Description
The first indictment for murder in the County was in the July term of 1840 in State vs. Ben, a Slave, owned by Ware S. May. The party shot was a slave named Tom owned by Andrew S. Hughes.
He (Tom) was shot on the 10th day of April, 1840, and died on the 11th day of April, 1840, at 10 o'clock a.m. Dr. William Baldwin was the attending physician. John Bryant was the foreman of the "Grand Jury" that indicted him. Wallace Jackson was the foreman of the petit jury that tried the case.
(Excerpted from a list of "firsts" published in the July 7, 1876, edition of The Landmark, Vol. II, No. 43.)
(Researcher's note: See 1839-1869 Platte County, Missouri, Circuit Court Docket - - 03/29/1842: State of Missouri vs. Ben, A Slave - Murder (Ben) "Jury found Ben ""not guilty"" of murder. Docket entry does not contains any additional details. Missouri Archives Judicial Records Historical Database (images available) indicates ""Defendants charged in death of Tom, a slave belonging to Andrew S. Hughes; Ben was owned by Ware S. May and his case went to trial in Platte County. Ware S. May received change of venue to Clay County." Missouri Archives Judicial Records Historical Database has an on-line record and scanned case file images.)Date(s) of Creation
4/10/1840