The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-19
THE RICHARDS MURDER.

OPENING OF THE TRIAL OF BUELL. AT CooPERs-
TOMBSTONE TESTIMONY AGAINST THE AC-
cUsED-How HE PLANNED THE RUIN OF
CATHARINE RIcHARDs-PUTTING STRAP
AROUND HER NECK.
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
CooPrRsrowN, N. Y. Feb Is. 1879.
At nine O'Clock this morning the Buell. trial was
fairly begun. District Attorney Benedict opened for
the people. His address occupied an hour. He pro-
duced maps of the Richards premises and pointed
out to the jury the position of the barn.
house and hop yard stating the relative distances
Shortly after he began his address Mr.. Rich
ards. father of the murdered girl. accom-
panied by his wife and daughter attired in
deep mourning. took their places. Mr.. Benedict
referred feelingly to the dead girl. but there
genuine ripple of excitement when he pointed at
Buell. and avowed that he probably her assassin.
The prisoner. who has met every point against him
with unfnching GOODNESS. at this juncture actually
grnned at him derisivey in reply and then resumed
his wonted composure 80
THE FIRST WITNESS
At the conclusion of Mr.. Benedict's remarks Miss
Jones, the dressmaker employed by Mrs. Richards
on the day of the murder. was sworn. She testified
to the departure of Mrs. Richards for Winfield after
dinner; that the hired men Buell. and Bowen went to
work, she supposed in the hop yard Catherine and
herself being left in the house together to the visit of
Davis the neighbor. who inquired the whereabouts
of Mrs. Richards and the hired men: to the visit of
the girl Catherine to the barn and her return to
the house with kittens in her apron with which she
played awhile, aud then OF her taking them back to
the barn about half-pas three or fOur O'Clock
whence she never returned alive. and finally to the
appearance OF Buell. who informed her that Catarine
dead in the barn. She gave her testimony
clearly. ana it admitted by the prisoners coui
sci TO be the same as that before the Cor
afternoon, and certainly nj the time the prisoner
claims to have driven the mare and colt from the
meadow and fixed the fence, she sat by the
window in full view of the meadow and fence; that
she neither saw the horses in the meadow Buell.
Owen Phillips. q surveyor, was sworn, and verified
the maps OF the premises as correct
After adjournment for dinner, at two O'Clock,
William G. Richards sworn. He testified to the
time Buell. was employed by him. but most of his
evidence was disappointment as it was thought he
would throw some light on tho suspected attempts
of Buell. to violate his daughter But after him the
most important witness was called.
BOwES's TESTIMONY
Daniel G.. Bowen He the fellow
laborer OF the prisoner, slept with him. and to
great degree was his confdant in matters touching
the mystery. He testified that he htched the horse
for Mrs. Richards after dinner; that Buell. heard her
say at table that she would be away that afternoon
half-past one till three after, when Buell
went to the house. as he said, to change
the neghbors visit, of his going to the house, of
Buell's prolonged absence, his return and the
reasons he gave substantially the same as appears
in the HERALD to-day. But when asked If ut
any time lie and the prisoner had any
versaton respecting Catharne his replies
the occasion of not o little demonstration on
part of the audience. which promptly checked
by Judge Murray He replied that not long previous
to the tragedy Buell. asked one day why he did not
make love to Catharine as he had such good chance
while together while her parents absent Bowen
told him he didn't want to or something to that effect;
Buell. rejoined that he had attempted improper liber
ties with her twice before that and that she got very
angry.
CURIOUS VIEWS ON BRUTALITY.
Further, that the prisoner told him that he knew
how to overcome young girls. When Bowen in
CURED how he replied that cousin Of his had told
drawing 1t she could not scream or resist he could
violate her. Bowens detailed account of the con-
versatons held on this subject was received with
audible laughter during which the prisoner so far
forgot himself to display considerable levity. This,
with the damaging evidence, tended to create much
unfavorable comment. As the Judge remarked,
when reproving the audience, the testimony was
much too serious to DO laughed at Bowen con.
his finding the bull loose, which was. confined at
in the starchion; Of his finding the body and.
further. of finding calf tied to the bulls stanchon
that should have been and always had been fastened
three stalls of. He mentioned the finding of the
rope the body. He also testified to the orderly
condition of the clothing of the girl when found and
ceded that the mos, damaging evidence yet given is
the detailed conversations had with Buell. with refer
to the violation of the dead girl. whom. it
seems he followed about with persistence worthy
of better purpose Indeed. taken at first sight, all
OF Bowen g evidence is of q damaging character.
A FRANK STATEMENT.
Bowen was sworn before three O'Clock, and his
direct and crossexaminaton continued up to six
O'Clock, the hour of adjournment. He is OF excep-
tionally good character. aud his appearance and
demeanor impress all most favorably He tells
the facts with an air of candor. Some efforts
made at the outset to turn
suspicion against him as an accomplice. but
they failed in every instance. without doubt he
knows more of the case than any other human be-
ing except the prisoner. Therefore it is that the
people depend largely on his Testimony to convict:
and strenuous efforts will be made by Buels counsel
to draw from him contradictory evidence He was
exposed to searching cross fire this afternoon
for over two hours. but, aside from be-
coming OF times confused. did not
tradct himself in any material particular He
will probably occupy the stand most ofthe morning
The District Attorney, In opening told the
jury that the people prepared prove that the
blood marks found on Buell's boots did not come
from his nose stated yesterday; that the prisoner
did not 90 to the meadow as he claimed. and return
the horses to the pasture and fix the fence. The
stool strap and rope will perhaps. be introduced
evidence tomorrow. The Court convcnes tomorrow
m n m n o'clock