Trial of Uriah Glass

Trial of Uriah Glass, 1834

Trial of Uriah Glass for the murder of Charles Pearson, Fayette County, Georgia.

Transcriber's notes: The following records are transcribed exactly as they appeared with
the best of my ability. The spelling was not corrected, nor was punctuation added to make
it read better. Walter Ward

Fayette County, Georgia, Superior Court Records September Term 1834
The State vs Uriah Glass } Murder
The Jury Jesse H. Coleman, Arthur Stokes, James Gorey, Guy Banister, James E. Heard, Jeremiah Stokes, Carter Houston, Drury Smith, Asa B. Mitchell, James Ward, Phillip B. Breed, Novel Barber

The Court being unable to get through with the above Case the Court therefore remained open until Thursday morning the 11th day of September 1834. We the jury find the prisoner guilty of the charge of murder in the above Stated Case September the 11th 1834 but recommend to mercy. Jesse H. Coleman, For.
The court ajourned till tomorrow morning 8 oclock
Ex'd Hiram Warner, Judge S.C.C.C.
Joseph Lamberth Clerk

Fayette Superior Court September Term 1834
Whereupon it is Considered oraind and adjudge by the Court that you, Uriah Glass the prisoner at the bar be taken back to the Common Jail of the County of Fayette from whence you Last Come there to remain Close confinement until Friday the Seventeenth day of October next there be taken by the Sheriff of the County aforsaid from Said Jail to the place of Execution then & there between the hour of Ten oclock A.M. and the hour of
three oclock P.M. on the day aforsaid hung up by your neck until you are dead and may God Almighty have mercy on your Soul 11th Sept. 1834.
Hiram Warner, Judge S.C.C.C.

Transcribers note: The transcribed records of the actual trial, shown below, were found near the end of the records of the 1834 September Term. They are very hard to read because there is no punctuation at the end of each sentence. For accuracy they are transcribed exactly as written to the best of my ability. Where words could not be identified they are shown as (___?). Walter Ward

The State vs Urijah Glass} Indictment for murder in Fayette Superior Court} September Term 1834.
Testimony on the part of the State
John W. A. Pettit Sworn Says he was at Coker's tavern in this Fayette County, at the time deceased was killed was in the adjoining room heard a pistol fire and then heard a man Exclaim he was murdered witness then went into the room & found a person wounded in the throat and arm Saw or heard man run out of the room and hollowed to the People Catch him the man who run out of the room when witness entered the room the person Shot was apparently Slipping off the bed the blood was running from the wound the individual died in a Short time after witness entered the room thinks there was no light there except the one taken to the room with witness Has not doubt the individual died of the wound he received the transaction took about the 11th of March 1834 in Fayette County.
Cross Ex'd
The wound on the arm was below the elbow appears to have been made with a shot Some one of the chairs down in the room on its Points Chair was down at the foot of the bed.

Owen A. Kenan Sworn Says himself Col. Pettit & Mr. Cole were in the adjoining room heard the pistol fire heard something of a crush then went into the room Saw deceased rising from his bed Shot in the center of his throat the blood running out. The crush witness thinks was the person trying to get of the room as the Ceiling to the door was fractured or torned deceased died in a Short time after witness entered the room. was no doubt deceased died from the wound in his throat the transaction took place on Tuesday of the last Superior Court in Fayette County there was another individual in the room besides deceased perhaps two others when witness went into the room thinks Some person run down after the pistol fired the door to the room where deceased was found open
Cross Ex'd
The two persons in the room one of whom was in bed the other was up witness thinks when he first Entered asked one of the men what he was doing then he replied he was nothin but a (mutal?)

