Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-17
AN AWFUL TRAGEDY.
Walter Rail Killed By Rs Son-in-
Law, Bennett BarhaHl.
4 FULL HISTORY OF THE CASE,
Miss Balls Letter Feelingly Appeal
Ing TO Her Father.
BETRAYED, olShoNoRED, RUINED.
---r>-----
Ha Explicit Instructions Regarding Bar
HAMS Capture.
"AND MAKE HIM MARRY ME-"
A Bloody and Deadly Duel on the WI
iIamsburg Road.

SD >fNtflnNtr ~, 1881. MT. waiter Bali,
prominent citizen OF New Kent county,
viih his son. entered the room of young
Bennett Barham, clerk OF the West Point
Terminal Company, at O'Clock in the
morning. They covered Barham with their
pistols. compelled him TO accompany them,
nnl warning HIM not 10 attempt to escape
al the peril of his life, escorted him to the
depot. whore they took the train for Rich
unud. There they were joined by MISS
MA Bali, 20 whom Barham had been en-
gagged 70 be married, but which engage
mpnt he bad broken off. The entire party
won't 10 Washington. Barham being
close prisoner all the way. and the
next Gay september 18th he was
forced almost ut the pistols muzZle
20 marry Miss Ball. They al returned to
their homes and separated since which
fme Barham has never seen his wife. AS
result of this unfortunate marriage the
e'dcr Mr. Walter Ball is dead, killed yester-
dlY hy the bullets from his son-in-law's
pistol, aud the latter lies probably mortally
wonB led by four shots from revolver IN
TIC lands of his father-in-law.
HTgroRY or THE CAST.
On the 18th Of October. 1889, the Balls
were tried at West Point for the abduction
al Bennett Barham, and in the course OF
tho irlal Miss Ralls letter informing her
1athcr that Barham had betrayed her was
road The indictment charged the Balls
with felouiously aud burglariously break
ING and entering the dwelling-house OF b.
T.. BGrham with intent 10 kill Barham; Sc
cpnd with felOniOus assault upon Barham
third, with breaking and entering theidwell-
inc-house Of Mrs. Kate Richardson with
intent to kill Barham.
Mcssrs. II. X. Pollard and +. p. Bagby.
counsel for the Balls, demurred TO the in-
dictment aud each count thereof. The
second count was quashed.
Barham in his own behalf testified that
he had known Miss Ball some time; that he
saw her last January and March: that they
were engaged and correspOnded; that the
arrangement was finally br0Een of III
March that he had always treated Miss
Ball a. lady that he was engaged to an
other lady in West Point and expected to
be married on October 10th. On the 18th
Of September the Balls came TO his room,
and Walter Ball told him he had TO 90
with him 20 marry his daughter. lie kept
him covered with a pistol and made him
dress and 60. He met Miss Ball in Rich
tnond. The party went TO the Howard
House in Washington, and were married
September 18th. lie repeated some words
after the preacher because the older Ball
made him. He did not answer II will
to the preacher. The Balls kept strict
guard over him all the time. He wrote 3
note on the cars at West Point but Ball
saw the note. He wrote letter at Saks's
in Richmond, but Ball was standing near
him. He had nothing TO say to Miss Ball
on the trip or after the marriage.
Mr.. TalaferrO testified that the Balls
came TO Mrs. Richardson's, where he also
boarded at an early hour on September
18th. Walter Ball told him to tell Bnrnam
Mir. Christian wanted TO see HIM. BGrham
told him TO tell Mr.. Christian TO come to
lis room. He saw Ball have pistol in his
hand when he entered Barham's room.
Ialaferro went out and knew no more of
the matter.
Mr.. Ball testified that his daughter. whom
no left at dentists in Richmond, gave
him a letter asking him not to read 1t for
m hour. He was led to believe from the
letter that his daughter had been betrayed.
He returned home, and the next morning,
with his son. came 10 West Point.
His statement in the main agreed with
Barham's, though in several points they
contradicted each other fatty.
IMPRESSIONS EXCHANGED ON THE WAY.
Mr.. Ball said he did not read the note at
West Point nor the letter in Richmond
that at the Hotel Dodson Barham asked
ms daughter IL she had tOldhe father that
b. had betrayed her She said Yes"
tie denied it. She said: "Do you dare
% say that you have not my reputation In
your hands ~ He did not hear Barham's
replv. Barham had said that the elder
Ball testified that Barham went out OF
the room with his son at the Hotel bod
son: that on the way to Washington Bar
ham went from one eur TO another 10y him.
self; that Barham asked after they got To
Washington why they could not be mar
RED that night; that though they stayed
in the same room he slept all night; that
at breakfast next morning Barham told
him he would be at a saloon q few doors
of when he was wanted. He found Bar
ham at the saloon. They went TO the City
Hall together 10 get the license. Barham
said he could have escaped fifty times. He
taid he did not want to marry Miss Bali
because she had been intimate with other
'neu.
TIE MARRIAGE CEREMONY.
The marriage was by the Episcopal cere-
monv. He RalD was some distance OF 10y
u window. He heard the minister ask
three times: "Will thou take this woman?
etc.. " He did not hear Barham answer,
but he heard him repeat the words of the
service after the preacher. He had no
idea that Barham had been guilty of i'm
nroper conduct 10 bis daughter, though
She had said and his wife had said some
thing which at the time gave him no con-
Germ, but which he Afterwards reinen-
bered. lie claimed that Barham last saw
his daughter April 2s. 1889. Miss ball was
not enciente.
Young Ball corroborated the statement of
his father He heard Barham deny having
his sisters reputation in his hands, ana
she said. Then YOU are lower than 1
thought He distinctly heard Barham
answer e" | will" TO the preacher. Counsel
on both sides agreed to admit all the cor
rcspondence between Barham and Miss
Ran Miss Balls letters to Barham were
brief but very aifecuonate. One OF histo
her. written IN June, told her that he
would never marry her and referred TO
what other men had said about her. The
letter was signed Yours Indignantly. b.
L. Barham."
Barham said she continued to write him |
aud he got tired of IL and WAS provoked. |
Miss Balls letter 20 her father was with |
out date and was written IN pencil. The
following Is the greater portion Oh II:
REMARKABLE LETTER,
My Own Dear Papa.--f am in some ter.
rible trouble, the cause OF which ! had
rether die than tell YOU, but | don't know
what else TO do You know that Bennett
barham and were engaged 10 be married,
but yen do not know that he dishonored
me-betrayed me under promise Of mar
rage. | need not tell you how he
swore that as his wife no one could ever say
annyihingagainst me, that could trust HIM
always, DC. see now how wrong II all
was; but loved him blndly. and so fell.
Oh. my God. that IT should be my hand
that deals this blow To you / think the
chief sting IN all my misery is the thought |
of your suffering. Papa. my papa / never
meant 10 dot. never thought Of such q
thing. and God knows that save for him
would be as pure as an angel in Heaven.
No other man ever spoke disrespectful
word 10 me in my life.
The day was fixed for our marriage
twice--once in March and next in June.
When with me be was always the same,
but towards the last / saw a difference. and
the last time 1 wrote To him he replied
that he never intended 10 marry me; that
he was tired Of "such stuff" His whole
letter was full OF coarse insults and vile
ISLANDERS. ealso refused utterly 20 return
my letters. ! suppose no keeps them TO
show.
coSrENpLATxs eUIc1pE-
When first read his letter like 10 have
gone mad. Twice had the iaudenum TO
my lips. II was 80 much easier TO die than