The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-11

OF this nature had been presented to the jury the
counsel for the defence called the prisoner at the
bar, Joseph A. Blair. to the stand The prisoner
left his seat by the side of his wife
thrill of excitement ran through the audience
as his pale. nervous face was turned toward
them He was remarkably COOL and answered the
questions put by his counsel in a clear voice and
with distinct utterance. His wife's eyes followed
him and while he was answering some pre-
lminary questions she watched him nervously,
but lie proceeded to describe the killing
OF Armstrong she covered her face with her fan as
though to shut out the dreadful picture from her
sight. Miss Draper watched Blair ntently he told
his story aud not muscle of her face moved during
the recital Some Others of the lady
moved to tears. Blair himself began coolly enough
and told his story nervously and inteligently
until S Sa .as ns % OF sss
moved by the picture of Armstrong; death strug-
ele SO wildly drawn by himself. beginning with
his return from work in the city Blair gave an ac
count OF his visit to Armstrong and Rosselot
III the carrot patch. and how. while at tea.
Miss Draper had informed him that Arm
strong had been drinking beer and had abused
the horses on the previous evening. After tea he
went again to tho stable and found Armstrong in
ono OF the stalls engaged bedding the horses. II
went about half way down the passage. i'll the rear
of the stalls" continued Blair. 'and said John.
what way did you come home last nahtY John re-
Piled Il came by the road.
"'By what road. John?
Its none OF your damned business so that got
here he replied
ORIGIN OF THE QUARREL.
"'The reason why ask you is that the wagon
seen last evening in front of a beer saloon and 1
don't wish my wagon TO be seen standing at n
saloon.
If he wants to without the - spying after hmY
.'He then swore that Montclair was the God
damnedest place he had ever been in; John then
said, PAY my money aud let me go; 1 said. Il
will pay you II you will go away at once he replied
God damned - like me could made him CO.
when told him to harness up the horse and
would 70 to the & ana he could get his
up the horse; he answered don't care
q damn for you or the Squire and no - like you
can make me do IT, He atterward did harness the
horse About this time my wife had come to the
stable door. She said oh! John. don tJewear so!
John said You damned slut. If you were u lady
you would not be here. l told John he must not
John sworo that il came into the stable no would
blow my brains out.
II ran to the house to get my pistol; Ophelia Dyer
cried out. Cant you have patience with that manY
II got the pistol and put it in my back pocket and
went back to the stable; then told John that
prepared to defend myself and my family and asked
him again for the keys; John ut this time was not
doing anything; he replied. IN give you the keys;
and ran past me and up the stairs: was afraid Of
John and did not dare to let him out Of my sight;
followed him up the stairs because he said he
would give me the keys; was only few steps be-
hind him when John reached the top OF the stairs
he took the keys from his pocket and then he
not going to get them. but something else.
''I SHOT HIM."
II told him not to open the door, and seized him
with my two hands by the upper part Of the left
into the room. He was very powerful man. He
reached his hand and took the revolver from the
shelf, and then shot him.
'He turned me Immediately and fired
second time.
81 then took the pistol from him; went and
showed it to my wife when fred the first shot
did not think had hit him only intended to
wound him in the leg. so as to disable him;
have killed me; when 1 saw him fall went
back to help him; as he lay under the
tree took cushion to place it under his head;
when he saw me he said Go away. you ruffianp
I did not see him afterward until the priest asked
me to come to the room us John wished to forgive
n,xA., h.vx1x Srol-n
away 1 turned to go. but the priest caught
me by the arm and told John that he must forgive.
After the priest had spoken to him for time he
said he forgive me. think asked for the key
twice.once in the stable and once when came back
..What was your reason for going for the pisto2"
II believed the man intended to shoot me and
thought he would be more reasonable when he knew
I was prepared to defend myself"
Glow did you know he had pstolT
II the pistol given to him; did not know he
had pistol on him, but thought he had on account
or his threat to shoot me-
where Armstrong when you returned to the
stable?'
John was about the centre of tho passageway
when l back. He had to pass me to get up
STAIRS do not remember whether he said anything
while on the stairs. l thought he was going up
stairs to get tho keys but when saw him take them
out of his pocket thought he was going for some
thing else."
COULD DOWN STAIRS.
Gould you have shot him if you wanted to before
he went up stars?'
II could. He had to pass me to get to the stairs.
went up the stairs behind him because was
afraid to let him out OF my sight.
"What do you think was Johns frame OF mind
while going up stairs?"
Prosecutor Abeel objected to this question. and
the Court sustained the objection. Permission was
given to the prisoner to tell how Armstrong acted.
''John." said he, "was violent. tried bard to
prevent him entering tho room. but lost my hold Of
him by the side OF the door,"
Then the witness showed the position occupied by
Armstrong and himself when he BLAIR fired the
first shot. MY intention" he continued. 'in get
ting my pistol was to protect myself ana my family
from the threats made by John. / feared my wife
and my son might have been shot. was not con-
scious of any luminosity against John. but was
afraid OF him. Before he was week i'll my employ
had told him that could not get along together.
He said he did not mean to stay in the place moro
than a month"
Prosecutor Abeel asked the prisoner to give him
the names OF any of his former servants and he aid
but with such vague addresses that it will be DIFF
fcult to get track of them. The court then ad-
journed until Monday morning.