The following is from the Cannelton Reporter newspaper of 28 May 1859:
“Circuit Court:
“The important case of the term was the trial of Robert Prather and Richard Prather – father and son – for receiving stolen horses. The old man has been bed-ridden for several years, and was brought into court on his bed. The son was a boy of 18 years of age. They were ably defended but the first was sent to the penitentiary for five and the son four years. Four brothers were sent up from Crawford County at the last term for two years for the same offense.”
Goodspeed, History of Perry County, Indiana, supra, pages 625-626, states:
“In these cases, the eloquent young James Shanklin prosecuted, and L. Q. DeBruler and John Pitcher defended. The arguments made by these attorneys are yet remembered with admiration and surprise. Shanklin was a young man, but was very brilliant, while DeBruler and Pitcher were not surpassed by any lawyers in the southern part of the State.”
In addition to the problems arising from the wide-spread trans-county operation of the Prathers, keeping Robert Prather in confinement presented special problems. A document filed by County Auditor Daniel L. Armstrong on 8 June 1859 itemizes the expenses incurred during the 4-1/2-month incarceration of Prather. [This document was cited with some inaccuracies in an article in the Cannelton News on 22 July 1958 {sic}.] Robert Prather – To Perry County

To boarding him in Jail from
December 15th, 1858 to May 29th,
1859 (166 days @ 40¢) $66.40
To Wood furnish for him while in jail 19.95
To Washing for him while in jail 5.50
To Opium furnished him 1.00
To Lounge furnished him 2.50
To Receiving him in jail December
15, 1858 .50
To Discharging him from jail
May 29, 1859 .40
$96.25
Auditor’s Certificate and Seal .50
Issuing the Bill of Costs .25
$97.00
At the 24 May 1859 trial, judgment against Robert Prather was assessed as the $200 fine and $329.30 court costs. Pursuant to a court order of 15 June 1859, Sheriff Patterson auctioned the 3 tracts owned by Robert Prather, totaling around 210 acres on 16 August 1859. A partnership of James C. Galey, Job Hatfield and William Hatfield obtained the real estate with a bid of $435.00, less than 2/3 of the appraised value and $76.30 less than the fine and court costs.