Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-08
GUILTY OF MURDER.
Frederick Barber Convicted-An Eve
ming Session and . Verdict Near Mid
night.

Frederick Barber Convicted-An Eve
ming Session and Verdict Near Mid
night.
In the Criminal Court yesterday in the
trial Of Frederick Barber for the murder Of
Agnes Watson by drowning her in the canal,
after the report in TEE STAR closed, the
defendant testified that he was thirty-seven
years Of age, and first met Agnes
In 1886 at Johnson's house and went to
live with her. She was kindly disposed unless
drinking, and would drink whenever she had
money. She was drunk the Thursday before,
and about noon, slA said, she heard from
Belt that he was going to get married,
and she was going to see him about
it. he was at Mahoneys when he
heard OF Agnes being outside and Mary Smith
came in and told him, adding: "why don't you
come out and knock her head off," Some min
S!es afserward he went out and Agnes grabbed
him by the vest saying: SAINT you going to
give me money for the room rent?" and she
caught him by the leg and screamed. He denied
that ne kicked her. He asked why she did not
stop aoiiemring, saving lyon must want to get me
Agnes and she asked him if he was going home
he replied NO" and she said she was
gong to jump into the canal. He said
Woman, don't make fool of yourself"
and as he said this she stepped in the canal.
S On ", was drunk and staggering, but not crying.
he did not intend to elude the officers, but in
tended to give himself up Monday.
On cross examination witness admitted that
he had been arrested several times for ARRAYS
He denied that he had told any one that he
was going to marry Celia Mahoney. He denied
that he Knocked Agnes down at the house, but
said she fell and grabbed him by the legs; said
he showed her down; did not have any feeling
toward her that night; had loving feeling to-
ward her as also to every one else.
Mr.. Cahill said the defendant would submit
his case if the Government would admit that
MIR. Hillary Burrows would give certain testi-
mony. This Mr.. Lipscomb declined to do, and
recess was taken.
THE EVENING SESSION.
The evening session began at 6 o'clock Dur
ing the recess the deposition of Henry T. Bur-
rows was taken at his home, 3Oth and NJ streets,
by NJ. N. Richardson. This was read when
the court opened. 1t was in effect that affiant
on the night in question saw a colored man
and woman in a crowd, and learned that they
had been fighting. Some one said: ''She is
going to throw something" Then they went
to the tow-path, and witness followed. The
boy La Rowe preceded him, and colored boy
was on the bridge. Officer Riley was there.
He heard one woman say ''Poor dead thing.
He has thrown her overheard" and one woman
said: "There is the poor dead things hat, and
l know it." La Rowe told afiant what he had
seen, and affiant told him that he had better
go home and tell his father Some one told
Officer Riley that Barber was the man who
came with the woman. He asked Barber
where the woman was, and he answered II do
not know; think she is in there" Cor over
there(, pointing to the loch. He didn't know
what became of Barber after that 1t was two
or three minutes after he saw the man and
woman leave the crowd before he followed
them.
This closed the testimony for the defense.
TESTIMONY IN REBUTTAL.
The Government called in rebuttal Mary
Hardy, who testified that at IL o'clock that day
Barber took some money from Alice and beat
her, knocking her down. This was at Agnes
house, where witness had called to see her.
Georgeanna Wallace testified that Agnes was
not in the habit of drinking.
Matilda Catlett testified that she was in the
crowd after Agnes was overheard. On objec-
ton being made, Mr.. Lipscomb said that they
proposed to show that this was the woman who
slid down into the canal.
Witness said when she went down she heard
that Aggie was overheard, and she slid down
near the edge of the water and Sonny Hunter
said: Come out Of there, you d-fool; you'll
fall in yourself
On cross-examination witness said that she
had been drinking that day but was not drunk
There were lots Of people around there then
The court said if he understood the witness
this could not have been the same occurrence
that LaRowe testified to, and probably the tes-
timony should be stricken out. He would not,
however, pass finally upon the question at this
time.
Ellen Bell testified that it was fifteen or twen-
ty minutes after the occurrence when the Cat
lett girl came up. Some one told her what had
occurred, and she sat down on the bank and
commenced to cry, and Sonny Hunter told her
to get up.
I'm cross axor,;not;or ,r;x.o., a:a nr.u.
Catlett was drunk at the time.
Alexander Turner testified that he did not
see Hillary Burrows at the scene of the drown
ing that evening.
Angus McSween, a reporter, testified to an
interview with Barber the night after When
witness mentioned the charge Of throwing the
woman overheard Barber said: May be Cor per-
haps) 1 did," but he spoke rather vaguely.
This closed the testimony, and. Mr. Cahill
asked that the case 60 over until morning,
stating that the importance of the case de-
manded more preparation than he could give.
The court said that it had been understood
that the jury was to get the case this evening.
The case was then argued and the court
charged the jury, stating that while they could
either convict or acquit they need not convict
OF murder unless they found that Barber pushed
the woman overheard with intention to drown
her or knew that she must drown.
GUILTY OF MURDER
The jury took the case at 1O:15, and were ont
one hour when they returned verdict of guilty
as indicted. The jury was polled at the request
Of Mr.. Cahill, and each member responded
Guilty as indicted" Barber displayed no
emotion whatever. Notice of a motion for a
new trial was given.
In this case the court assigned Mr.. D. E.
Cahill to the defense, and subsequently Mr.. A.
W: Ferguson was also assigned. That no hard
ship should be inflicted on the prisoner Officer
Frank Burrows was detailed to assist in find
ing witnesses whose testimony might be
valuable to the accused man. During the trial
the defendant noted a number of exceptions
and also gave notice of a motion for a new
trial. The case is therefore not finally closed.
. Rockville Happenings.
WHAT Is GOING ON IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY