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.
the said Moses Rowland one mortal wound of the breadth of half an inch and extending entirely through the body of him the said Moses Rowland of which <last named> mortal wound the aforesaid Moses Rowland at the County of aforesaid instantly died; and that the said Norman Shearer Maurice Phelps and the said other persons (whose names to the jurors aforesaid are as yet unknown) feloniously and of their malice aforethought were then and there present aiding assisting abetting comeforting and maintaining the aforesaid to do and commit the felony and <last> aforesaid in form <last> aforesaid. And so the jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid do say that the said Norman Shearer and Maurice Phelps and the said other persons (whose names are as yet to the jurors aforesaid unknown) then and there feloniously wilfully and of their malice aforethought did kill and murder the said Moses Rowland, against the form of the statute in such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the . And the jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid do further present that <the said> Joseph Smith Junior late of said the County of in the state of late of said county of and late of said county of well knowing the said Norman Shearer [p. 31]