An Outrage
One day last week two persons, one of them a young man residing at Mount Holly, in this county, got into a difficulty which resulted in blows. The father of the young man entered complaint against his adversary, who was fined for assault. On returning from the Magistrate's, the fellow, after having assaulted the old gentleman with abusive words, fell upon and beat him in a shocking manner - first knocking him down and then kicked and stamped upon him, breaking several ribs and inflicting other serious injuries, which endangered his life. On Sunday, the offender, who had kept his whereabouts unknown after the perpetration of the infamous act, was arrested in this place, taken before Esq. Keys and fined. Is that all the law can do for such an offense?
Source: The Miami Visitor 17 Aug 1853
Another Murder Trial.
The old man, Macoubrie, who was so badly beaten a few weeks ago at Mount Holly, in this county, died on last Friday: verdict of the jury: Came to his death from blows and kicks inflicted by - Copsey.
A Warrant was issued for the arrest of the murder, and his trial came off before Justice Collett, on Sunday, when he was bound over in the sum of $500. - The facts elicited at the examination were about these:
That Copsey and a son of Macoubrie got into a difficulty and the former committed an assault upon the latter, for which he was fined: On going home, after paying his fine, he fell in with the old man, who began to bemean him, whereupon he fell to work and committed the deed which has resulted in the death of his victim.
Copsey was proven - if any proof was necessary on this point - to be weak in intellect - subject to fits - very excitable and irascible, with no government over his passions when aroused. This fact, with the additional one, that LIQUOR WAS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WHOLE AFFAIR, will readily account for the affray.
Macoubrie had six ribs broken, several of them in two places, and a splinter or fragment from one was driven into the right lung. He was very imprudent in exposing himself, and by his imprudence may have shortened his days; there is little doubt, however, but that, with the best of care the wounds would have proved fatal.
How many more such cases must happen, running the county to expense and what is of infinitely greater importance disgracing our community abroad and rendering our citizens insecure in their persons, peace and quiet at home, ere our people can become so thoroughly convinced of the great evils connected with the liquor traffic, that they will be constrained to unite in active opposition to this great enemy of good order, and banish it from society?
Source: The Miami Visitor 7 Sep 1853