The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-14

CRIMINAL COURT TRIAL OF BARRErT AND VII.
LIAMS FOR MURDER

and tho prisoners having been brought in Mr. Fualoye
the twelfth juror, The indictment was read
to the jury by the clerk and the trial proceeded by CALI
ing the several witnesses, who were sworn The court
room was crowded with anxious and attentive spite;
tatofs
Mr. ouLp made the opening address to the jury in be-
haii OF the United States He stated that the grand
Jury or The county of Washington at its session which
has Just closed had found indictment against Charles
barrett and Henry Williams the prisoners at the bar for
murder committed upon one Reeve Lewis 1t was for
the jury to examine the proof of the charges contained
IN the Indictment and to discharge their duty accord
ing to the evidence which should be given by the wit
nesss, and the law it would DO expounded to them
by his honor the presiding Judge He had no doubt
but that the jury would discharge that duty with
honesty and ithfulness to themselves the prison
ers at the bar and TO the country The counsel for
the prosecution would endeayor TO lay before them with
out fear and without favor all the facts that
connected with this transaction and which, they be-
lieved, demonstrated it to be most cold booded and
aggravated murder 1no circumstances of the were
tragc to the very last degree sweeping only along
the roofs and battements of happy family but
rendng asnder its foundations and shifting with the
mghtiest calamity that could bcf them the helpless
orphans of the deceased in their tender years Mr. O.
proceeded to detail the facts he expected them to be
proved follows
Reeve Lewis and Isaac Entwstle two esteemed mem
bers OF our community men who had honorable
for themselves and hopeful future for their fam
lilies who by the sweat of their manly brows and
the tool Of hard hands, had and received the respect
OF their fcowmen, In the quiet and stiffness Of mid
night were proceeding to their homes. They had been
expedition Of robbery, of wrong or Of fraud or
even of mrth Iney had been delayed until unusual
hour by their interest in their mutual discussions of
those principles of science and of mechanics which
were common to their profession Unconscious Of any
danger or threatening harm, after they had turned
the northeast of the Capitol grounds they
were met and passed by two men, Charles Barrett
and Henry Williams, the prisoners at the bar
Lewis and Entwistle were proceeding in the direction of
the Capitol along the pavement the prisoners at the bar
going in the contrary direction facing the east and
have just stated they met and passed each other near
the corner These two gentlemen not suspecting any
harm or danger passed the prisoners at the bar
themselves passed until they had reached some ten or
fifteen feet beyond Messrs. Lewis and Entwiste when
one of Them Charles Barrett turned around without
warning, without moniton and fired three shots of a re-
volve at the deceased Reeve Lewis and his companion
the first Of which brought Mr. Lewis PROSTATE the
ground The second and the third took effect in the per-
of Mr.. Entwstle. Mr. E., although desperately
wounded turned around to face his assalan and grappe
him. and while In this position the other prisoner at the
bar, Henry Williams discharged revolver at him
and brought him also to the ground IT seems, gem
tlemen of the jury, that no word was spoken be-
fore the firing of these pistols, no insult was
given, no blow attempted. 1t does not appear
that the parties knew each other. Thus it seems
gentlemen of the jury, that in this mixed up
in hdeous and appalling combination malignity brutal
ity and, last of all, cowardice. The human mind
which is accustomed to look at ordinary transactions
almost staggered and Supplied at so bloody and cruel
deed. Some men commit murder from anger, some
from Jealousy from love of gain some from frenzy
but here in this rank and full grown exemp
caton of what the old masters of the law have very
apty and properly denomnated that evil mind which is
desperately b mt on mischief
Mr.. 0. proceeded to state that the assassins waited
until the gas lights shone fully upon their victims before
they fired and enlarged with much earnestness and feel
ing on the aggravated nature of the crime A number
nfaw rarfc .ll
distinction between wilful murder and mansiaughter
Mr.. CHnaoN followed In behalf of the defendants sta
ting that he should not have deemed it necessary say
anythng in opening had the counsel for the
pursued the ordinary The prosecuting attorney
supposed to be impartial and ought to state the
fairly, without bringing in matters which irrelevant
and cndeavorng to excite prejudice against the prisoners
but this occasion the counsel for tho prosecution had
made one of the most vindctve openings that he had
ever heard Not content with plain statement he had
scared into the regions of poetry and fancy to bring down
harsh epithcts upon those two young who
arragned-not with wrong pun pose he presumed, but
yet, if they have any effect at ALL it must be to inane
the minds and excite the passions of the jury against
them 1t was the presumption of law that the prisoners
were innocent until they proved guilty There
was no question of the fact that Mr. Lewis killed
but beyond the fact that such an individual killed
the jury could not look except to the particular agency
which the evidence might show these two prisoners
have had in that killing. Whether he was married
man or not whether he hal children or not-whether
ne fingered ia mtcl suffering or n0twhat was the
liar enormity of the homcide-were matters that could
not be in evidence becanre if the prisoners should be
convicted of having killed him. under circumstances that
make them guilty of MURDER matter what his condi
ton matter what his character what the number
of his children what the desttuon TINT may have be-
fallen them in consequence of his DEATH the result is the
II these parties shall be shown to the satisfaction
of the jury to have done the deed they must suffer the
penalty of death, and beyond that the law cannot GO
These other circumstances which the prosecution had
lugged in could not be given in evidence and ought not
to be considered by the jury ut all in trying this
They consider only the evidence and either con-
vct acqu the prisoners they should find that evil
dence to be- He believed they had bias prejudice
for they he'd all sworn that they had none and he only
asked them to scrutinizc the evidence fairly and carefully
to weigh every point irrespective Of all public camor
feeling and should araona doubt of the prisoners guilt
arise in their minds to give them the benefit of it and
acquit them.
The following witnesses then called in behalf of
the government
JOSEPH M. CARRlco sworn-On the night when Mr.
Lewis was shot, witness Ban rett and Williams at Mr.
Bevcrdges cellar Jarrett was brought out Of the eel
Lar by Officer Davis the officer stood in front of the cell
lar minute or two, and then let Barrett go who went
and Eat on the steps of Browns clothing store door,
Witness went down into the cellar and heard two pistols
fired just outside the door he out and asked who
fired the pistols, and three menB.rrett Chambers
and another unknown sitting at the door of
Browns store Witness could not then ascertain who
did it, and spoke to them harshly about shooting pistols
ON his beat, witness being Waterman Chambers went
down the street. and afterwards witness Barrett
and Williams coming down towards the Capitol this
was on the corner of Third street, opposite Horton
Sauers res eurant Witness told Barrett he hoped he
would not give him any trouble on his beat that night
to attend to his business and he would take
himself Williams said to witness $40 will take care