News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-09-20
Second Trial of George n. WiIIett
for the Hfurder Of John B. Pair.

The second trial of George Ii. Willett
for the murder of John b. Pair, at Glens
Falls began ut Caldwell, n. y, on Mon
dav. The crime of which he is accused
was one of the most attrociOus character.
Up to Il month or two preceding Decem-
Der p. 1880, the date of the murder,
Willett. who is also barber, had been
employed in Pairs shop at intervals,
boarding at his house. While thus shell
tered he had effected the ruin. it is con-
clusivelv shown, of his niece. pretty
Girl of lG or II, who confessed to her
father. For this Pair drove Willett out of
his house with threat to Wreak his ven
geance should he ever cross his path
again. Willett thereupOn went to Chica-
90 where he remained until his liability
to earn living forced his return. Upon
the exact date of his arrival in Glcns
Falls depends his defence. He claims
that he did not reach that village until
the 2Sth of December. the morning fol-
| lowing the murder. Par was shot dead
while at his cash books in the shop, at
| 9 O'Clock in the evening. the ball being
| fired through a window in a door open
| inc upOn an alley. An investigation
| showed that the fatal bullet had passed
! through his left arm and entirely through
! his body. CHANGING on rib, which it
! broke. and lodging under his right arm.
| 4 few hours before there had been a
| light fall of snow, and in the alley We're
! thus revealed some footprints. These
| led to the end of the pasSageway, where
was located an old and disuSed ice house
pit. The murderer was evidently una
ware of the existence of this pit, which
was partly concealed by growth of
burdocks and rank weeds, and had fallen
! into it. He had then climbed out upon the
street on the other side of the pit and
had fled into the darkness. About all
hour later an excited man called at Il
house about four miles from Glens Falls
and asked the way to Fort Edward, Il
neighbOring village. The woman who
answered the call gave hin the desired
information. He then asked for glass
of water, but as the woman turned to get
it he ran rapidly away.
Willett's known eEmity for his brother
in-law placed him under suspicion. lie
| was as a consequence arrested while re-
turning from the funeral. On the first
trial. which Terminated in his conviction,
witnesses testified that Willett arrived in
| Fort Edward concealed in Il freight train
at , o'clock in the afternoon OF the day
on which Pair was murdered. that he
was seen walking on the railroad track
from Fort Edward to Glens Falls, and
finally that he was seen in Glens Falls Oh
the same evening. At the house whore
Willett stayed at Fort Edward was found
a pocket rifle which he had placed on the
upper shelf of Il pantry. The bullet
which caused Pairs death fitted this, and
an exploded cartridge shell was found
upon Willett's person at the time when
lie was arrested. Further than all this,
Wilctt's boots exactly fitted the tracks
in the alley already spoken of. and upon
the clothes he wore on the night OF the
murder were found burdock burrS, at
tachcd. presumably, during his flight
through the ice house pit. Finally, he
was identified as the man who had asked
the way to Fort Edward and had run
away, as the woman, who he asked II
of, was about to get him Il glass of water
An abb was the main defence OF the
prisoner, but it could not be sustained,
however, and having been found guilty
he was sentenced to be hung December
y, 1881. \ day or two before that date,
however, Il stay of proceedings was
granted. pending a hearing on an appll-
= cation for a new trial, and after long
delay that application was granted.