Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-11-06
Tho Barre Murder.


The examination Of Asa MagOon
upon u complaint charging him
with the murder of Ru fus Streeter,
was commenced Tuesday IN the
Town Hall, at Barre, before Jus
tice Carlos Carpenter. Mag0on was
brought from the Montpelier jail on
tho twenty minutes to eleven train,
in charge of Constable Gilman |,
Jackson. Hon. Charles II. Hea til
and Mr.. William A. Lord, appeared
for the respondent. Mr.. II. NJ. Har'
vry.of West Topsham, and Mr.
Frank Page, of Grot0n. sat ut the
table with them, though it is under,
stood that they were retained more
especially for Asa MagOon, Dr., III
which case a molle prosequi has been
entered.
Mr.. William Dillingham;. States
Attorney, and Messrs. w. A. and
o. b Boyce, acted in behalf of the
prosecution. The hall was dens ely
crowded with spectators. BY re.
quest of the respondents counsel,
the governments witnesses were
obliged to testify without hearing
each other. The respondent plead
not guilty. and the first witness call
ed was Hannah Perrin, who OH be.
ing sworn, testified as follows:
live in Barre, about l-2 miles from
Barre village, near Sanford Smiths.
was at home l4th of October, last day of
horse trot. | know Rufus Streeter, he
worked for me three years it was some
two years ago that he left work for me-
saw Asa S. Magoon and Rufus Streeter
first that day just at night, as they were
returning from the trot, They left my
house just ut dark. when they drove in
to the yard, the first words were spoken
by Asa S. Magoon he said to me, "You
have had writ made out against my
boy" | said "no have not" He then
said, elf my hog has done any damage
to you, will pay it," Mr.. Streeter ask
ed me if l would let him put his horse or
pony into the barn. | said "no." He
then put his horse into the shed. l do
not know whether he hitched the horse
or not. They then came into the house,
and | got a cup Of tea, and piece of pie.
Mr.. Magoon would not take any, did not
eat. Mr.. Streeter eat piece Of pie and
drank cup of tea. They had a bag
with some grain in it, and two-quart
Jug of rum. told Streeter that would
give him some apples to carry home to
his new wife. He brought the bag along
and put some apples into it, and soon
after left the house. They did not have
any jaw or wrangle or hard words at my
house.
Mason b. Jackson testified to seeing
Streeter at Mrs. PERKINS, on the night Of
the murder, talking with Sanford Smith.
The witness slept at Smiths house that
night, and went to the scene of the muir
der early in the morning.
Merrill Wilds. did not add anything
to the statement already given,
in which he said that he saw Streeter
and Magoon at PERKINS,, on Thursday
night, and heard Magoon threaten Street.
er's life.
Romano Bradbury swore that when
le got to Mrs. PERKINS, he heard loud
dispute between her, 6troctcr and Ma
COON, about the theft of gallon of alco-
mol, which the men were charging upon
her, Streeter soon started into the road
with his team, and said he was going
home. Asa asked him if he was going
off without him, and said with an oath,
'pll take yous life," or 81 would just as
soon take your life rs not" At this time,
Merrill Wilds went by with his team.
Streeter told Magoon to come along, and
started, and Magoon, with an oath, told
lin to hold on, and followed him to
bout opposite where Streeter's corpse
vas found. Witness drove to the wa
ering trough, short distance on, and
hen heard II noise, as though some one
vas tearing cleat from u fence, then
ounds like six or seven blows. He call
ID Wilds' attention to these things. Ma
room caught up with them pretty soon
,fter, by the derrick, and on being asked
t he had killed Streeter-said no; that
Re had gone back to stay with Mrs. Per-
in.
John S. Clarke, peddler, who first
discovered the body, testified infinitely
he circumstances, appearance of the
lace where the scutfle occurred, the
ody then and during the day also how
G informed Mrs. Perrin that somebody
,as murdered, who threw up her hands
nd said, .'Oh, God" and asked who it
1as.
William c. White, a Selectman. of
ARE, testified that the boot tracks in
re road where the scuffle took place
ere made evidently by two persons,
ne boot without heels, the other with.
[agoon's boots have the heels worn en-
rely away. E. z. French corroborated
lis.
Doctors A. E. Riglow and j. Henry
,ckson Testified at length to the ex-
of Streeter's body. They
greed that he must have been killed
ON a half to an hour and a half after
ting the pie at PERKINS,, judging from i,
e appearance of the undigested apple /
I'd pastry in the stomach.
Streeter's bloody clothes were also :
ought in, spread out upon a table and a.
ndled piece by piece by Heathe, the !
soner (Magoon) rising from his chair
ID gazing upon them with wan and d
ggad cOuntenance, an. occasional t
II starting in his eyes. First came the j
i blue soldiers coat, with blood on +
e collar; then an old sack coat and .
pollen shirt, part of which had been r
aked with blood; then the pantaloons,
Mt asunder, and bloody vest in two :
Gees, one torn off and found outside of