The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-01
DID THEY KILL BARRETT?
Trial of the Corkins Boys Begun in the
Criminal Court Before a Big Crowd.
State Proposes TO Show a Conspiracy BY the
G~ang-Homely but Pertinent Justice
-Bissow Under Heavy Bond.

The trial of William Corkins. jointly in
Gicted with his brother Elmer, for the MUIR
der of Milford Barrett, began yesterday in
the Criminal Court. a great interest has
been aroused in the case. as was shown by
the crowded condition of the lobby. The
assault, which terminated III murder, oc-
Cured on the evening of July IL. In front
of William Pages grocery store, on Ninth
street. near Columbia avenue. Barrett was
o Merchant policeman, and had been called
in by John Wneatley. q brother of
ficer. on a previous date. to
help him arrest the Corkins boys.
who were engaged in o fight. For this the
Corkins brothers, as the State will attempt
to prove. entered into q conspiracy to muir
der Barrett, and on the date of the assault
approached the officer with this purpose IN
view. The defendants were members OF o
gang of young roughs, who have caused the
police much trouble in the neighborhood of
the scene of the fight. They have also tig-
urcd more or less in local prize rings.
John w. Kern appeared for the defend
ants. and moved for separate trial. which
the court granted. William Corkins's case
was then called. A special venire of thirty
men had been summoned as Jurors, but
challenge after challenge was offered to
the regular and special panel, until only
two of the former and five of the latter
were left in the box. The jury, as COM
pleted at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, was as
follows:
o. +. Kuhn, James A. Snyder, John Stems,
Andrew GOul, NJ. /. Brown, Enoch W. Mark,
4 Epai llrrnQr II M Wright q w Rannpff WILL
lam Foltz, NJ. l.. Murphy, Adam c. Bowers.
The opening statement for the State was
made by Prosecuting Attorney John Holtz-
man, who outlined the course he would fol-
low. The murder. 1t was said, would be
shown to be the direct result of malice,
leading to a conspiracy to take the life of
Barrett, and was afterward carried out.
He described the fatal assault. stating that
Elmer and William COrkins attacked Bar
rett with powders. and after knocking
him down in the gutter in front of Pages
store. jumped upon him and beat and
kicked him.: William CoIkins. he said.
had seized Barrett's thumb in his teeth,
which caused lockjaw to set in, resulting
in death on Aug. 4.
The first witness for the State was Mer-
chant policeman Wheatley., He described
the fight. on July 4. which led him to call
in the assistance of Barrett. He gave evil
dence as To the feeling expressed by the
Corkins brothers against Barrett for his
interference, and related several instances
VA bASoe AiaoS w khOh' ~
animation did not break dOwn the damag-
ing force of this testimony. The next wit
ness was Mrs. Sarah Backus, whose hus-
band has a barber-shog near the scene of
another brother. had come to the shop
while she and her husband. Milford
barrett and Jack Shiels, uncle of Corkins.
were present. and had there made the
within five days" This. she said, was
after the fight in which Wheatley had
CorIins. also. the witness testified. said to
herself and husband, that it was the last
time they would ever appear in court
against the gang" meaning. she said. his
brothers and their friends. II. s. Backus,
wife's testimony. with some discrepancies
ia dates.
William Hancock, who was in the gro
Gerry store when the fight occurred, gave q
description of it. showing that Elmer and
William COrkins had approached Barrett
on the stone doorstep from either side with
powders in their hands. William Page.
the grocery-keeper. related the same gen.
eral facts, and said he was deferred from
interfering by threats from one Grossly.
who stood by with a bowlder in each hand.
to kill the first one that interfered.
The evidence will continue to-day and
prOba bly, through all of tomorrow. The
prisoner is a young man. whom long con-
finement in Jail has given q bleached-Out
appearance. He has not an Intelligent.
order of face, but does not look the muir
derer. None of his family attended by his
side yesterday.
The testimony for the afternoon closed
with that of DR.. carp. police surgeon. who
attended Barrett after he was Injured. He
stated that death was duo to traumatic
tetanus, owing to the wound made by Cork
mss teeth on the thumb. He testified that
the wound healed, but that the nerves were
SO much lacerated as to affect the nervous
81 system The counsel for the defense spent
over half al hour trying to break down
this evidence, and then announced that he
wOuld recall the Doctor to the stand to-
morrow.
Some Very Laudable Justice.
Alonzo Smith. coIored, was the prose-
cutting witness yesterday in Justice Felble-
mans court in a surety-of- peace proceed
ings brought against John Wheat, also
colored. He stated on the stand that he
was calling on q woman employed at Col.
Downing's residence one night last week.
and that Wheat lntruded upon them with
a revolver. threatening to blow his head off
and to kill the witness on sight Mt
the next opportunity. The defendant.
who is o %janitor at the Union
Railway Station, testified that
the woman is his wife. and that he had had
occasion before to warn smith to cease his
| ATTENTIONS ~ UeI. LILO cSlUtuCo l0lleu 10
sustain the statement that a weapon had
been drawn upon him. and. under the cir
cumstances, the court dismissed the case.
Justice Fe:bleman explained that it is q
poor conscience that seeks to call in the
protection of law to cover q great crime
like the alienation of q wife. and that in
this view of the case, he would assess the
costs upon the prosecuting witness.
Making the Punishment Fit the Crime.
August Barber was fined 500 and sent to
the work-house for ninety DAYS, yesterday,
in the Police Court, for carrying concealed
weapons. He was arrested Saturday night
on West w asbington street, flourishing q
revolver in a crowd.
Austin Plat. charged with assault and
battery npOn Annie Batcheller, was given
O like punishment.
Wesley Lewis and Dan Morgan, both
colored, were fined 81 and s.. respectively,
for tbe same Ofiense for which Barber was
punished 80 heavily-carrying concealed
weapons. The mitigation in Lewiss case
WAS the pleading by Judge Clay pool. whose
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