John Brady - killed by
D. Gates Seybold
Submitted by Virginia Gorton Boone
[Pike Co. Dem. 15 Feb 1905, p1]
The jury in the trial of D. Gates Seybold, a former citizen of the west part of this county, for the killing of John Brady, returned a verdict, finding the defendant guilty of manslaughter, and the court sentenced him to the penitentiary. A motion for a new trial was made, but later, the defendant by leave of the court, withdrew the motion, and Seybold will be taken to Chester to begin his term of imprisonment, which, according to law, is for an indeterminate period, the minimum being one year and the maximum for life. Seybold, though past 70 years of age, and realizing the probable effect of confinement in prison upon his already weakened constitution, received the finding of the jury and the sentence of the court calmly an [and] with apparent little concern. He shook hands with Judge Higbee, the attorneys, members of the jury and others about him, after giving to his son and daughter, who have been constantly at his side since the trial began, what few little trinkets he had in his pockets, the old war veteran ceremoniously placed himself in the custody of Lawrence Amen, the jailer, and was conducted to his cell. Seybold gained his liberty during the time pending the trial, by giving bond in the sum of $10,000. He hopes, by good conduct, to gain his permanent release from prison with the expiration of the minimum term. Seybold and Brady were neighbors in Quincy and a dispute arose between them over a trivial matter which culminated in a hand to hand encounter in which Seybold used a dirk knife on Brady with fatal result. The defendant was indicted for murder and the case was heard first just a year ago and resulted in a hung jury. The case was strongly contested, ten days being consumed in the hearing of each trial and it has been estimated that the cost of two trials to all concerned will be at least $5000. Judge Higbee presided during the second trial and received many compliments from press and public for the able and impartial manner in which his decisions were rendered.
(D. Gates Seybold was the husband of Mary Jane Brewer and the father of Tabitha E. (Seybold) Hooper.)
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