stated that Tierce remarked
he would stop him, and turing around
quickly toward him, grabbed him and
threw him down. but just before he
grabbed him, Melton shot aga,n.
Then the two men were separated, the
deputy sheriff taking Melton. and
Tierce being taken to DR.. Coleman,s
office where he lived for three of four
hours. Simpson further said that
Tierce impressed him rs n man look
ing for someone or something Then
w. F. Shields. r F. Pittman, Walter
Goodwin, w. p. Gardener. S. G. Pitt
man and Hewett Doris also testified
as witnesses for the state. the sub
stance of their testimony BEING that
without anv words Melton hal begun
firing on Tiercc ard that he had kept
on firing as Tierce retreated, appar-
emily hitting him in the back, though
testimony of both Drs. Coleman and
Sayle had been to the effect that
none of the bullets had struck him in
the back.
Then number Of witnesses testi-
fled that Tierce had frequently
threatened the life of Melton. who
had every reason to be afraid for his
safety. Melton himself testified. tell
ing the court. in calm and composed
manner, how he had been warned that
his life was in danger that verv morn
ing Of the shooting. The evidence was
al in Wednesday afternoon and
Thursday morning arguments were
begun bv III. TT. Creekmore. assistant
counsel for the state. followed BY J.
P. Stone, counsel for the defendant.