The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-09
HE'S HERE ONCE MORE
Joseph Barriere Has Figured in Butte's
Criminal Cases.
ONCE ACCUSED OF MURDER
His wife Was Found Dead and
Many People Believed He Was
the Guilty Mantle Is Under
Bonds on Serious Charge.

A police court item which appeared
in yesterdays papers concerns a man
who. In the minds OF most of the peo-
pie who lived In Butte at the time,
murdered his wife but was acquitted
by one of those turies for which Butte
Is famous The police item referred to
is a decision by Judge Turner holding
Joseph Barriere under bonds Of $500 to
keep the peace, he having been tried
the day before for threatening to kill
a woman Of the town named Alice
Marrow. The woman, 1t seems, re-
gardless of the fate which befell Julia
Barriere. has been allowing the man
to live on the earnings Of her shame,
but because she could not give him as
much money as he wanted he threat
ened to kill her. Barriere could not
furnish the $500 bond and went to jail.
1t would seem about time that Butte
got rid of Joseph Barriere, or there
will probably be another expensive
murder trial for taxpayers to settle.
Barriere doesn't seem to have profited
by the close call he had, IL man tried
for murder in Silver Bow county can
be said to have a "close CALL" and
seems to be as fond of living with
fallen women and compelling them to
divide their earnings as he was in the
days when Julia Barriere was one or
the shining lights of East Galena
street.
1t was i'm little green-painted house
on the south side of East Galena
street. No. so. that the body of Julia
Barriere was found at O'Clock on the
morning of Nov. 30. 1889. For a long
time after that no woman of the town
would occupy the Barriere house, but
the superstition seems to nave
passed away. The neighbors had heard
a shot and a heavy fall. The little
daughter OF Mrs. Barriere, between A
and years of age, ran into the house
of Lizzie Hall. a colored prostitute. ex-
claimingi
"Oh. Miss Lizzie, papa has shot
mammal
The woman was found lying on the
floor of the bed room, a bullet having
entered the lower jaw on the left side
and penetrated the brain. The woman
was stone dead, and did not speak to
give her version of the affair. A bull
dog revolver. 44-caliber evidently the
one with which the crime had been
committed. was found under the door
step of the adjoining house. 1t was
impossible for Mrs Barriere to have
thrown 1t there, and Mr.. Barriere de-
MED that he had placed II there, or
had had his hands on the gun at any
time. The finding of the gun In such
a place was very suspicious, when
taken in connection with Barriere's
story of the shooting. Barriere said
that he slept with Mrs. Barriere's
three children In the little cabin back
of the shack occupied by Mrs Barriere.
He said that he awoke at z o'clock the
morning of the shooting, knocked at
the back door of his wife's house to
awaken her. and she told him to light
the fire and put the potatoes on. He
did so. and then went back to his wife's
house. AS he entered, he said. he
heard a man. as he thought, leaving
by the front door. His wife rushed at
him with a revolver, so Barriere told
his yarn. He seized her wrists, turned
them so the gun was pointed, toward
her. It was discharged, and Mrs. Bar
riere fell. He claimed that he did not
touch the revolver at any time.
The only eyewitness of the affair.
so far as appeared at the coroner's in
quest. was Julia Benoit, the 4-year-old
child OF Mrs. Barriere, by a former hus-
band AT the coroner's inquest she
pointed TO Barriere and said:
"He shot my mudder!"
"What did he shoot her WITH"
HE shoot her wiv gun"
"Did your mamma have a gum"
The little one shook her head She
said further that her father took the
gun from his pocket and shot IL right
in her mothers face. and that then her
father put the gun out of the door and
pushed her out.
At the preliminary examination and
the trial In the district court the little
girls testimony was not admitted, II
being claimed hat she was too young
TO testify. Possibly a reason for the
exclusion Of her testimony was the
answer she gave TO question in the
district court when examined as TO heI
ability TO testify.
'swhere do good people go to whei
they die?' she was asked.
ITO Butte City. Mont" was the an
swer of the little one who doubtless
had never heard of God. or Heavel
and who probably was better off 70
her fallen mother being dead. Afte
the trial she and the other children o
Mrs Barriere were taken to Chicag
by Mrs. Hugo; a respectable sister o
the dead woman.
The preliminary examination begal
before Judge Newkirk on Dec. an
was concluded on Dec. 2S. when Bar
riere was held to the district court un
der bonds OF 5000. A sensational feat
ure of the preliminary examination wa
the testimony OF Lizzie Hall, whc
when put on the stand. was reluctan
TO testify and finally said that Phil
Besetle a witness for the defense, ma
threatened to horsewhip her IL she ''tol
the truth" by which she understoo
that she must be careful to testif
nothing against Barrere.
Barriere was indicted by the graz
fury ON April 9. 1890. and his trial :
the district court began April %. Bot
in the preliminary examination and 8
the district court the trial was re
marlCable for the amount of contradiC
tory evidence presented. There wa
never 50 much lying before in any cas-
in the county. IL a witness on one sid
testified TO a certain fact a wftnes
was found on the other side TO testif
exactly the opposite. Some said tina
Barriere did not like the life of sham
his wife was leading and wanted ne
70 go back TO Canada with him, Will
others claimed that Barriere encoui
aged mis- wife in a life OF shame. A
agreed that they frequently aurrele'
and some testified that Mrs. Barrier
had often threatened 70 Kill her hui