The record-union., 1896-02-04
BERRY HELD TO ANSWER.
Els Attorney InterpOSed No Defense
For Him.
Miss Methven Testified That She Had
Not the Slightest Acquaint-
ance With Him.

The examination of John Berry,
charged with assault to commit mur-
der, was held in the Police Court yes
terday, A. L. Hart appearing for the
defendant.
Mrs. E. A. Methven testified that on
Thursday night Berry came to the
door and told her that he wished to see
Miss Methven. Her daughter asked
him what he wanted and he said that
be wanted to talk with her. She told
him she had no secrets from her mother
and he could say what he wanted to in
her presence.
He insisted on a private interview
and said he wished to ask her about
some letters he had received. She said
she knew nothing about them and had
written none to him. He insisted on
coming in and when witness told him
that he could not, he said he would
and tried to do so. He said that he
had been looking for her since Tuesday
and wanted to kill her and then kill
himself. AS she tried to close the door,
he shot through it and she heard her
daughter scream. Then ne went to the
fence and put the pistol to his head and
she ran out and took it away from him,
as she did not wish tohave him kill him
self on her premises. She was not ac-
quainted with him. and he was not ac-
quainted with her daughter. She knew
who he was, as he had last summer
told some Of her relatives that he
wanted to get acquainted with her
daughter.
Witness asked him if he was ac-
Quainted with her daughter and he
said mo, but that he had known Of her
for long time and had wished to get ac-.
Quainted with her" While she strug-
gled to push him back, he put his hand
around inside the door and fired in the
direction in which he had seen her
daughter and her friends run.
And you had strength to hold him
back?" said Mr.. Hart
yes, I had strength to hold him
back, and God knows how I had it,
when I knew he wanted to kill my
child" said the witness.
Miss Maude Methven testified that
when Berry asked for private inter
view she told him that he could say
what he had to say before her mother
He said that he had some letters that
were signed with her name and he
wanted to speak with her about them
Her mother asked him if he thought
she had written to him and he said, No,
but she might have done So" Then he
tried to get in and when she saw the
pistol she ran. She had never spoken
to him or he to her. She did not think
he had ever traded at the counter at
which she was.
She knew who he was, although she
was not acquainted with him. She had
never written to him or signed her name
fp q nv latfaTc fo him and did mt I~y7o-x-
who had.
Mrs. Tart testified that Berry put his
hand around inside the door and shot,
as Maude ran toward the parlor
Jennie Methven corroborated the tes-
timony of her mother and sister She
could not tell whether it was Berry
who shot or not
T. ]. Hanrahan and his brother ran to
the Methven house when they heard
the call for help. Berry extended his
hand with the pistol in it and said
Keep away from me-" Afterward he
saw Berry and Mrs. Methven struggling
and she came and handed him the pis-
toll The man walked very slow, but
cid not stagger.
James Hanrahan testified to the same
effect
officer Taylor arrested Berry and said
that on his way to the station he stated
IL answer to his questions that he did
not know at whom he fired the shot,
and that he had been going with Miss
Methven for four or five years. Han
rahan handed him the pistol It had
one discharged cartridge in it.
Ella Lindley, who is employed at
Weinstock. Lubin & Co. s, testified that
Berry bought some needles of her a
little before 8 O'Clock and asked her
where. Miss AIethven was. She told him
that she was at home and he asked her
twice if she was sure of it and she told
him she was
A Labhardt swore that Berry told
him that afternoon he wanted to get
acquainted with Miss Methven, and
that he was going to commit suicide.