GEORGE BURKETT GOES FREE

CLARK COUNTY HERALD

11-March-1908

 

 

The trial of George Burkett for an assault upon John Gilbert with intent to murder, which had been continued at two terms of circuit court, was taken up Monday afternoon.   Herald readers are more or less familiar with the story.   Burkett and Gilbert lived on adjoining farms in Auburn Township and were employed on the oil pipe line.   Bad blood had existed between the men for years and they had frequently quarreled.   One day in November, 1906, Burkett started to drive across Gilbert’s land with a load of pipe, but Gilbert forbade him and made him drive four miles further to get to his destination.   Next morning Gilbert started to his work walking through the farm of Burkett, along the pipe line.   He met Burkett who was at his hog lot armed with a shotgun, expecting to get a shot at a squirrel.   He ordered Gilbert to get off his land and Gilbert putting down his dinner bucket, thrust his hand in his pocket and started toward Burkett who fired, the charge taking effect in Gilbert’s abdomen and arm.   The trial was concluded at noon yesterday, the jury reaching a verdict of not guilty on the first ballot.   A peculiar feature of the case was that one of the jurors, Lon Linton, is a cousin of Gilbert and his name appeared  on the back of the indictment as a prosecuting witness but he was passed by the defense.   The defendant’s attorneys were H.C. Bell and J. W. Graham.