The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-05
Afternoon Session.

| Afternoon Session.
The court room was more densely packed If
possible than in the morning.
Attorney General Cleaves then began the
closing argument, Mrs. Barrows listened at
tentively, but ss he proceeded in his scathing
| denunciation Of her crime, her strength sud-
denly seemed TO desert her, her head fell to one
side, and she sank into the chair limp and life
less, and was carried by four deputies from the
| court room. Her limbs were rigid, and she
made low moaning sound as of person in
ft A ply sician in the audience was speedily
summoned, and after an absence of twenty
five minutes from the room Mrs. Barrows
walked back, looking much as usual Daring
the remainder of his argument the prisoner
listened with closed eyes and wearied express
| sion, as ii she would be glad when it was all
| over.
| The argument of Mr.. Cleaves was brilliant
| ene; it was little over two hours in length
and listened to with the deepest attention.
The jury paid earnest heed throughout, and
not person in that densely crowded hall.
where the air became faily foul as the after
noou wore op, left uutil the plea was finished.
Judge Virgins charge was a fitting end to this
remarkable case. 1t occupied one hour and
forty minutes in delivery, was able. and es-
peoially happy in its definition of legal terms
and the cIearness of its illustrations. With
reference to the whole case we quote the At
torney General--"If this testimony cannot
convince a York county jury, what viii they
ask for?"
Attorney General CIeaves Closes.
Attorney General Henry B. Cleaves, commenced
the closing argument at two O'Clock.
He commenced by alluding to passage in one of
the speeches of former distinguished statesman of
NewEngland alluding to the prudence of the marin
er, who after having been tossed for many days in
thick weather and upon an unknown sea- naturally
ayailed himself Of the first opportunity, the first
pause in the Storm to take his latitude and ascer
tain how far the elements had driven him from his
course. That the of justice required in this
case that we should exercise equal prudence, and
before we follow farther the speculative and iogi-
cal theories of the counsel for this respondent we
should first ascertain the point from which we start
ed and where the evidence now leads u.s. We
should consider whether we are living in a commu-
nifty governed by written law or;in land where the
rights OF the citizen should be surrendered the
will of the assassin.
Whether the old and honored County of York
snail be resting place and an asylum for the
without fear of punishment mo est alton. 4
He then cautioned the jury not to try this case
upon any side issue that had been brought in here
TO divert their minds from the real question at
stake.
That we were not here investigating the former
character of the deceased the past dlicutie of
the neighborhood where he lived; that grave ques
hon was at stake.
Eleven weeks age last Thursday morning the
community was shocked by the intelligence that
Thomas Barrows, citizen of Kittery was found |
dead in his own house. upon his bed, with sew
mitted in a quiet neghborhood in farming COM |
munlty, among class of citizens who have not
Op1o ~ oh 1a,1
blo0dshed.
Feelings Of horror and alarm naturally pervaded
the community The air full of suspicious cir
cumstsnces pointing to this respondent as one of
the guilty parties. While the theory of suicide had
Deen given wide eircul alton the government
believed for moment that Thomas Barrows came |
to his death in any other manner than by the hand
OF yiolence and yet it careful of the rights
or It's citizens, so fearful that it might do injustice
to an innocent person, that it refrained from max
ing any arrests until this prisoner became envel-
oped in a cloud of almost total criminal darkness
BY the facts that came to light
She was taken into custody. The grand inquest |
OF the body of the county of York has found in
dlctment against her, and now seeking to |
ascertain the truth as to the alleged suicide
It is grave and serious investigation especially
with the lie of the prisoner in the balance.
