Read v. Commonwealth

At the August term 1872, of the County'court of Bedford comity, Harold P. Bead was indicted for feloniously and with malice aforethought shooting George S. Merriman, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable and kill him. The prisoner was tried at the September term of the court, and the trial lasting for three days, on each day, when the court was about to adjourn, the sheriff and his two deputies were sworn to keep the jury and neither speak to them themselves nor suffer any other person to speak to them touching any matter relative to the trial, until they return into court. On the third day…