Malcomb Bethune Says he was in the room with the deceased prisoner & Mr. Beauchamp witness went into the room to go to bed asked if Mr. Pearson the deceased was there Mr. Pearson answered he was and told witness to come to bed and rose up in bed to make room for him Prisoner was Sitting on one the beds opposite to the foot of Pearsons & Swore he would Kill Pearson Pearson Said what for what have I ever done to
you took a pistol from under the bed cover or out of his pocket witness is not Certain which with his hand upon the cock and his finger upon the trigger Mr. Pearson Exclaimed not to hurt him Prisoner presented the Pistol towards Mr. Pearson & fired. Saw Mr. Pearson was wounded while witness was Looking at deceased. Prisoner Passed between him and the candle and went out of the door when Judge Kenan & another gentleman
come into the room Judge asked who had murdered the man witness replied a man who they called Glass when witness first entered the room the persons were in bed prisoner & Beauchamp were on the same bed thinks prisoner had on his pantaloons (sma??) room prisoner did not get off his bed till he fired the pistol. Glass was on a bed Stead Pearsons bed was on the floor the candle was put out when Glass passed between witness and
candle Prisoner is the man who shot the deceased. Whose name was Charley Pearson
Cross Ex'd
Does not know the Exact time of night Sometime after Super thinks Mr. Heflin went into the room with him there was a candle in the room witness had been drinking that night the candle witness thinks was on the little table at the left hand of the door

Simon Whitaker Sworn Says he was sitting below in the hall room at Cokers Tavern when he heard the report of the pistol heard a noise upstairs went out into the Piazza and heard some person running down Stairs when he got down into the Piazza put his hand on the railing and jumped over and he rose witness knew wha they was and recognized the individual to be the prisoner he started off immediately in a trot and about to run across the street Witness then heard Judge Kenan Exclaim Catch the rascal he has committed murder Witness followed on after prisoner he went until he came to the fence then Squatted down..
Carried over Ex'd Hiram Warner, Judge SCCC
Joseph Lamberth , Clerk

Several Persons pursuing prisoner when they approached him he turned and come toward the company Said he would give up & intended going back the Sheriff & the Company brot him back to the house witness thinks prisoner made an attempt to get away Saw deceased wounded in the throat walked up to prisoner and asked him where the pistol was with which he shot deceased prisoner then pulled the pistol out of his pocket and Said here it is witness Exibits the pistol in Court witness asked prisoner what made him do it he Said Some man come at him in the room with a chair and he did not know who it was prisoner Said if deceased was cut on the arm he was cut by Some one else he only Shot him Said it was his wish witness Should take care of the Pistol was acquainted with deceased he was a peaceable inoffensive man the pistol was empty at the time witness received it from prisoner there was a busted cap on it looked as if it had been just fired off
Cross Ex'd
There were others nearer than witness when prisoner was taken

A. B. Webb Sworn Says he was at the Same house when the deceased was Killed when he heard the pistol he run upstairs & meet prisoner Coming down in his night dress with his Shirt & pantaloons on only when witness got the door of the room Saw deceased trying to rise off the bed the blood gushing out of the wound then witness went down and pursued prisoner with the other persons and brot him back to the house witness was bar
keeper at the tavern was frequently passing about the house heard Bethune Say he would go down and get Something to drink deceased told Bethune to come away or it would take Some of the money he was bragging about to pay for it witness was holding the door Prisoner asked Bethune if he could change a ten dollar bill for him Bethune replied in the affirmative the deceased told Bethune he had better let that alone left & Pearson &
Bethune in bed together about two minutes after this heard the pistol fire after he had went down There was a candle in the room

