Commonwealth v. Scott

Opinion by

Mr. Justice Walling,

This appeal by defendant is from sentence on conviction of murder of the first degree. George Rea, the chief of police of the Borough of West Newton, Westmoreland County, and its only police officer, while on duty as such at about three o’clock on the morning of September 16,1924, met the defendant, James Scott, and another young colored man named Evans and two colored girls. Attracted by their conversation he stopped them, to ascertain if they had any “moonshine.” Satisfying himself that Evans had not, the officer turned to Scott and asked him, inter alia, if he…