Indictment, circa 7 January–circa 23 April 1839 [State of Missouri v. Pratt et al. for Murder]
Source Note
Indictment, [], Ray Co., MO, ca. [7] Jan.–ca. [23] Apr. 1839, State of MO v. Pratt et al. for Murder (Ray Co., MO, Circuit Court 1839); handwriting of ; signatures presumably of ; docket and notation by with signature presumably of James Holman, [, Ray Co., MO, ca. 23 Apr. 1839]; notation by unidentified scribe, 26 Apr. 1839; notation by , 8 June 1839; thirty-five pages; photocopy in Daviess County Legal Documents, BYU.
bullet last aforesaid so as last aforesaid by them the said , Norman Shearer Maurice Phelps and the said other persons (whose names to the jurors as aforesaid are as yet unknown shot discharged and sent forth out of the gun last aforesaid by force of the gun powder last aforesaid in and upon the said left side of the belly of him the said Moses Rowland one other mortal wound of the breadth of half an inch and extending entirely through the body of him the said Moses Rowland of which said last named mortal wound the said Moses Rowland then and there to wit at the County of aforesaid instantly died and so the aforesaid Norman Shearer , , Maurice Phelps and the said other persons (whose names to the jurors aforesaid are as yet unknown) the aforesaid Moses Rowland at the County of aforesaid on the day and year aforesaid in manner and form last aforesaid <the said Moses Rowland at aforesaid> feloniously voluntarily wilfully and of their malice aforethought, did kill and against <the form of the statute in such case made & provided & against> the peace and dignity of the and against the form of the statute in such case made and provided— And that <the said> Joseph Smith Junior late of the County of in the State aforesaid late of said County of <and> late of said County of and late of said County of not having the fear of God before their eyes but being moved and seduced by the instigaton [p. 11]