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Calhoun County, TX Court News
P. B. Robidoux
TO APPEAL TO AUSTIN FROM DECISION OF JUDGE POOLAt the conclusion of the hearing before him at 4:20 o'clock this afternoon, District Judge Pool denied Robidoux bail. Notice of appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeals at Austin was given.
P. B. Robidoux, 50, muskrat farmer, charged with murder in connection with the slaying of Willet Moore, 35, and James Moore, 23, brothers on Kenyon Island in the Guadalupe River December 11, last, is seeking to obtain his release on bond by instituting habeas corpus proceedings before District J. P. Pool here today. Robidoux was denied bail by County Judge E. M. Tanner of Calhoun County at his examining trial at Port Layaca December 20.
The defendant was brought here from Port Lavaca by Sheriff Grover Boyd of Calhoun County. The proceedings began at 10:30 o'clock and adjournment was taken at 12:15 until 1:20 o'clock. District Attorney J. V. Vandengerge, Jr., started the hearing by reading the lengthy statement made by Robidoux at his examining trial. Dr. O. H. Ryon of Seadrift, who followed him on the stand described the wounds on the bodies of the slain brothers. Marvin Moore, brother of the slain men, who helped recover their bodies from the river, was unable to be present and the testimony he gave at the examining trial was read by the district attorney. R. W. Moore of Seadrift father of the victims, was the last witness before the noon recess was taken.
Sheriff Boyd will testify this afternoon and will be followed by Robidoux himself as the final witness. It is thought that the closing arguments will be brief. Charles Murphy of Houston is counsel for the defense.
Among the new facts brought out at the morning session was a statement by the father of the slain men, who met death in Robidoux's house on the island while their parent was on his boat about 150 yards away, that he did not sleep well the early part of the night and he saw no lights in the house between ten and one o'clock. Robidoux said in his confession that after he had killed the men he looked at his watch and it was 2 a.m.
While Dr. Ryon was testifying, Robidoux had the physician examine his right hand, which was badly swollen. The father of the Moore brothers also testified that Robidoux's hand was swollen when he appeared at daylight to tell him he had slain his two sons in self-defense. The elderly man said as he approached Robidoux to learn the details, the defendant exclaimed, "Don't come near me, stay away!" Moore said he replied, "I'm not going to tough you," and when he asked if his boys were really dead, Robidoux answered, "Yes they are damned dead."
[Victoria Advocate, Jan. 3, 1929, transcribed by Amanda Jowers]
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