The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-11
AFRAID OF THE COACHMAN.
Dramatic Account of the Deadly
Struggle in the Barn.
THE WOMAN IN THE CASE.
An Unlocked For Witness APP
pears on the Scene.

trial at Newark Yesterday were full Of dramatic in
terest. All the which preceded and attended
the shooting Of John Armstrong on the 10th of
June last at Montclair recited with thrilling
vividness by the surviving actors in the terrible
drama in presence OF deeply moved public. Every
anu spacious court room was occupied. and
among the spectators were large num-
Der Of fashionably dressed ladies. The
prisoners friends mustered in force. and many Of
them shook hands with him demonstrstively. az II
anxious to show that the serious crime of which
Is accused had not lost him their respect and
alteration. The prisoner himself was cool and self
possessed. He was accompanied. as usual. by his
wife, but neither of his children present during
the day. He the brown tweed coat which he
had on the day he killed his coachman.
and. though neatly dressed. did not appear to be
specially made up for the occasion. His wife
dressed in deep black. All the lady friends of the
Blair family were also dressed in black When
Blair entered the court. ut ten o'clock. one of the
ladies seated within the bar extended to him her
glovcd hand and welcomed him with . CHEEKY
smile.
MAKING A CORRECTION.
When the court opened DR.. Butler who was
the first witness examined for defence on Thurs
day. and whose testimony in ut least important
point generally regarded bearing against the
prisoner. asked permission to correct that part of
his evidence which referred to the statement made
to him by Blair on the day Of the shooting. His
quest granted and when he mounted the stand
he watched with intense interest by the au-
dience He said :-"Yesterday said Mr. Blair did not
say anything to me about Armstrong; pisto.; tins
was mistake; he did say Armstrong was reaching
tor his revolver. and also that 1t usually kept
the SHELF.
THE NEW WITNESS
There ran through tho court room . murmur Of
expectation as the counsel for the defence an
nounced that his next witness would be Mrs.
Wheeler. 1t had been rumored that the evidence to
be given by this lady would be most important. and
It certainly created something like . sensation.
Mrs. Wheeler IL q TALL graceful lady, with dark
and very high forehead. Her features regular.
and there Is certain popularity Of expression in
her face more frequently found among French
suggestion OF fnesse which was not Boiled by the
lady bearing on the stand. Though slightly
at times she answered the State Prosecutors ques
tons in way that said plainly she felt perfectly
able to deal with that ponderous official. The pc
culiarity OF Mrs Wheeers evidence was that though
she remembered every phrase which mas been made
familiar by the evidences OF other Witnesses she has
added nothing which WIS not known before. What
ever value may be attached to her evidence will DO
OF corroborative character. Mrs. Wheeler lives
the opposite side OF tho road. and four vc'
hundred feet distant from the of tho tragedy
GIFTED WITH EXTRAORDINARY HEARING
She testified that her husband architect and
that she lives ut Mr.. Morris Daldwin's nearly OPP
posie Blar's house; her little children played with
Bairs, but she was not acquainted with Mr. or Mrs.
Blair; about half-past six O'Clock while at home,
she heard loud talking ut Blair's; she recog-
nized John Armstrong; voice, having heard it be-
fore several times; she walked out to call her
children in. and heard Armstrong say "Pay
me my money and mono OF your damn rolling"
! heard Mr. Blair tell him. she continued. to
Armstrong replied that he would him in
hell first, and also said. ''Get out of this barn
his house and looked frightened; almost imme-
diately no came ont of the house and went back
the barn; saw him standing there in the doorway;
again threatened to blow his brains out; they went
into the barn; did not know they went mp stairs;
heard Mr.. Blair say, Don't open that door," and
then heard two shots almost instantaneously; Mr..
Blair came out OF the barn and then Immediately
Armstrong followed him. groaning.
UNDER cRoss-ExAMINArIoN.
Cross-examincd by Colonel Abeel-I stood on the
board walk outside of the gate during the entire
time OF the quarrel; did MT at any time 60
the bridge; after the shots walked toward the
bridge; don't know exactly how far that is from
clear; the grape arbor does not obscure the view;
Mr. Blair held out his hands when the barn;
did not Mrs. Blair there but heard her voice dis
tnctly; did not see Mr.. Blair chase the children
into the house; when Mr. Blair spoke to his wife he
used the ordinary tone of his voice: tho whole
AFFAIR including the dispute, occupied about half
hour.
THE WOMAN IN THE CASE.
The sensation caused by the appearance Of the
now witness had not time to subside when Miss
hobecca Is. Draper, whose unfortunate tale-bsarng
lod to tho killing of Armstrong. was called to tho
stand. The audience craned their necks to get a
good view Of "thc woman in the case" ~ she moved
from her position inside the bar to take her
rather Arm expression OF countenance. Her
face is PALE and she has thin lips.
and ut Mr. Blair's the evening of the homi-
eide; went ut three O'Clock to call Mrs. Blair
quarter past four Mrs. Blair. the two children and
wont to the railroad stations we returned about Ave
O'Clock with Mr.. Blair; / was there at tea; tho
dining room Is at the back Of the house and has
the shade OF the window down. and IL down during
tea; you can't through It; at tea told Mr.. Blair
about seeing. the night before. two horses badly
whipped ut the station: did not know positively
that they were Mr. Biair's; Mr.. Blair said he would
40 out and speak quietly to John about it, and that
he would not like to make John angry. for the night
before John had given him wicked look: Mr.. Blair
went out. and soon heard voices ut tho barn; Mrs
from there could zee through the arbor to tho
barni We heard John swearing he said. "God
damn you!" this was the burden Of his talk.
Proscc utor Abecl-What did Mr.. BLAIR say?
witness--I could not hcar Mr.. Blar's voice; Mrs.
sho left me; think the little girl followed Mrs.
Blair who went to the barn; did not hear her say
anything there; did not hear her say shoot tho
damned rascal; never heard any such oppression
from her; when Mrs. Blair was ut the barn John
seenicd excited and swore louder; sho remained
there but short time. and after Mr.. Blair also
lott and went into tho houses did not hear him cay
anything in the house; he was thorc but short
said nothing. and saw nothing in his hand.
BLAIR aErs HIS SHOOTER.
The instant no lett tho house Mrs. Blair attracted
my attention by telling me and tho children to go
into the house quickly for John going to shoot;
heard the shots; Ophciia ran into the room and
tell Hat ON her face saying. John has shot MIR.
Dlair;" Mr.. Blair came up to u.s. and his wife said.
Joe. what have you donef' he replied. "Mary.
could not help It; 4 shot John; IL hadn't shot
him he would have shot me !" he had two pistols; q
bright ono ia his right hand and brown ono In his
lett; my attention was particularly attracted to the
latter.
Miss Draper took the pistols In her hand and
showed how Blair held tho two pistols when no
turned from the barn. She held the bright smith "
Wesson In her right hand and tho rusty Colt re-
vover In her left. that the barrel and the handle
were visible.
Later. she continued. Mr.. Blair said. True AZ
there Is God In heaven. did 1t In sclt-defence he
said also that John reaching for the pistol when
he fired. and John was turning he shot HIM
again; ut no time did hear MIR. Blair say, "Come
on john; he had said this standing st the arbor
] would have heard IL.
coNTnApIcTING oPHELrA DYER.
After MIR. Parker. tor the defence. addressed
the Court, insisting that the point in the
whether BLAIR had reasonable grounds to apprchend
injury from Armstrong. Mr.. Henry Arnot. q lawyer
residing at Montcair. testified that Mics Or holia