Murderers In The Family Part 4

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 It has been a very busy time for me and I apologize for the delay in getting to the rest of the story. However, I have had time to look over all the documents and also research what became of some of the other people involved in the story. So let us begin. 

First, I would like to say thank you to the NC State Archives located on Jones Street in Raleigh, NC for helping me find the NC Supreme Court files for this case. For documentation purposes cite the case as follows:

Supreme Court Original Files

State v. Calvin & Thomas Coley

Case No. 17,772

Franklin County

Box #836

1894

In total, 55 pages were copied for me by the NC State Archives. Here are some of the highlights of these 55 pages. 

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Bill of Indictment

State of North Carolina, Franklin County Superior Court January Term 1894

The jurors for the State upon their oath Present: That Calvin and Thomas Coley late of the County of Franklin on the 1st day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety two at and in the county aforesaid feloniously and of malice aforethought did kill and murder S. Tucker against the from of the Statute in such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the State. 

John E Woodard, Solicitor

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State v. Calvin Coley and Thomas Coley

Indictment Murder

Witnesses: (x) Lucy Brewer, H.C. Kearney, E.J. Lanier, Pink Williams

Those marked x sworn by the undersigned foreman and examined before the Grand Jury: And this bill formed A True Bill 

Moses Neal, Foreman of the Grand Jury

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Whereupon the Sheriff of said County, is commanded that he cause the said Calvin Coley and Thomas Coley, to come and answer On the Sixth Monday before the first Monday in March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety four before the honorable John Gray Bynum Judge, cometh the said Calvin Coley and Thomas Coley in their proper person, and having heard the said indictment read they, Saith that they are not guilty thereof and of this they put themselves upon God and their Country, and John E Woodard, Solicitor, doth the like. Therefore let a jury come of good and lawful men, by whom the truth of the matter may be better known. And thereupon the following jurors to wit, T.J Hight, J.E.T. Ayscue, L.B. Perry, L. Phillips, M.E. Joyner, J.H. Upperman, J.M. Brantley, R.F. Brantley, J.H. Conyers, Joel H. Harris, H.R. Richards and B.M. Alford.  being chosen , tried and sworn to speak the truth of and concerning the Murder in the said indictment specified, upon their oath say that the said Calvin Coley and Thomas Coley are guilty of the felony and murder in manner and form charged in the bill of indictment. 

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The next posting will get into the testimony that was given at trial. 


Location: Greenville, NC, USA

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