The Portland daily press., 1884-02-02
IN HER OWN DEFENCE.
The Alleged Murderess Tells
Her Story,
WHICH FLATLx CONTRADICTs
PREVIOUS TESTIMONY.
Government Rests ,. ID. Donovan Opens
Crime on BIaney-No End This Week.
Especially Reported for The Press,

| poso Oh cllnCnlDR Ih6 evidence tnuS lar pre-
sented. They rested in the middle of the
forenoon and the defence began to show their
hand. Little interest was felt in the first two
or three witnesses on their side. All were
waiting for the greater witness who was able
and expected to unfold weighty facts in this
oft-repeated story. Mrs. Mary e. Barrows,
the prisoner, was called the first thing in the
afternoon and was on the stand three and one
half hours Her story was an apparently fair
| one and told with show of sincerity and evil
dent earnestness. The cross-examinaton de-
veloped facts which will require much inge-
nuity in counsel to reconcile, but whether on
the whole ber testimony aided or damaged her
case can best be told later. Another day will
| conclude the testimony unless that offered in
rebuttal be longer than is anticipated.
The Evidence.
On the coming in of the court the following
letter written from Oscar E. Blaney to his
wife, written from Alfred jail. was read by the
Attorney General. 1t is literal copy
THE LETTER.
Tell Mr.. Higgins what you know about this
thing, Tor, my dear. you are all right. pon's be
o.E BLAsEY.
The letter was offered in evidence.
DEPUTY SHERIFF BERcHAM.
This witness, who testified yesterday, was
called frstto the stand He produced the pig
tol which Blauey had given him, and it was
offered in evidence
MRS. CECIL A. PETTIGREw.
She resides at Kittery, q little more than
half mile from the house of Mrs. Barrows.
She remembered the evening of November
14th, and left her house at 7.30 and went along
the road towards the house of Mrs. Barrows
going TO Mr.. Albert Wilson's house, at the top
OF Wilson Hill. She met lady on the top of
the hill before she reached the bridge. The
lady had on calico wrapper and shawl
over her head, and was going in direction
opposite that in which she WAS going Neither
spoke. She mentioned the fact when she
reached the Wilson house; there was circle
at this house that night. About fifteen were
theFe and the house was well lighted. One
could easily see the house from the road She
had seen shawl something like the one the
lady she met had on worn by Mrs. Barrows
The shawl was held SO as to cover part of the
taco.
Cross-e1anaiaed by Mr.. Emery:
There are several houses between her house
and that OF Mrs. Barrows. She was in Mrs.
Barrows' house for ths last time when her sou
was buried. She had spoken to Mrs Bar
rows since that time, but when and where she
did not remember, She had been married
sixt gu years aud during that time had met
and spoken with Mrs. Barrows many times.
CORONER NEALLY.
This witness has testified before, and was
called today today to add cumulative testmu-
ny concerning the revolver he took from the
house OF Mrs Barrows The primers OF the
cartridge shells had been removed aud he pro-
auced them. He carried the pistol with the
bullets and shells to Boston expert Mr.
Masnsrd, at the suggestion of County Attor-
ney Higgins, and saw that gentleman exam
t.saN lta oil
Thomas Barrows he removed traces OF powder
irOm his hair.
MR. WILLIAM MAYNARD.
The witness resides Ia Boston, and is gun
deaiar aud an expert iu firearms Vernier
scales are used in testing bulle =, and measure-
ments also. Mr.. Neatly called on him ia Bos-
ton about Dec 23d, and again on Dec. 81, and
had with him revolver, empty shells aud
bullet. The witness identified the revolver in
the case as the one shown him there and three
of the bullets The primers were shown him
and their use explained. To ascertain vine her
the Cartridges could be used lin the revolver
shown him, he examined them. Four were
made by tue Union Metallic Cartridge Compa.
ny, and one by the Winchester Repeating
Arms Company. He Determined this by the
peculiarly OF the anvil and the primer. BY
mt asurement and weight he determined that
all the cartridges could be discharged from tue
same revolver. The cartridge shell made by
the New Haven Company, was smaller than
the others. He removed It's she'll from the re-
yolyer, and showed how loosely il fitted. The
Dal which fitted this was then selected and
shown. This ball was distinguished by It's oit-
ferent base. Mr.. Neatly was there nearly four
hours, and took away the thugs he brought
with him. These cartridges could hot be fred
from the small revolver. He examined the
bullet In the piece of wood, and showed 1t
could be discharged from the revolver shown
him by Mr.. Neatly.
