Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-10-13
Trial for Murder.
Supreme sadicial Court.

The government it was postponed to O'Clock,
P. NJ. The witness is a poor woman resident in
Souhbrdge, and had got as far as Clappville, in
the cars, on this morning, when the conduclordis.
cerned she had no money, and instead of bring
ing her to Worcester, forthwith sent he's back
Expresses were sent off for her by the District
Attorney, and she was brought to court in the ar-
ternoOn.
The prisoner was brought into Court about
O'Clock. He is smallish man, with retreating
forehead, sallow complexion, and strongly bill
lious temperament He seems 10 manifest con-
siderable acuteness in his demeanor. and appears
to take an anxious interest in the proceedings of
bis trial
One juror was set aside on account of his opin.
ions on capital punishment were peremptoriy
challenged by the prisoner, and the following
were empanneIed:
Foreman, VIM. s Bradbury, Westminster
Joseph Bancroft, Mlbury Joseph Bachelor,
Grafton Lowell Belknap, Westborough Still
man Butierwotth, Brookteld MauIn Davis,
Sterling Joseph NJ. Eaton, Leonnnster Ebene~
yer T. Estabrook, Worcester Stephen ID. God.
dard, Pelersham Leander tiorton, Northbrdge
George Hancock, Milford Isaac tlari ngton, 2ud,
Lunenburg.
Attorney General Choae and District Attor-
ney Aldrich conducted the case for the Com.
monwealth Dwight Foster and Calvin E. Pratt,
Esq, were counsel for the defence.
The District Attorney, in opening the case, said
he would not occupy The lime Of the the court or jury
by entering into a review Of the law in relation to
the crime with which the prisoner is charged; he
would content himself with recapilulalins the CIR
cumstances Of the present case. Mr.. Aldrich gave
short but clear statement Of the facts inrelat,on
TO the case, abiding as he did so, the pu suits
and character Of the prisoner. William Barker
the defendant, to lhisciiy from Providence r.
l., on the LIST Of August, 1882 His occupation was
that of picking upold rags, NON, and bones, which
he sold for living. He could discover no motive
for this murder. 1t was, in his opinion, an act of
sudden and unprecedented passion.
DR.. Benz Haywood was the first witness called
by the government. He was called by Barker to
see Mrs, Barker, the I'd Of January, at her resi-
dence in Pine Meadow. lie found her laid on the
bed with dee. cash he left side Of her head,
SHtCHui"5 iibui lDe eve Etth lie INigfred from The
shape oithe wound, that it was done with an axe
He asked Mrs Barker who hnrt her, when she in.
dicated her husband. When Barker understood the
purport Of her statement, he held up his hands and
said, ooh, God forgive hel!'
DIR. Benjamin Haywood, was also at Bakers
house on the evening Of the I'll January, and helped
TO dress the wound on Mrs. Bankers head. Anaxe
was I'm b; 4 !;
lie supposed that the wound inflicted with this
axe He extracted from the wound 80 pieces of
bone, which were broken from the skull by the axe
The brain became exposed when the bone was re-
moved, ard afterwards exuded from the wound
Inflammation Sc in, and depth resulted on the 18Th
Of January.
On his cross examination, Dr. Haywood stated
that Mrs. Barker said to him, that she did not know
VINO struck her; also, that Barker did it with his
hand. She had evidently been drinking; but her
Consciousness OF intelligence not perceplibly az
fecied.
DR.. Samuel Fagg Testified that he vas at Bar.
ker's house on the 81 Of January; heard Barker
exclaim, sob, dear this is my Mary Saw B.
arrested; heard him say to his vile, "Mary, am
going away myou." She made an effort to turn
towards MIN, but said nothing.
Daniel Mack was sworn, and testified that en-
Sunday, Jan. ID, he saw Barker between and S
o'clock, passing from his own house in the direction
Of Budding house. He saw him in about 10 or Is
minutes afterwards, when he asked him Mack 10
go aad see his wife, he said she was bleeding at the
nose Barker trembling and seemed excited.
lie went to B 5 house. The first thing he saw on
entering, WAS razor and razars, on the kitchen
table; he uex saN Mrs. b siumg on the kiiebtn
floor, with her head i, her lap; when he had asked
her three times, who had hurt her, -he said, she
DID, he asked her who she mirant u, he, hen she
replied, 81 mean William, my hu.band'' Mack
ordered Barker 60 Tor the doe,or, saving a. ile
same time, that ".he cannot ive'' but he did nat
he then asked to 60, who refused; he finally
went himself, and ouud Barker taking TO Dr. lle,-
wood Mack gave information to Deputy Marsha
Warren, Of what had bappeufd, and, after accom-
panying The officer 10 the house, went home sub.
sequent to that ng, and lill her death, he saw
Mrs. Barker three times day, and almost every
day, he heard her declare, in answer 10 questions
pun to her, that her husband struck the fatal blow.
Mary Mack testified that on Sunday, Jan. I'd,
between aud P. NJ, Barker came 10 her and IN.
qnired for her husband. He said that his vile was
bleeding.
Daniel Donohue testified that he was at Barker's
house about 5o'clock P. NJ, on Sunday. He found
an axe at the bottom Of BIS cellar stairs leaning
against he stairs There was blood and hair ON il
CIhe axe was here presented to the jury and cour)
Jeremiah Quirk was at Bakers house, and saw
Barker go into the cellar, by the back way Where
B. heard that the axe was Gouad, he went into the
house and demanded to haven't Witness saw blood
on it. Mrs Barker said TO him, next dav, that
William struck The blow
Mathew w Gibson, Catholic Priest, went to Bar
ker's house TO administer the last rites Of the Church
but, in consequence Of becoming faint, from seeing
the wound and blood Of the woman, he was con.
strained to leave and request Father Boyce to oGc
late.
Father R,vca 0,tb,l;c p.to.t ta.t.e.l H., l.