Tuesday May 3rd  1853

State of Florida   }   Mr Solicitor, Call, Peden, Scott
     vs            }   Indictment for Murder
James H. Stephens  }   Owens, Smith
                                      On this day came the
Solicitor of the State of Florida, John P. Sanderson Esqr
who prosecutes the pleas of the State in this behalf, and
James H. Stephens who stands indicted for murder was led
to the bar of the Court by the Sheriff and as duly arraigned,
and the said James H. Stephens pleaded not guilty, and
put himself upon the County for trial,  Thereupon came
a Jury, to wit,
   Wyatt C. Allen, James M. Sparkman  John B. Standly
Peter Sparkman, Cornelius Johns,  Joseph Thomas,
Wayne Tillis, Jonas Driggers,  John Ceylon,
Wm B. Wimberly, Samuel Kennard and Thomas C. Love
who were duly elected, tried and sworn the truth to speak
and a true deliverance to make between the State of
Florida, and the said James H. Stephens, the prisoner at the bar,
Charles C. Stewart, N.A. Strobahr, Thomas A. Bradford,
W.W. Scott, James M. Stewart, and Jerome N. Jones
were examined as witnesses on behalf of the prosecution.
Simeon J. Sanchez, Thomas H. Wells, Arthur Floyd, Danl
Holder and William V. Stephens were examined as
witnesses on behalf of the defence,  And the said Jury
having heard the evidence, and the arguments of Counsel
and the charge of the Court, were sent out of the Court, un=
=der charge of a sworn officer to consider of their verdict,
We the Jury find the prisoner Guilty of Manslaughter and
assess the punishment at a fine of Five Hundred Dollars
and Six months Imprisonment
We the
And thereafter and upon the Same day the Said Jury Entered
into Court and rendered the following verdict
We the Jury find the Prisoner not Guilty of the Malice P*****
as charged in the Indictment, But we the Jury find the
prisoner guilty of Manslaughter and assess his punishment
to be a fine of Five Hundred Dollars and Six months
imprisonment and thereupon he is remanded into cus=
=today