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.
Norman Shearer and Maurice Phelps feloniously wilfully and of their malice aforethought were present aiding helping abetting comforting and maintaining and assisting the said person so <to> the jurors aforesaid as yet unknown in the felony and <last> aforesaid in manner and form <last> aforesaid to do and commit, and so the jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid do say that the said person so to the jurors aforesaid as yet unknown and the said Norman Shearer and Maurice Phelps then in manner and form <last> aforesaid feloniously wilfully and of their malice aforethought <the said Moses Rowland at the county of aforesaid> did kill and murder against the form of the statute in such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the . And that <the said> Joseph Smith Junior Late of said County of 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 seduced by the instigation of the Devil before the felony and murder <last> aforesaid by the aforesaid by the aforesaid person so as aforesaid to the said jurors as as yet unknown together with the said Norman Shearer and Maurice Phelps in [p. 14]