Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-09
MRS. BARNETT's AssAILANr.
He IL Sentenced to Three Years in the Al.
bany Penitentiary.

He IL Sentenced to Three Years In the Al.
bany Penitentiary.
In the Criminal Court, Chief Justice Bing-
ham, yesterday, James Harrison, q young col
ored man, charged with IN assault and battery
on Julia Barnett on New Jersey avenue between
II and / streets, on April last, was tried,
Messrs. Peyton and Renfro appearing for the
defendant
Mrs. Barnett testified that she had a sick son
and engaged the accused to attend to the
patient; that on the day in question the de-
PENDANT came to her and demanded her money.
showing pistol. She refused and he then said
he had five balls in the pistol which he would
use and demanded the keys and she refusing
he took her by the hair and fired, putting bali
through her neck.
During the cross examination Mrs Barnett
became indignant that she should btAasked to
repeat her testimony and some Of the questions
she refused to answer until admonished by the
court. She was asked IL her son was not in
sane and replied: Suppose he was in love and
his mind was wandering, what is ii your bust
nessT' Finally, on the Chief Justice admon-
ishing her, she said her son was out of his
mind from excessive study.
MRS. BARNETT AND THE coLoRED LAWYERS.
The colored lawyers again questioned her.
when she closed her lips until the chief Justice
answer themT' she asked. what kind Of law
yers do You have now, judge?' Then she
stated that she didn't like 1.-The negroes grim
ming at her" and said to them: what do We
mean, showing your teeth there like dogs?''
Finally the chief justice succeeded in con-
vincing her that it was her duty to answer
Then she denied that her son ever assaulted
her or broke up the furniture, but said that he
sometimes broke the glass from the windows
She positively and Indignantly denied that her
son had said that he shot her.
TIE PRISONER ADMITTED THE SHOOTING.
Detective Aahon testified that he arrested
the defendant in Berryville, Va. He admitted
that he shot Mrs. Barnett, and he did not know
why be did 1t; that he used a single barreled
pistol which he lost when he jumped freight
train. subsequently, pistol was found in q
sewer trap near the house, and witness went to
the prisoner and told him. He denied that il
WAS his pistol, stating that he was certain he
bad the pistol and lost it. Witness said the de-
fendant told him that Mrs Barnett's daughter
gave him $2.45; that he got drink and went
down on the avenue and bought the pistol and
returned to the house and shot Mrs. Barnett.
Mary Barnett testified that the defendant had
been in the employ Of her mother for seven
days and she paid him u. 46 on the morning Of
the day Of shooting. She left home in the
morning, leaving defendant, her mother and
brother ct home.
The defendant took the stand and testified
that he worked for Mrs. Barnett three weeks in
January and returned February Is and re-
manned till April 2, and that he knew nothing
of the shooting I'LL the Thursday following,
when he saw the account in paper at Charles
ton, VIVA Witness vas At the barber shop
when arrested, the detective telling him to
come out that he had something to tell him.
On the way the detective gave him some whisky
and he got drunk. He denied that he admitted
having shot Mrs. Barnett, and said all he told
about pistol was thst be bad sngie-barreled
pistol, which he lost when he jumped ON the
freight train to leave this city. Mrs. Barnett
agreed to give him % per month and her
daughter promised to give him d more, which
he accepted.
THREE YEARS n TEE PxNiTRNrIARY.
After Argument The Jury found Q verdict of
guilty, and Harrison was sentenced TO the peni-
tentiary for shrss yesra