The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-05-02
GETTING AT The TRUTH
Lawyers In the BaFFiefe Case ProddinS
One Of The Witnesses.
Trying hard to Find Out Whether
the Testimony OF An Alleged Eye
Witness Of the Murder 10
Good for Anything.


BUTTE, May line lawyers IN the
Barriere case have to-day been occupied
in trying 10 find out for certain whether
Lavegne tells the truth. His story OF the
killing il almost identical with that of
Barriere, except that Lavegue puts the
gun into Barriere's hand and Barriere
puts II into the hands of his wife. Lave
que Is having n pretty hard time though
being q witness of the affair, IL indeed he
was n witness. He has stuck to his
story well, there is no doubt that
conveyed by his story and manner of tell
ing IL. He was on the stand all OF yes
terday and again nearly all of to-day. The
cross-examination was as thorough and as
shrewd AS two smart lawyers could make
II, IN the testimony was OF course torn
slightly, q feat hat smart lawyers ave
little difficulty in achieving, hut the wit
ness does not vary from the original story
of the affair. On the truth or falsity of
the testimony hangs the life of Barriere,
for there is nothing but circumstantial
evidence of q mild character against the
testimony outside OF the word OF Laveque.
The cross-examination which was be-
gun yesterday afternoon was concluded
at IL O'Clock this morning. The redirect
examination then began and continued
until 2:45 o'clock this afternoon. The
witness shows signs Of fatigue and looks
as IL he would rather have been killed
himself in place Of Mrs. Barriere thar to
have been the principal witness in the
case. The defense claims that IL will
show by witnesses that Lavegue was i'm
South Butte that morning. But IL will
take pretty strong evidence to dissipate
the impression made by Lavegue.
On the redirect examination to-day the
witness was questioned as to why he had
not appeared in the case i'm the former
examinations. He said Barricre for years
has beer n friend Of his, that he had moth
ing against him and that he didn't care to
appear against him. For 10 days after
. ihs : snSo', Z B Bes wss A'p %i,h !" 4 Instruction, nSSss Ss
Don't go away" He did go out when he
wanted to. He vas to be paid s. a day to
stay I'm but he never received the money.
Cadreux had offered him SO the second
Sunday after the murder to go back to
Canada; He finally went to anaconda.
He had talked with Father Van de Ven
about the case and asked his advice.
That, he said, was about thirteen days or
three weeks after the shooting.
This afternoon the witness was again
required to tell the story of d shooting,
and pointed out the relative positions Of
the parties. The defense asked that the
witness send to Anaconda for his trunk,
that the letters supposed to be there
might be exhibited. The letters. il was
claimed, had been written by the wit
ness To several friends of Barriere
asking for $50 to get him back to Canada.
The letters had been written, but never
sent. The witness expressed his willing
ness to have the trunk brought and signed
a telegram &c that effect.
The witness denied that he was in
South Butte OH the morning of the shoot
ing but said he was there i'm the after
noon. After b re-cross examination, a
few questions were asked by the court,
relative to what he had told Flamnon
about the letters. That was about Is days
ago. Flamnon had told him il was too
bad that Barriere should nave To suffer
and that i he was in ~Lavegue's place he
would tell n few lies. Lavegue said
in answer that IL was too late then.
To a question by Attorney Haldorn as to
whether on last Friday night he was i'm
Blanche Desjardins' room and had a con-
versation m to what he was to testify to i'm
the presence of Tetrault, the witness an
swered that he was there, but had no con-
versation relative TO his testimony in the
case. He went there To borrow 81 from
Blanche. Another time he had borrowed
so cents and gave it back. Altogether he
had had $3.50 from her, and still owes her
81 only. The witness was finally excused
at 3 O'Clock. after being questioned just
eight hours. The prosecution then rested.
Attorney Haldron opened the case for
the defense by n brief statement. He
said the defense would show that the de-
PENDANT had been inveigled into marry
ing q m OF the town, and hat she
had often threatened 10 kill him; that
Laveque knew no more of the killing than
anyone Of the jurymen; that his testi'
mony was part of q terrible conspiracy Ia
hang Barriere prompted by a fiend In
human shape, Blanche Desjardins, Bar
riere's mortal enemy. Two men whom
the witness had claimed to have told tho
truth, would Ike brought on the stand
Father Van de Ven would be
produced to show hat he had
never been visited by Lavequs
until two days ago. The defense at once
began trying to impeach Lavequc's testi
mony.:.O fficer James was put on the stand
to show whether Laveque had bee at the
place of the killing, according to his testi
mony. The officer said he remembered
nobody as being there except Shortsleeves
He saw no cigar boxes on the bed ol
around il.
Under Sheriff Shortsleeves was next pu
on the stand. When he got to the seen,
of the tragedy Officer James, Barriere an,
Lizzie Hall were there. He did not SEE
Laveque there that morning. He saw n,
cigar boxes around