Murder

Lawrence County Coroner’s Inquest February 19, 1846  Deceased: (Sgt.)  Oliver W. Norris

Inquest was held concerning the body of Oliver W Norris found lying in the street of Russellville.

Stimson D Johnson, a witness, said that John W. Long and Richard L. Wade came to the house of John N. Johnson and began to converse about Norris and said that Norris had better be digging his grave for the first sight they got of him, they would kill him.

While this conversation was going on, Norris came to the door in Johnson’s house and knocked. Wade immediately sprang to the door and said to Norris “you damned rascal. I will kill you.” 

Norris immediately fled across the street with Wade after him, holding  a cord stick of wood in a drawn position ready to strike.  Norris stopped after he crossed over the street and turned to face toward Wade.

 By this time Long got out of the house and got as near as four paces of Norris where he leveled his pistol at Norris and Johnson heard the report of a pistol. Norris fell and expired.

The jury found Norris was brought to his death by a ball shot out of a pistol; jury also found he was murdered by John G. Long as principal and R. Wade as accessory at Russellville, Illinois.