1t is most serious and painful responsibility that
requires one to stand here and ask under the law |
and the evidence verdict against this respondent.
choice for would gladly be relieved from this dis
agreeable task am not here seeking personal |
victory over an adversary ia the trial of cause |
but come in obedience TO a law of the State in |
obeoience to the public duty, imposed upon me. |
and it the considerations that may urge Ipon Won
snail give you any aid in arriving at Just and con-
sistent verdict IN this case, my purpose will have
1t is 20 part of my duty to stand here and ask A
yerdictfor the State except upon the fullest CON
yction OF its justness and did believe that this
prisoner, upon this testimony was innocent of the
accusation made against her, it would be my bound
en- duty and pleasure to state to you and to the
court The crime charged is oae of the gravest |
known to our criminal code: and in the Judgment of
the legislature if the prisoner be guilty she is de-
clared as forfeiting her life; aud she longer |
nas q rght 70 hVe among associate and minge |
with her fellow-beings
We are not responsible for the severe penalty at
tached to this crime. In the Judgment of the Leg
lslature it is wise and just penalty and it is no
part Of our duty to undertake to sit here in Judg-
ment upon the peliey of the law It is safe to az
sumo that the law was passed with view of af- |
fording greater security to human life that the |
Legislature found that the good of society and of
the State required that this penalty should be |
attached.
We as good citizens must enforce it or we there
by strike down all barriers for the protection of
munty
The law is best respected where it is rigidly en-
forced The lives of our people best protected
when it is known that the criminal who goes forth
and seeks the life Of fellow being shall be visited
with speedy, swift and punishment and to the
full extent of the law Your duty as Jurors is per-
formed when you declare to the fact to the guilt
or Innocence of this prisoner. The other depart
ments of the government will then enter upon their
responsibilities.
Let that duty be performed manfully fearlessly
and with that independence OF character and high
sense OF honor that should characterize the acts of
all citzeAs engaged in the administration of public
trusts.
A grave and serious crime has been com mitted
the moral sense OF the community has been shocked
the utter disregard that is manifested s aafm fop
the security of human life You are one of the CO.
ordinate tribunals sitting in the administration of
justice, ana II you shrink from the performance of
your whole duty here, you are not only jeopardiz-
ing the safety and lives of your families bat thou
sands of others, whose only protection lies in the
stern enforcement of the laws for the protection of
life. The State does ask your hands verdict of
guilty except upon the most satisfactory evidence
The State is that hideous and revengeful mon
ster described By the learned counsel for this re-
spondent.
gotten that the State stretches forth its strong arm
Tor the protection of all it's citizens the humble and
the weak as well as the exalted
Under the inspiration of the hour the learned
counsel has forgotten that our toiling people who
live in humble cottages and whose diligent hands
contribute to and uphold government OF aw and
order entitled to live it'll some feelings of Sc
curity and without being compelled to stand guard
by night to protect their homes and their house
holds from the rutan's assaults or the incendarys
torch.
And Notwithstanding the displeasure that has
been manifested and the csnsure i'm posed by coun-
sci at the action of the State in employing an hon
orable and high minded gentleman act as detes-
tive to ferret out this barbarous crime beg to eay
to them here and now, that if the murderer shall
enter your household theirs that of any other
citizen in this broad State and blot out the life of
aged mother father, some son or daugh-s
ter and escape into the darkness night to conceal
his crime, snail take every opportunity and use
every honorable means to hunt him down and brig
him to the bar of public justice for merted punish
ment; and If 1t becomes necessary to employ per-
son accustomed to trace the footsteps and unravel
the webs of the wicked, shall do SO; and though
It may not meet the approval of counsel engaged in
this defense, shall have the satisfaction know
ing that have done all within my power protect
the loving and law abiding people of the State OF
Maine against such dark and monstrous crimes.
The Attorney General then alluded to the ex-
treme soctude that the State exhibited for its cit
izens when trial for high crimes and misdemean-
ors; furnishing them with able counsel and process
to obtain their witnesses at the expense of the State
The law protects its citizens with such care that
even after verdict here of guilty power is confer
red upon His Honor wno presides here to set your
verdict aside and grant this prisoner new trial and
in of refusal the power is conferred-wh whether
legally or not-upon minority of the full court.
The law so carefully guards the rights of these
prisoners that requires that copy Of all the es
tlmony in the and full record shall be for
warded to the Governor of the State, who has the
power to pardon, reprieve the sentence.
All these safe guards thrown around the pris-
oner; she il completely hedged in against unjust
punishment and oppression; the presumptions of
law and innocence with her, and must continue
until overcome by proof; but when all reasonable
doubts as to her guilt are removed, when the pre-
sumption of innocence, which the law casts about
her, has been dspelled by evidence and she is pre-
sented blfors you as the sedate and deliberate