CrosS-e1dn1ined briefly by Mr.. Emery:
Ar Na, Ixrc ~
three bullets. He vent over again the manu-
facture of a cartridge, and was questioned
very briefly.
THE DEFENCE.
j. B. DoNoyANs PLEA.
Mr.. Donovan opened the case. 1t was his
duty to appear for Mrs. Barrows. He asked
tor calm and deliberate consideration of the
Case. A crime with death for a penalty should
be examined with severest scrutiny, and calm
est deliheration. He had no definitions to ex-
pound TO them, as the cour6 would attend to
that Mrs. Barrows is native of Kitery, a
daughter of Daniel Cook. and the second wife
OF Mr. Gate, who died in 1881 The long i'll
ness of MIR. Gate made the work about the
farm very hard, aud it became necessary TO
have assistance. There came to her home one
day stranger, who was employed as farm
hand, and this farm hand lived there till he
was mardered, Nov. 14th, 1883. he worked
till September, 1881, when some trouble arose,
and she settled up with him, paying him $40,
aud he went away. Two days after he came
back and tried to shoot her, but she escaped
though with broken leg. He fred at Martha,
her daughter, and then going to where Mr..
Barrows lay he shot himself in the breast. He
was arrested, and after so days in Jail was ais-
charged. She met him on his return, and said
he might finish her if he would. He replied
he had come back TO make amends, and from
that time he worked faithfully and we'll. She
had q daughter Martha; in the winter of 1883
she began TO be intimate with Oscar Blaney.
She wished more suitable match for her
daughter so she forbade her going with him.
They met at the house of her grandfather.
Blaney and Thomas Barrows met at the church
one night and Barrows said if ne went homo
with his daughter he would put
hole through him. Bsrrows tried
TO make his daughter, with suspended
knife raised over head, swear she would never
marry Blaney. She said no 10 him, but prom-
ised her mother she never would. Martha
told Oscar and he sent letter to Barrows. At
the AghG at the church he sent ior his revolver
AID lG-was taken from him. After that he
frequently spoke OF having revolver and
threatened to use IL upon Barrows if he came in
his way. Mrs. Blaney will say he never went
10 Mrs. Barrows house without coming with
revolver. Mr.. and Mrs. Barrows met BlaDey
once on Portsmouth bridge and Barrows him
sells did not speak TO him. This. cut Blaney
severely as at that time tney were driving in
wagon belonging to him. He came home
GUM and sulien and told his wife tnat Bar
rows mad MS harness ana wagon aud yet would
n recognize him when he met HIM. That
uignt he slept with his revolver under the pill
low. The motive ascrib9d to Mrs. Barrows by
the governments is not true; she never reposed
any confidence in Blauey, nor to living soul
ever said she wished him to be disposed of. On
The morning of the day when this foul deed
was consumma ted Barrows had one of his pecul-
lar freaks, went about one thing aud then an
| other, leaving everything he started on un.
| done Her husband went out To the barn and
| she turned to 20 into the bedroom. AS she
| threw the clothes down she heard shot and
| what sue then did is known, as the story has
been often told. Stress is laid on the fact of
| her 90 ng to the house Of Oscar Blaney. Why
aid she 90 there? She had reason to believe
| tnst Barrows was attempting to commit sui
eide, or else was feigning IT, so as to entice her
from the house then kill her. The rememb brance
of the oldishooting came back ~ here should she
| go but TO the house of her friends7 So she
goes on her merciful eTr4nd aud soon reached
the house. What took place there has never
yet in this case been truly told. They woul/
| show the conversation to be far other Wise1nd
that she never said her bKind.
must be finished or anything of de barn;
| Oscar put on his boots aud wentother and
| Martha brought cloak for headed to him in
| pistol for Oscar which shedOt see her at all.
the entry aud her molher<was accustomed to
Martha did it becaus1fne to the house of
do it, When thesar got out of the team
Thomas BarrowSdd to the horse. He went
,...l l.. - L.. = she hitcbad tha bn,,a