Maude Moore (née Maudene L. Moore) was born on July 6, 1893 in Emporia, Kansas. Her family moved to Knoxville when she was young and she went on to attend Knoxville Business College and work as a stenographer. Moore had loaned a revolver to an acquaintance, LeRoy David Harth, on September 5, 1919, and requested its return three days later. Harth returned the revolver on the 8th and offered to drive Moore to the train station. Harth, however, drove away from the train station (while drinking prohibition whiskey) and stopped just beyond Bearden Hill. He then pulled down his pants and requested that Moore perform an unmentionable act. Moore refused and, when the revolver fell out of Harth’s pocket, Moore shot and killed Harth before he could recover the gun. After the shooting, Moore hid in Spring Cave before surrendering to the authorities on the 9th.

Moore stood trial for first degree murder on December 4-6, 1919. She was found guilty and sentenced to 21 years in prison. The presiding judge, however, granted a new trial so that Moore could be tried on the lesser charge of second degree murder. When the date of the second trial came on July 27, 1920, Moore did not appear. She had fled Knoxville for Tacoma, Washington, having dyed her hair blonde and begun calling herself Helen Hope. Moore was arrested again on August 15, 1921 based on a tip from a sailor who recognized her from her wanted posters.

The second trial was held on December 5-10, 1921. During this trial, the defense presented evidence condemning Harth’s character, and the jury declared Moore not guilty because Harth had committed a felony in forcing Moore to perform the unmentionable act and so Moore was therefore entitled to shoot him. Moore then returned to Washington, where she died on March 27, 1939.