The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-03-13
The Rraden Murder Trial.

On Monday afternoon At 1925 Judge
Furst, OF Belefone, took the bench and the
case OF Commonwealth W. John F. Brad
en-, for the murder OF his wife, was called.
Two and q half hours were consumed in
selecting jury, yet the twelve jurors were
taken from the regular panel, without call
ing talesmen.
The following named gentlemen are on
the jury: Alonza Elliott, Barr township;
William II. Byrne, Ebensburg; Ira Bloom,
Summerhill township; Samuel Plummer
Croyle township; Amos W. Rowland,
Blacklick township; B. +. Stull, Stony
creek township; George h. Richards,
Reade township; Joseph Thomas, Johns
town; Luke Bush, Elder township; JOS
eph Engele, East Conemaugh; John Page,
jackson township, and John S. Wicks,
Suth Fork.
District Attorney O'Connor, represented
the Commonwealth, and Col. John p. Lin
ton and Alvin Evans, Esq, were counsel for
the prisoner
Mrs. Polly Mitchell was the first witness
called and testified as follows: II live In
the house next TO Bradens, in the Four
teenth ward, JohnStown, Cambria county;
had been living thero for about year be-
fore the shooting; | was washing; Mrs.
Braden came out and was leaning on the
fence talking with me; I went into the
house TO see the clothes; while ! was in
Braden shot his wife; | did not see the
shooting; when / came out Mrs Braden
was laying across my walk; She had been
shot; l helped carry her into the house;
l washed the blood of her; she never spoke
after being shot; she died about O'Clock
that afternoon; the shooting was done
about quarter past o'clock IN the morn
ing; Braden was lying on the ground; l
did not notice anything the matter with
Braden that morning; l saw him that
morning before the shooting; he seemed
all right; | tainted and was taken into my
own house"
Gracie Braden, thirteen year-old
daughter OF the defendant was called and
testified: The morning of the shooting
papa came into the basement kitchen and
/ asked mamma for the revolver; she want
7 ed him 10 eat breakfast; he said there was
nothing there that suited his appetite but
he afterwards drank cup OF coffee He
/ followed down that he could not find II;
mamma told him to look again; mamma
and got afraid; ! took the children out
IN the back yard, and mamma went up
around the house; be came down stairs
whistling; saw him take the revolver out
OF his hip pocket just as he got 10 the cor
ner OF the house; Immediately after that
heard the shooting"
She also testified that her father was
ugly and quarrelsome when drunk but was
all right when sober.
number OF other witnesses were called
who detailed practically the same story.
AT three O'Clock on Tuesday the Com
monwealth closed, and Alvin Evans, Esq,
opened the case for the defense
The etheory.ofdefensei is impulsive insanity
and Braden's attorneys have called num-
Der OF witnesses TO show that insanity has
been In the Braden family. The defend
ant was called and his story is as follows:
l am thirty nine years old, have been
hVing In Johnstown abont nine years, was
married In Johnstown TO Sadie Chambers
In 1873, have been living out Of the county
since was married. Boucher boarded at
our house couple OF years ago; he came
back in August 1883. On the night OF July
10th last, was not feeling very we'll. I
LOOK piece Of carpet and pillow from the
oaoy cradle and went out and lay down
On the grass In the yard and went 10 sleep;
:. was very warm night; it was about 7 |
O'CLOCK when l lay down; got awake and |
went quietly up stairs TO &c to bed, I saw |
'he CLOCK 1t was d few minutes after II. 7 |
went IN the bed room and my wife was not |
inc oaby was in bed with pillow
On each side OF it to keep it from falling
out supposed she was ia the spare room
"eoanse IL was cooler: ! went 10 look for
unD as 1 passed Boucher's door saw
III. z.
ny vic ID his bed on her back and Bouch-
VI -; he had nothing but his un-