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14

&X. AMERICAN STATE TRIALS.

Grove Prairie, the nearest house
west of it being Mrs. Stevenson’s.
The feet of the corpse ‘were ly-
ing nearly east, head west, and
twirled over very much. Saw the
body stripped’ and examined.
There was a large cavity in his
head, about as between my fin-
gers. Did not examine the depth
of the wound, The ball did not
come through and through. The
wound was evidently done by a
leaden ball. The body was froz-
en, and must have laid there eight
or ten days, from appearances.
It had not decomposed. The body
had been discovered just before
I reached the ground, Helped
uncover it, There was consid-
erable bloody discoloration in the
traveled road, somewhere from
25 to 35 feet ‘to where the body
waa found. There was a coro-
ner’a inquest, The body was dis-
eovered on the 6th of February,
1856. He passed through War-
yenton, January 24, 1856. Th
‘were several snows between
dates, I know at least two.

Cross-examined, The gully was
so deep & person traveling the
main road would not be apt to
nee it, and there were also several
pieces of brush thrown over the
body. Think no person could
have seen the body, Knew the
horse the moment T saw him. ‘Al-
ways take notice of horses, He
was rather lengthy, pretty rich
looking. Gordon stopped in front
of Sander’s hotel. Gordon in
front of the door, next Worrell
a little behind; and they ail went
off together.

Re-examined, The body was
several inches beneath the level
of the general surface. There
was much ice and snow over the
body; a good many inches, We
took rails off the fence to warm

us until the coroner came, which
took three hours.

Henry Ordetheit, Live in War-
ren County, six miles from War-
renton, towards St, Louis. Did
not know Mr. Gordon. Was pres-
ent at the discovery of the body.
Tt was in a sort of ditch, in the
middle of the old road, where
the water sort of run through,
near Mrs. Stevenson’s farm. Waa
right by it when we did discover
it’ It was searehed by ns on
the right hand of the road. Mr.
Pratt and others searched. We
could not discover anything at
first. Mr. McDonald, myself,
Arnheit and Werlet discovered
the body. We sent at once for
the squire, as the coroner might
not be at home. We did not
move the body until he came. Ex-
amined the body. His nose waa
bent as though it had been
stamped upon, the face was
Bloody, his left arm underneath

‘ima,

Cross-ezamined. The body waa
coffined at the place, and taken
to St. Louis. Don't recolleet the
names of the persons present.

James Ferguson, Live in Mont-
gomery Co, Mo. Defendant
stopped at my house, on the
Boonslick road, 11 miles west of
Warrenton, Mr, Gordon and
Brnif were with him, This was
about January 24, last. Don’t
keep entertainment but had been
boarding one of the engineers,
Mr, Walker and Mr, Sturgeon
and Wentz had gone up with Mr.
Gordon. On his return, Worrell
and Bruff were with Gordon.
Had bought a pony of Worrell,
and Worrell came in the. yard to
get his money. Tdentify him as
the prisoner. T have seen Bruff
since, I bought the horse from
Worrell, It was « mare, rather

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