In the afternoon on Tuesday the case of Dewey Brashears, 28, charged with the murder of Miss Verna Frazier, 21, a young lady teacher, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Shade Frazier, was called for trial. Both the Commonwealth and defense announced ready and preparation for empanneling a jury to try the case was started. Very soon in the evening eight of the regular venire had qualified and accepted by both sides. Sheriff Potter was directed to summon thirty other men from the upper end of the county from which to secure the other required four to complete the panel. On Wednesday morning the jury was completed and sworn. It consists of the following, all rather middle aged men: Sam Bentley, John Arrington, Marion Amburgey, Broas Wright, Elihu Blair (Colly), M. H. Boone, U. S. Tolliver, Lee Thomas, A. C. Brown, Frank Cornett, Sandy Adams and Robert Thomas.

Not in many years in Letcher County has any case tried in Circuit Court Attracted such wide-spread interest as this case has. From the time the case was called the courthouse has been blocked and jammed with persons anxious to hear every word spoken. Dewey Brashears is a son of Ezekiel Brashears, a well known and highly respected citizen of Perry County and a member of one of the oldest and best known. Dewey is a well educated and a former telegraph operator on the L&N railroad, and so far as known, had borne an excellent reputation. Miss Frazier, the young lady shot and killed, was a popular school teacher, well educated and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Shade Frazier, members of one of our largest and most highly respected families.

Readers of the Eagle, as well as hundreds of our citizens, will recall this sad affair in which Miss Frazier was shot and killed while seated in an automobile on Smoot Creek near her home and near the school building in which she had taught, on October 16, 1931. Brashears, it is alleged, after quarreling with Miss Frazier, his alleged sweet-heart got out of the car and fired two shots into it, killing her. He then turned the pistol upon himself and fired, the ball pasing through his body and barely missing his heart. He was quickly gathered into a truck and taken to the hospital at Seco, where he survived his wound. In two weeks he was able to leave the hospital and was brought to jail here, where he has been ever since.

The Commonwealth's side of the case is being handled by States Attorney A. O. Stump, assisted by County Attorney Astor Hogg, D. I. Day, and Stephen Combs, Jr. French Hawk and A. J. Kirk have charge of the defense. The Commonwealth will undertake to prove a case of premeditated murder and ask for the highest penalty. The defense will plead insanity on the part of the defendant. No less than fifty witnesses have been called and are on hand to testify. A number of relatives and interested parties are on hand from Perry County.

The Comonwealth first used Mr. Frazier, the girl's father, who testified regarding the death of his daughter and exhibited the bloody clothes owrn by her at the time she was shot. He was followed by other witnesses who saw the shooting or heard the shots. One of these witnesses testified that Brashears got out of the car with a pistol and with his face slightly turned away, fired the two shots and then walked around the car and fired one shot into his own breast. Dr. Moss, one of the physicians in charge of the Seco hospital, testified that when Brashears was brought to the hospital he was suffering severely, had lost a good deal of blood and was semi-conscious. That only after supplying glucose to restore his blood was he able to talk. That when he told him he could hardly survive he said that Miss Frazier got the gun from the back of the car, shot him and after that he could hardly remember. He also was asked as to his experience and study of insane persons. In this Dr. Moss was asked to go into details which he did. Dr. M. E Combs, Hazard physician, also testified for the defense as to the sanity of Brashears. Various witnesses from the neighborhood in which he was reared and who knew Brashears stated that insanity was common in the family.

Throughout the trial and the taking of evidence the defendant sat quietly, twitching his thumbs and monifested no interest in his fate. Never did he consult his attorneys, nor did they consult with him. Evidence in the case was continued until just before noon today when both sides announced themselves through with the evidence. Instructions were prepared and read by the court to the jury. Regular instructions in such cases were given, including the charge of insanity. The latter charge, if found by the jury, would necissitate a verdict of not guilty and then he would be committed to an insane asylum.

The case was ably argued by States Attorney Stump and County Attorney Astor Hogg for the Commonwealth, Kirk and Hawk for the defense. Mr. Stump and Mr. Hogg plead for the highest penalty, which is death or a life sentence, while Mr. Kirk and Mr. Hawk based all their arguments on the insanity plea. During the arguments there was not even standing and scarcely breathing room in the court room. The defendant still sat stark and apparently disinterested in what was going on.

Late in the evening the jury retired for a verdict. In a little over ten minutes the jury walked into the courtroom and took its seat. A deathly silence pervaded. "Gentlemen, have you agreed on a verdict?" said Judge Fields. "We have," came the reply. Again there was tense silence as one of the jurors reached the indictment to the court. Judge Fields read, "We, the jury, do agree and find the defendant guilty as charged in the indictment and fix his punishment at death." For a full minute no one uttered a word. As the verdict was read, young Brashears slightly lifted his pale face to the court, opened rather wide his eyes and then settled back to his usual calm and quiet demeanor. Evidently the jury did not believe the insanity plea, and their quick arrival at a verdict showed this. Only once or twice before in the long history of Circuit Courts in Letcher county has such a verdict been rendered, and only a few times in the past has such an interest in the trial of a case been shown. There is little if any doubt but that the case will be appealed.