Roberts, Charley multitude of crimes - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

A representative of the Waynetown Hornet, last week, in the Fountain County jail, interviewed Sam Buxton, charged with being an accomplice with Charley Roberts in the murder of J. R. Murphy of Jackville, Fountain County, some three years ago. The Hornet says in substance:

While in Covington, Thursday, a Hornet was permitted to talk to Sam Buxton, the man charged with killing J. R. Murphy at Jackville some time ago. We found Buxton in good Spirits, and ready and willing to talk. He is of rather an open countenance and does not look like a murderer. He made a stern denial of the charge, and says he never was in Jackville or nearer there 'than Montezuma, and that this is a filthy conspiracy originated by men of no principle that he does not know but one or two men in Fountain County. He says that he knows who are the originators of this plot against him that he was told of it two years ago by a friend, and warned to be on the lookout, and that he will have that friend on the stand. He attaches the blame of what he claims as an unmerited persecution to Charley Flaid, the detective. He said he knew who killed John Murphy, and that they live in Fountain County. He also claimed that Charley Roberts had nothing to do with the murder and says that any men who say they saw Roberts in that locality are liars. He denied that he had sent any letters away, while in jail, that would inculpate him in the crime of Murphy's taking off. He seemed positive that he could prove an alibi and be cleared. Said he: "Do you think I would have stayed in the country had I killed a man? No, sir there are no bloodstains on my hands."

In conversation with an Express reporter yesterday Detective Flaid said: "Buxton says he would not stay in the country if he had killed a man is that what he says. Well, all I have to say is: if he didn't get out of the country after the murder it is no fault of his. Why, the crime was committed just three years ago this month,' and with but the brief exception of six short months he has spent the entire interval in the jails of Tippecanoe, Parke and Vigo counties and the state's prison. It is not surprising that gentleman Buxton did not leave the country."

The trial of Charley Roberts and Sam Buxton for the murder of John Murphy will occur at the November term of the Fountain County court.

Source: Terre Haute Gazette 4 March 1886 p 4

This morning at 9:30 Charley Roberts, the Parke county desperado, looking 83 spry and good natured as a country girl at a corn husking, was taken before Judge Mack in the Circuit Court Sheriff Cleary had received in his morning mail a warrant from J. L. Allen, clerk of Fountain County, calling on the Sheriff of this county to deliver up and return to the Judge of the Circuit Court of Fountain County the prisoner Roberts to answer an indictment against him there for murder in the first degree. Judge Mack wrote on the back of the indictment the following: "The Sheriff of Vigo County must not surrender the person of Charles Roberts on this writ, as he is held on an indictment for burglary, and he will not be surrendered to the authorities of Fountain County till after trial here."

This settled it, and Roberts will be tried here before the Fountain County authorities get a whack at him. The indictment in Fountain County charges Roberts with the murder of John R. Murphy, a storekeeper, at Jacksonville on the 23rd of October, 1883.

Judge Mack fixed Roberts' trial for Monday, March 22