At the preliminary hearing of Henry Lee Moore, Saturday, charged with the murder of his mother Mrs. Georgia Moore on December 17 with an ax, Moore was bound over by the Justice Stockton to await action of the circuit court. The hearing in the other case against the prisoner, that of murdering his grandmother, Mrs. Mary Wilson, was waived. It is probable these cases will not be reached until April term, or later, since ont of the defendant’s attorney, F. G. Harris, will be attending the legislature during the January term of circuit court.

The trial before the justice was held Saturday in the circuit court room, and was largely attended. Crowds thronged the room and remained until the case was closed. Harris and Finley appeared in defense and briefly questioned the witnesses, E.C. Anderson, conducting the state’s side of the case. Chief of Police Whitesides, identified the ax; also blood-stained clothing that had been found upon Moore. Conductor L.E. Hill told of Moore’s trip to Columbia from Moberly on the afternoon before the murder. W.J. Calvert testified as to stains on the clothing worn by Moore and pronounced them blood spots. Chas. Roberts, of Central hotel, told of the prisoner’s registering there as L. Smith on December 17, and of his conduct while there. Mrs. Sam Cornelison, who lived next door to the murdered women, told of seeing Moore visit the home on the morning of December 18 and described his manner when he came to ask about them.

Dr. J. E. Jordan said he had treated the defendant and had known him for about 20 years and that Moore mentioned that at his mother’s death the property would come to him.

C. A. Raum, of the Western Union Telegraph Company, produced the originals of telegrams sent by Moore, one which was introduced in evidence.

One of the star witnesses was Queenie Nichols who had known the defendant long and was one of the many women to whom he had made love. She identified one letter which Moore had written her in which he said that if he knew that he love was true he would dress her in silk; he promised to send her money next payday and stated that he had to send money to his mother who was sick and he had received his last pay; he asked her in the letter if she would come to Moberly if he would send her the money to come and promised that if she would do so he would secure a position for her at the shoe factory there and promised her a good time every night where there would be no one to interfere or bother. Moore signed this letter, "Your dear husband."

Another woman who testified was Mrs. Turnbough of Moberly, who said Moore had given her a $20 hat. She saw Moore the day before he left Moberly and also at the depot the day he left, he told her he had received a telegram announcing the illness of his mother and that he was going to Columbia. She said that he had spoken of buying a rooming house and that he had asked her if he did so would she conduct it and she told Moore that she would be glad to run the house; that she had two children dependent on her and that it would afford her a means of supporting them. She said that she had received a telegram from Moore after he arrived at Columbia and on December 18, which read: "Arrived O. K. Found mother and grandmother dead. Come if you can."

Dr. T. S. Riggs, of McBaine, says he officiated at the birth of Lee Moore about thrity-five years ago. He also purchased the eighty acre farm, owned by Moore’s grandmother formerly, and in which she had a lifetime interest. Dr. Riggs, having bought out all the other living heirs, contracted with Mrs. Wilson, grandmother of Moore, to pay her $100 per year during the remainder of her life and this was to be paid quarterly. The Doctor had intended to pay Mrs. Wilson $25 the day she was murdered, the payment falling due on that date.

Ed. G. Davis, coroner, described the condition of the bodies, when found and had heard Mr. Anderson advise Moore as to constitutional rights. Other witnesses were A. J. Coates, who was with Moore when he sent the telegram about finding his dead relatives’ Drs. Blakenship and Davidson, who described the wounds’ Ed. McDonnell, who found the ax in a ravine near the house; Hollis Edwards, witness to a conversation between Moore and E. C. Anderson; Allen Burnett, a neighbor, told of the habits of the murdered women’ C.A. Raum, who identified telegram sent by Moore; Constable Fred Whitesides who said he was present when Moore was searched, saw stains on his clothes and thought it was blood. He said that Moore had said that the could prove by Bob Hall, of Moberly, that the blood on his clothes was from a nose bleeding.

Prosecuting Attorney Anderson told of the talk he had with Moore on the morning of December 18. Stated that he had been summoned to the Moore home and that he went and asked if there were any relatives and upon being informed that there was a son asked for Moore and asked him how he accounted for the murder. Moore replied that he did not know but that he had heard his mother talk of committing suicide. He informed Moore that that would not go and Moore replied: "I don’t know anything about it. I arrived in Columbia this morning." Later at the inquest, he told that he came to Columbia the day before and was asked why he told two stories about it, he replied: "That he was afraid suspicion would rest on him if it was known that he was in town."

During the trial Moore assumed an air of indifference which remained unbroken throughout the examination. In the hearing of the case Justice J.S. Bicknell sat with Justice Stockton.

Columbia, Missouri (December 12, 1912)

Columbia, Missouri (January 3, 1913)

Columbia, Missouri (March 14, 1913)

Columbia, Missouri (March 21, 1913)

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