William Coker Sworn Says on Tuesday night during the week of the last Superior Court witness heard a pistol fire then went up into the room where deceased was heard him groan was shot in the throat the blood was running out in a stream as large as his finger when prisoner was arrested & brot back to the house Some person asked him what made him shoot deceased prisoner replied he was not hurt he just shot him for fun Said it was a (powder?) gun he Shot at him when witness told prisoner the man was dead he replied dam him let him die he had no business to resist against me Said deceased (drew?) a chair on me and was going to kill him with a chair witness Saw deceased (across?) in this County the Ceiling of the door was busted off about two inches all the chairs were Standing in the room when witness first went in witness Says he knock one of the chairs down in attemping to (ret___?) the deceased. The deceased was killed in this town Fayetteville during the last term of the Superior Court in Fayette County on
Tuesday night of that week.
Cross Ex'd
Pearson was lying on the bed to the west end of the room four persons in the room about 8 o clock in the evening Mr. Bethune was drinking Glass appeared to be asleep at that time left candle burning on the table in the room

Goldman Biffle Sworn Says he was at Mr. Cokers the deceased was killed heard the pistol fire heard someone run down Stairs Saw deceased Shot. Heard Glass Say he Shot deceased but Said deceased raised a chair upon him deceased was a peaceable man
Cross Ex'd
deceased was in the habit of Stimulating Some time

Wyatt Heflin Sworn Says after prisoner was arrested a dirk & dirk knife was found upon prisoner. Witness helped arrest prisoner as Stated by the other witnesses heard prisoner Say he killed deceased prisoner denied having any weapons has not dout prisoner had the weapons at the time of denying it Prisoner requested Carter Houston to go for Mr. Burch and he did so

Evidence on the part of the Prisoner
1st Witness William Hogan was present when prisoner rec'd a blow on his head with a pine Knot and Knocked down by the Blow this was something like two years Since
Cross Ex'd
Prisoner Came to himself & went off though had not received his right mind when I left him

George Wall (or George Ware)
This Blow was done on Sunday, on Monday I was Sent for to go and see him die & I thought he would die when I saw him he was vomiting was in that Situation 4 or 5 days & not in his right mind during that time. and I have (thot?) that his mind while drinking Since then was not as Strong as while he was drinking before that. Because he has time had Several fits & had never before to my knowledge. been a drinking near for 11 years or more Some of my Connexion have had fights with prisoner Glass & myself had once a falling out but it was setled at times he might be called an ediot
Those times were when drinking but called a man of Common Sense when Sober
Direct again
Was Sheriff before this blow

Mr. Lovie Self I lived with prisoner last year Saw him when just recovering from one of those fits did not appear in his right mind When Cooling off unless he gets liquor (_?_) to Steam him I believe he will go into one those fits
X
He had been drinking in the above occasion.

Benjamin Witcher Been acquainted with prisoner & don't believe he was in his proper mind and if necessary I could State whense I went over at George Wares Capt. Chandler were there I introduced to him. He asked me Several times who that was, no I don't believe he was in his proper mind. Has appeared more So directly or indirectly I'd Say So in the positive
X
Been an hour Since I was Sober. Prisoner had been drinking when I saw him out of his mind I was Sober when I saw him at time above Spoken of when properly at himself he Seemed a man of Common Sense.

Dr. Semington For Prisoner
Violent blows on the head do Sometimes Produce temporary derangement but Knows of no Instance when it has lasted long. That it even returns Insanity is a frequent cause of derangement. Called mama pobe Two Kinds of madness melancholic & (fusions?) madness. The former cause Subject to mope about & Say nothing 2nd Comes on Suddenly & disease is said to produce wrong views of objects often lying hands on first person they come to
X
Don't Know that prisoner is a patient of above description not more So than other people drunk never visited him as maniac Saw him night the killing saw no evidence of madness. Seen lunatics when in this condition and would Sometimes get out the way when they had done wrong. Speculation about the human mind are visionary.

Direct again
Dr. Jones lived nearer to prisoner than I do.

I do certify that the foregoing ten pages contain a true Statement of the evidence delivered upon the trial of the afforsaid indictment as taken down by the Court & Counsel appointed for that purpose this 11th Sept. 1834.
Hiram Warner, Judge S.C.C.C.

Transcriber's note: The source of these records is from the microfilm of the actual Superior Court Minutes obtained from the LDS Library.

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