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The Murder Trial
The trial of George Cassidy, for the murder of William Hoar, was the only one of general interest at Court last week, and lasted buy one day.
District Attorney J. M. Oglevee, for the Commonwealth, was assisted by C. E. Boyle and R. H. Lindsey, Esqs. The counsel for the prisoner were D. Kaine, W. H. Playford, and W. A. McDowell, Esqs.
The facts of the case as elicited upon the trial, seem to be as follows:
George Cassidy and his two brothers, William Hoar and his brother, Jacob, Isaac and Solomon Boyd, Elijah Hawk, Henry Moody, Stephen Stewart, and others from the mountain, had been in Uniontown, April 8th, and all met at the eastern end of town on their way home. It was proposed by some that they should have some whiskey.? George Cassidy furnished the money and he and William Hoar went back to town for the liquor. They drank together a couple of times in town, rejoined their companions, and all drank several times on the road home. The following was the position of the different members of the party a short distance above Ritenour's mill: The two Boyds were ahead; George Cassidy and William Hoar next; Elijah Hawk and William Cassidy about forty yards further behind; Stewart and J. Cassidy, A. Moody and Jacob Hoar, about twenty to thirty yards in the rear. Cassidy and Hoar were heard quarrelling about some old boards which both of them claimed. Presently Cassidy struck Hoar, knocking him down. Jacob Hoar picked up a stone, and ran towards them, when Cassidy again struck William Hoar as he was in the act of raising up, knocking him down a second time. J. Hoar then pulled Cassidy away. Cassidy turned on him, but was taken off by H. Moody or William Cassidy. William Hoar died in ten or fifteen minutes after he had been struck the second time.
Dr. Walker of Uniontown, made examination of the body next day; thinks the blows, producing concussion at the base of the brain, were the cause of his death. Messrs. Hogsett, Ewing, Murphy, McLaughlin and Piper testified to the inoffensive character of the prisoner, and considered him a good laboring hand.
The case, on the part of the prisoner was then submitted to the jury in an able and eloquent address by Mr. Playford, followed on the part of the Commonwealth by Mr. Boyle.
The counsel for the defendant insisted upon the following point, and asked the Court, to charge the jury accordingly.
That the good character of the prisoner is an element which if proved, the jury must take into consideration in making up their estimate of the prisoner, and good character of itself may sometimes generate a doubt, where, without evidence of good character, no doubt would arise in the case from the other evidence.
The jury after being out for about five hours returned a verdict of "guilty of voluntary manslaughter". The prisoner was sentenced to the penitentiary for a term of two years.
Genius of Liberty, Uniontown, PA, Thursday, June 15, 1871, Vol. IV, No. 23, page 3, column 3
Detail
The Murder Trial
Date
15 June 1871
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