The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1922-03-15
JESSE SUBtETT ON TRIAL
IN CIRCUIT COURT
Slayer OF Pockport Marshal
Pleads Insanity; Grand Jury
y Returns Indictments.

The second week OF the regular
March term of Circuit Court began
Monday with the calling for trial Of
the case of the Commonwealth vs..
Jesse Sublett. The defendant was
indicted last week for the shooting
and killing of Lee r. Pherson, town
marshal Of Rockprt, several weeks
ago. sublett's defense is insanity
His conduct since his Incarceration
In the county jail has been violent
and irrational, but local non-expert
opinion has been divided as to wheth-
er he is really insane or is merely
feigning madness. To determine
this fact Judge Wilson had the pri-
soner examined by DR.. w. e. Gard
ner, a noted alienist of Louisville,
who pronounced him sane. On the
other hand the defense has introduc-
ed DR.. Leon l.. Solomon, leading
physician of the same city, who gave
1t as his opinion that Sublett is now
of unsound mind, but could give no
absolute opinion as to his sanity at
the time of the commission Of the
homicide.
The trial was preceded by an ef-
fort by the defendants attorney, w.
o. Smith, of Central City, to obtain
a charge of venue, but the request
was denied by the Court, who held
that fair and impartial trial could
be obtained in this county. After
considerable difficulty the following
Jury was impaneled and sworn, viz:
Messrs. A. B. Grant, F. M. Baize, ].
w. Cheek, George Baltzell, T. H.
Chinn, Luther Chapman, William
Flener, ]. r. Milburn, J. s. Cecil,
Lon Smith, H. H. Westerfield and
Hiram Miller.
The prosecution is being ably con-
Quoted by Commemorative Attorney
Glover H. Cary, who is being assisted
by County Attorney Otto c. Martin.
County wide interest in the outcome
of the case has brought to town one
of the largest crowds ever in attend
ance at court here. Sublett's CON
duct is a spectacular object of inter-
est to the onlookers. He has to be
almost carried into curt, the SER
almost carried into court, the SER
.quired. When arraigned last week
he even rolled on the floor. The
prevailing sentiment in the neighbor-
hood of the scene of the crime is that
.Sublett was actuated by mean
variety of moonshine liquor; the
theory of the friends. family and at
torney of the accused is that his act
was that of mental incompetent. A
hard fight was made by each side. At
press hour the case was in the hands
of the jury and night session was
ordered that its deliberations might
be continued.
The grand jury continued its
deliberations. by leave of court, until
yesterday. returning a number of
including several for
violations of the liquor laws. There
have been number of minor Com
monwealth jury trails and default
judgments. Only one prosecution Of
general interest was disposed of last
week, viz the Commonwealth VS.. DR..
I. L. Denton. The accused had been
indicted for OBTAINING a female
against her will. The trial consumed
the better part of two days and was
hotly contested The jury returned
a verdict of guilty as to the charge
OF malicious assault, which the
Court had instructed them was in
cluded in the graver offense. and
fixed his punishment at fine of
$3.50. The verdict seems to have
been a necessity compromise and ap-
peared to be more or less unsatisfac-
tory to both sides.
A number of civil matters have
been disposed Of, a summary OF
which will be given next week.
At this term Mrs. A. X. Anderson
was appointed Official Court steno-
grapher for this county. and Mr.. Os-
car Bishop was sworn as Deputy Cir
cult Clerk. Miss Amelia Pirtle
qualified as an Examiner and Attor-
ney Cecil II. Heavrin was admitted