On the evening of May 2, 1915, Stella Kinney was severely beaten while traveling with her uncle, Robert S. Frasure, on a rural road near Olive Hill, Kentucky. The two were traveling to the home of her parents when the incident occurred. Frasure claimed they were attacked by robbers who assaulted him, stole money, and struck Kinney with a club (actually a hatchet). Kinney was taken to the home of her parents where she died shortly afterwards. She was seventeen years old. Following the autopsy, it was found that she was four months pregnant.

Frasure was arrested soon after her death and a series of six trials ensued between 1915 and 1918. It was believed he murdered Kinney to hide the shame and disgrace of impregnating her. There were two hung juries and three guilty verdicts with life imprisonment. The final appeal was decided in April of 1918.

Robert S. Frasure Murder Trials Collection consists of research materials acquired by Lydia Justice Edwards during the process of writing a series of articles on the murder trials titled "Beautyville: Murder in my Family" for the Eastern Kentucky Voice in 2016.

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Submissions from 1900

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Evan Silas Frasure, Evan Silas Frasure

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G. W. E. Wolfford, George Washington Elisha Wolfford

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Robert S. Frasure and Sisters, Robert Silas Frasure

Submissions from 1907

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1907-06-08 Carter Circuit Court, The Bugle-Herald

Submissions from 1909

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1909-10-22 A Good Word, Carter County Herald, S. G. Kinner, and John Marshell

Submissions from 1910

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Allen N. Cisco, Allen N. Cisco

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Lawrence County Courthouse circa. 1910, Lawrence County Courthouse

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Lawrence County Courthouse circa. 1910, Lawrence County Courthouse

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Lewis P. Damron Family, Lewis P. Damron

Submissions from 1915

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Matthew M. Redwine, Matthew M. Redwine

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Robert Silas Frasure, Robert Silas Frasure

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Sketch of Hatchet Marks on the Skull of Stella Kinney, Stella Kinney

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Stella Kinney at Beautyville, Kentucky, Stella Kinney

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Thomas S. Yates, Thomas S. Yates

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Velva Kinney, Velva Kinney

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William Jason Fields, William J. Fields

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Postcard from Stella Kinney, Stella Kinney

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1915-05-05 Bob Frazier Charged with Killing his Niece, Hartford Hearld

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1915-05-06 Murder Charge Against Robert Frazier of Fleming County, Carter County News

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1915-05-06 Uncle is Arrested, Maysville Public Ledger

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1915-05-06 Young Girl Dead as Result of Assault, Carter County Herald

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Was Held Without Bail on an Awful Charge, Hartford Harold

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1915-05-13 Counts X Roads, Hartford Hearld

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Death Certificate of Stella Kinney - May 13, 1915, Carter County (Ky.) Coroner

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1915-05-24 Indictment of Robert Frasure, Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-06-10 Frazier Trial in Progress, Hatford Herald

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1915-06-16 Correspondence: Muses's Mills, Maysville Public Ledger

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1915-10-14 Testimony of A. J. Counts, A. J. Counts and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of A. M. Johnson, A. M. Johnson and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Archie McCarty, Archie McCarty and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Bazil Hatfield Kinney, Bazil Hatfield Kinney and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Bazil Hatfield Kinney (Recalled), Bazel Hatfield Kinney and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Booten Hall, Booten Hall and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Butler Coberen, Butler Coberen and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Charlie White, Charlie White and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Clay Tabor, Clay Tabor and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Dr. G. B. O'Roark, G. B. O'Roark and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Dr. J. M. Rhodes, J. M. Rhodes and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Dr. W. L. Stumbo, W. L. Stumbo and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of E. M. Runyon, E. M. Runyo and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of E. S. Parker, E. S. Parker and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Fletcher Ingram, Fletcher Ingram and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Henderson Harris, Henderson Harris and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Henry Nolan, Henry Nolan and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Isiah Masters, Isiah Masters and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of J. F. Hison, J. F. Hison and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Jim Abrams, James Abrams and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Jim Havre Stevens, Jim Havre Stevens and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Joe Williams, Joseph Williams and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of John Kinney, John Kinney and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of J. S. Loeb, J. S. Loeb and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of J. T. Binion, J. T. Binion and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of J. W. Kates, J. W. Kates and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Logan Davis, Logan Davis and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Mary Kinney, Mary Kinney and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of M. J. Evans, M. J. Evans and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Nancy Binion, Nancy Binion and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Reverend Ezra Kidwell, Ezra Kidwell and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of R. M. Griffey, R. M. Griffey and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Robert S. Frasure, Robert Silas Frasure and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Sam L. Jordan, Samuel L. Jordan

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Steve Irwin, Steve Irwin and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of S. W. Jackson, S. W. Jackson and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of Tom Davis, Thomas Davis and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-14 Testimony of W. M. Alexander, W. M. Alexander and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1915-10-1915 Testimony of Dr. E. T. Runyon, E. T. Runyon

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1915-10-20 Prison Receipt, Office of Kentucky Penitentiary

Submissions from 1916

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Lillian Ramey and Clyde Thomas, Lillian Ramey and Clyde Thomas

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1916-01-07 Circuit Court in Session in Louisa, Big Sandy News

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1916-04-07 Commonwealth Attorney Asks Continuance, Big Sandy News

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1916-04-25 Appeal from Carter Circuit Court - 169 Kentucky Reorts, Court of Appeals of Kentucky and Carter County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1916-04-25 Court of Appeals of Kentucky - 185 Southwestern Reporter, Court of Appeals of Kentucky and Southwestern Reporter

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Frasure v. Commonwealth, 169 Ky. 620 (1918), Court of Appeals of Kentucky

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1916-05-12 Granted New Trial, Maysville Public Ledger

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1916-06-23 County Clerk, M. A. Hay., Big Sandy News

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1916-10-06 Two Murder Trial Moved to Lawrence, Big Sandy News

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1916-10-13 Circuit Court in Session at Louisa, Big Sandy News

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1916-10-20 The Frasure Case Takes Entire Week, Big Sandy News

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1916-10-27 Jury Disagrees in Frasure Case, Big Sandy News

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1916-12-12 Robert Frasure vs The Commonwealth of Kentucky, Calhoon B. Wilhoit and Kentucky Court of Appeals

Submissions from 1917

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1917-02-09 Leg Broken, But He Will Attend Trial, Big Sandy News

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1917-02-16 Circuit Court Now in Session, Big Sandy News

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1917-02-28 Commonwealth Rebuttal, Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony C. W. Henderson, C. W. Henderson and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Aaron L. Linville, Aaron L. Linville and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Albert J. Kountz, Albert J. Kountz and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Allie and Lothe Caywood, Allie Caywood, Lothe Caywood, and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Annie, Georgie, Walter McClain, Annie McClain, Georgie McClain, Walter McClain, and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Annie Stumbo, Annie Stumbo and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Basel Hatfield Kinney, Bazil Hatfield Kinney and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Booten Hall, Booten Hall and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of C. F. Hysong, C. F. Hysong and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Clay Hatfield Tabor, Clay Hatfield Tabor and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Clint Dean, Clint W. Dean and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Earl James, Earl James and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of E. S. Parker, E. S. Parker and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of E. T. Runyon, E. T. Runyon and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Everett Frasure, Everett Frasure and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Frank and George Runyon, Frank Runyon, George Runyon, and Lawrence County ( Ky.) Circuit Court.

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1917-02-28 Testimony of Fred Newsome, Fred Newsome and Lawrence County (Ky.) Circuit Court.