Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-11-03

The Barre Murder.


coScLustoN or the iNQuEsr--rNA MINArioN OF
ASA MkquoN nHronE THE MAOisrRATE--st'M-
MARY on TIr TESTIMONY -srOniEs ABOUT MA
GooN's PAST LFE.
on Friday last, the inquest into the cause Of the
death Of Rufus strcctcr was rcsuped before Jus
tice Carlos Carpenter, at tho Office Of Mcssrs
Royce & Boyce, In barre The most important
witness was Mrs A. r. Thufston, Of Barre
who testified that she and her husband passed
down the road near where Strecters corpse
was found at about eight o'clock on the night
Of the murder, that she rode on the left side
Of the baggy. which would be the side near
ost tho widow Perrin lot Having previously
met quite a number Of men under the innu-
ence Of liquor she was nervous, and feared
meeting others At the point in question, some
thing In the Perrin lot attracted her attention and
she thought she could sec the dark outlines Of
man lying there and watched II all the way past
Finally, she concluded she might be mistaken,
and therefore said nothing about 1t until after the
murder was discovered II this testimony be
true, it will 20 far 10 establish the belief that Ma
COON committed the murder Immediately after he
left Mrs Perrin not far from seven o'clock in the
evening
There are many rumors ailoat in regard TO Grim
inal events in Masoon's past history, and people
are not few who believe that he has dyed his
hands ia the blood Of a fcllow-bcing other than
Strooter trustworthy man, living in the vi
cniiy Of the Magoons says that in the fall Of 1872
pacl, peldlor by the name Of Sullivan, who
travelled through Orange became enamored Of
Emily Magoon, Aa's daughter, who now claims
TO be Strccters widow After counting her Tor
some time, the poddler went to the town clerk Of
Orange for a marriage license For some reason
the clerk refused To grant it Immediately after.
wards he disappeared and has never been seen
since In the course Of time Magoon and some Of
his children disposed Of aces thread, ribbons aud
other articles Of merchandise Of the same nature
as Sullivan usually carried Among the property
thus disposed Of WAS a calf-skin wallet belonging
to Sullivan, which was sold to one Of the boys
Of man now residing in Orange, and is now in
his possession It Is a large wallet, " good quail
ity, and inside is inscribed in ink, y. Sullivan.
MAGooNs TRANSLATION.
The examination Of Asa 5 Magoon upon COM
plant charging him with the murder OF Rufus
Streeter was begun, yesterday forenoon, in the
Town Hall at Barre, before Justice Carlos Carpcn-
ter Nlagoon was brought from the Montpelier
Jail ON the twenty minutes to eleven train, in
charge Of Constable Gilman J. Jackson Hon
Charles H. Heath and Mr. William A. Lord, APP
pearcd for the respondent Mr.. Il. NJ. Harvey
Of West Topsham, aud Mr. Frank Page, Of Groton
sat at the table with them though It is understood
that they were retained more especially for Asa
Magoon, Ir in which ease no'ie prosequi has
been entered
Mr.. William Dillingham;, States Attorney and
Messrs W A and O. b. Boyce, acted in behalf Of
1,n hall Al.
with spectators By request Of the respondents
counsel the governments witnesses were obliged
10 testify without hearing each other
The witnesses examined yesterday were Hannah
Perrin, Mason b. Jackson OF West Topsham, Mer-
rill Wilds, Of Orange, and D. R1maine Bradbury,
Of Washington.
Mrs Perrin testified to substantially the same
effect as her statement already published in the
WArcHMtS. Mr. Heath cross-examined her
sharply and at some length, but ELECTED nothing
except some rich specimens Of Irish wit and brogue
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
murder early in the morning
Merrill Wilds did not add anything material to
his statement already given in this paper in which
he said that be saw Streeter and Alagoon at Per-
rms on Thursday night, and heard Migoon
threaten streeters life
The most important testimony was that Of Ro-
maine Bradbury, who it will be remembered WAS
passed by Wilds near Mrs. Perrin's house.
lie swore that when he got to Mrs PERKINS, lie
heard a loud dispute between her, Strecter and
Magoon, about the theft Of gallon of alcohol,
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 II he was go
ing of without him, and said with an oath, "Tll
take your life, or A." / would just take
your life as not" At this time, Merrill Wds
went by with his team Streeter told Magoon TO
come along, and started, and Magoon, with an
oath, told him to hold on, and followed him to
about opposite where Streeter's corpse found
Witness drove to the watering-trough, n short
distance on and then heard noise, as though |
some one was tearing a ceat from fence then |
sounds like six or seven blows. lie called Wilds !
attention to these things Magoon caught up
with them pretty soon after, by the derrick, and |
on being asked II he had killed Streeter said no;
that he had gone bacl, to stay with Mrs Perrin.
The hearing WIS resumed at haf-past eight thi. |
morning.