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Of the September Term of the Green Circuit Court in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six,
State of Illinois
Green County SS
The grand jurors chosen selected and sworn in and for the county of Green in the name and by the authority of the people of the State of Illinois upon their oaths present that Benjamin F. Turpin on the sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six at the County aforesaid wickedly and maliciously contriving and intending unjustly to aggrieve one Moses O Bledsoe and him the said Moses O Bledsoe to put to great expense, and also to cause to be continued until the next Term a certain action on the case then and there pending in the Circuit Court for Green County and the State of Illinois for Slander wherein Moses O Bledsoe was plaintiff and the said Benjamin F Turpin was defendant came in his proper person before one John W Scott then being one of Justices of the peace for and within the County of Green aforesaid, and then and there produced a certain affidavit in writing of him the said Benjamin F Turpin, and then and there before the said John W Scott a Justice of the Peace as aforesaid, in due form of Law was sworn, and took, his corporal oath upon the Holy Gospel of God concerning the truth of the matters contained in the said affidavit (he the said John W Scott a Justice of the peace as aforesaid then and there having lawful and competent power and authority to administer the said oath to the said Benjamin F Turpin in that behalf); and the said Benjamin F Turpin so sworn as aforesaid not having the fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil then and there upon his oath aforesaid, before the said John W Scott a Justice of the
peace (the said John W Scott a Justice of the peace then and there having and lawful competent power and authority to administer the said oath to the said Benjamin F Turpin in that behalf) falsely corruptly, knowingly, wilfully and maliciously in and by his said affidavit in writing did depose and swear amongst other things in substance and to the effect following that is to say that "Heaton" (meaning Orange B Heaton) "made Sale of the Town Scite" (meaning the Town Scite of Montezuma in Pike County Illinois) "or nine tenths thereof, and when plff," (meaning the said Moses O Bledsoe) "and Caton went to the House where defendant" (meaning the said Benjamin F Turpin) "lived at Montezuma and a division of the proceeds of sale were attempted to be made, said Heaton and Bledsoe" (meaning the said Orange B Heaton and the said Moses O Bledsoe) "refused to disclose the truth in relation to the amount for which the town Scite (meaning the town Scite of the same Montezuma) "was sold; and in that way procured a larger part of the purchase money than they" (meaning the said Orange B Heaton and the said Moses O Bledsoe) "were entitled to"; as in and by the affidvit of the said Benjamin F Turpin [affiled?] in the clerks office of the said Circuit Court in and for the County of Green and State of Illinois as aforesaid more fully and at large appears; whereas in truth and in fact the said Orange B Heaton and the said Moses O Bledsoe did not refuse to disclose the truth in relation to the amount for which the said town Scite was sold; and whereas in truth and in fact the said Orange B Heaton and the said Moses O Bledoes did not at any time refuse to disclose the truth in relation to the amount for which the said Town scite of Montezuma was sold; and whereas in truth and in fact they the said Orange B Heaton and the said Moses O Bledsoe did not in that way procure a larger part of the purchase money than they were entitled to, and whereas in truth and in fact the said Orange B Heaton and the same Moses O Bledsoe did not in any way
procure a larger part of the purchase money than they were entitled to; and so the grand jurors aforesaid upon their oaths aforesaid do say that the said Benjamin F Turpin on the said [sixth?] day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six at the County aforesaid before the said John W Scott a Justice of the Peace as aforesaid (be the said John W Scott a Justice of the Peace then and there having such power and authority as aforesaid) by his own act and consent and of his own most corrupt and wicked mind in manner and form as aforesaid and in a matter material to the point in question, falsely, wickedly wilfully and corruptly did commit wilful and corrupt perjury: to the great displeasure of Almighty God, in contempt of the people and laws, to the evil and pernicious example of all others in like case offending contray to the form of the Statute in such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the same people of the State of Illinois
Stephen A. Douglass
States Attorney
No 21
Perjury
People vs Benjamin F Turpin
A true Bill
Paris Mason Foreman of the Grand Jury
Witness
O B Heaton
Samuel Smith
Edward Jones
Josephus Hewett
Thomas Condle &
Moses O Bledsoe
Bail $500