The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-22
The Barre Murder.


esq, at Barre, on Wednesday, occupied an
hour and half. She gave detailed ac-
count of Magoon and Streeter's visit to her
house, and said that Sam Smith, her neigh
Dor, came while they were there, and Ma
Coon commenced quarrel with him, when
he subsequently left. She denies all knowl-
edge of them after they went away, stay
ing about an hour, and knew nothing of
the murder until two men came and
knocked at her door about daylight the
next morning, when she went out in her
night dress and saw the body. There were
some points in her testimony which 1t is
believed may help 10 bring out important
facts in the examination of other witnesses
Besides that of Mrs. Perrin, the testi-
mony of j. Wallace of West Topsham, who
sold Streeter hat, was taken. Emily
Streeter, the reputed wife of the deceased,
was examined at length. Streeter was 10
years old, and this woman is but %, Har-
riet Magoon, wife of the prisoner, also tes-
tilted at length, the stories Of the mother
and daughter agreeing in all material
points. Mason b. Jackson, who passed
Mrs. Perrin's house just as Magoon and
Streeter were leaving, was also a witness.
Jackson stopped over night at the next
house, Sam Smiths, and was one of the
three who first saw Streeter's body next
morning.
Widow Perrins maiden name was Han
nah Griffin, and she came from Ireland.
She says that she formerly worked in DR..
Dixi Crosby's family at Hanover, N. H.,
and claims that her reputation there for
honesty was good She left there six OF
seven years ago, came to Barre and pur-
chased the place near the scene of the muir
der for some 5000 or 800. She solemnly
denies all knowledge of the murder, and
has been allowed to go her way. She il
stopping with her next neighbor, Sam
Smith, and says she never wants to occupy
her own house again.
| We gather the following from an extend
ed account of the murder in the Montpelier
Journal:
TIE DISCOVERY.
Just about daylight, on Friday morning
of last week, John s. Clark, a peddler, re-
siding at South Royalton, and mar
named Kelly, from Danville, who had left
Chelsea at three o'clock in the morning
and were driving TO Montpelier, discovered
the corpse of a man in a field, just ovel
the left fence of the road. Startled at tho
sight, they only stopped long enough t
discover signs of murder, and drove as fas
as they could to the nearest house beyond
occupied by the widow Hannah Perrin
reused her. thence to Sanford Smiths |
few rods further on, and thence to thu
village, telling the terrible news as they
went. A large crowd soon gathered at th,
place, and shocking spectacle met the
eyes. OF the identity of the murdered MAJ
there could be no question--mangled as thu
body was, everyone recognized it as be
longing to Rufus Streeter, an old man O.
poor repute, acc ustomcd to hard drinking
and debauchcry. The corpse lay, face t
the sky, IN field belonging to the widow
Perrin. lis head lay next the fence, a few
inches from the posts. The legs wcr,
spread wide and the arms extended from
the body. The head was cut and bruised
: beyond description, and a cut across TIL
} abdomen, just under the breastbone, ha'
J, let his bowels out, so that they lay sick
ening pile, in the full light of day. Tn
"sheep's. gray" trousers had been stripes
} off exactly at the bottom of the right leg
where the hem remained intact, an,
lay by his left side On his lef
leg the drawers remained, but the RICH
WAS almost completely bare. The man
thick cowhide boots. with worn out heels
were on his feet as when alive the iron
of his vest, on the right side, was strippe
, off like his trousers, and lay the inner sid
of the fence, close to the road. His coat
: an old private soldiers overcoat, was sti
on, the skirts rolled up under his back
No hat could be discovered. It was plai
to be seen that the body had been draw
from the road, through the fence, to il
then position, and the lowest board of tn
fence, broken and stained with blood in il
, progress, marked its course with awful di.
tinctness. Just at the edge of the gras
: which lies between this fence and the roat
9 way, is "A small rock imbedded in tn
, ground. 1t was besmeared with blood, an
, pieces of flesh and broken teeth lay aroun
it, and looking from these to the dsfigure
: corpse, The feeling became irresistib
' that the mans face had been jammed r.
> peatedly and forcibly against the rock, I'll
1 life had become extinct, or the fierce rag
: of the murderers satiated. On the othel
| the south side of the road, was an indent,
: ton in the dirt, which looked as though
J mans head and shoulders had descende
. with force Here were tooth and tw
4. locks of hair near by was whip. Frol
!. this indentatlon the body's course could /
T traced, almost straight across the road,
. the stone. The whip was singular in col
. struction. and was recognized as belongin
a to Streeter. The stick was once the tho
{ part of a common buggy whip belonging
a Mr.. Harry s. Boutwell, of Montpelier, an
I to it Streeter had affixed leather lash.
e AN ALIBI FOR MACON.
J A neighbor of Magoon's, in Orang
. named Merrill Wilds. who is said to hay
a good reputation for veracity, makes a
important statement under oath to the al
: thorties, which tends to corroborate M,
i goon's story in some particulars. 1t is {
follows:
! 81 live onehalf mile from Magoon; WI
: at Barre Thursday. left an acquaintant
). at quarter past six IN the afternoon, an
: was alone with my horse and Wagon
y When got along to Hannah Perrin's.
i saw Streeter in wagon in the road, jul
: opposite the house. Streeter had hold {
!. the driving lines. Magoon stood upon tn
=, ground near the wagon; saw him con
from the house. just before got up
@ it heard Magoon say to Streeter -
J. you, / would just as lief take your life {
. not Streeter made some reply, which
y did not hear. When got close up to thel
y | said to Magoon: what is the trouble
4 and h. replied That man has forced n
n into the house, and have lost gallon {
highwines; the two (meaniDg Streeter an
the woman stole it,. lie wanted me
/ stop there. l refused. Streeter says ;
q am going along with him. then starte
/ on. Magoon halloaed that ought
III a..