The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-08-03
CANNOT REMEMBER
Barry's Mind Became a Blank Be-
fore He Killed Mellem.
TAKES THE STAND AT LANGDoN
His Relations to MelIem and Dis
cOvery of the Latter's
Duplicity.

Special to The Journal.
Langdon, N. D., Aug. 3.-The defendant,
william Barry, was put on the stand this
forenoon and under examination by At
torney Erwin was able to tell of events
transpiring up to within a few hours OF
the killing of Mellem. Then comes a
blank in his memory, his reason apapr-
emily not returning until several days
afterwards in Jail
Barry showed an earnestness in giving
his answers, but his thoughts came far
slower than Attorney Erwins questioning.
His acquaintance with Mellem dated back
fourteen years ago and Barry took him in
because he was in need. aBrry is illit-
crate and placed his accounts and financial
affairs in Mellem's charge. Only when the
rush of harvest was on did Mellem take
much active part in the farm work. Bar
rvs sister, Mary Ann, of whom Mellem
was the unfaithful lover, came to keep
house for the defendant five years ago.
Two years later, it is alleged by Barry,
Mellem oVerpowered his sister by the aid
Of drugs and accomplished her ruin, keep
ing it secret and continuing under promise
of marriage when he had made proof on
his homestead.
The defendants testimony then returned
to what transpired during the days that
preceded Mellem's murder The day fol-
lowing Christmas, Barry, returning from
Milton after night, saw through the win
dow his sister and Mellem scufling in the
kitchen. When he entered, they denied
anything was wrong.
Mellem blamed it to Barry's imagina-
tion, saying it was not unlikely the de-
fendant would be in the "Jimtown asy-
lum" in a couple of months.
On Sunday the confession of both his
sister and Mellem followed. Returning
from milking the cows, Mary Ann Barry
in tears, told her brother that Mellem
who had been out doing chores, wanted
to give her croton OIL and asked de-
fendant if it would kill her. Mellem COM
ing in, told Barry he was to blame for
her condition, and would make it right
would marry her. But Mary Ann re-
fused, and said she would die on the door
step first as she knew Mellem wouldn't
let the child be raised a Catholic.
Three nights following, Barry says, he
watched his sister continually to prevent
her harming herself He announced to
them his intention of selling out and
leaving them the farm. He felt the fam
ily's disgrace so that he could not face
his neighbors.
The insanity of the defendant, as he
testified, dates around the early hours
killed. Before daylight Barrys sister,
partly dressed, escaped from the house.
The first time he found her lying in a
strawstack near the house, and his mind
gradually becoming clouded now grew
uncertain. She got away again, and just
where he found her he testified. he did
not know. Nothing is clear until he was
brought to Jail, and his mind gradually
became restored.
The cross examination of Barry was
begun just before noon.
Barry's Mother on the Stand.
Mrs. Helen Barry, the defendants
mother, said she was born in
Ireland sixty-f1ve years ago and
came to America when she was
Is, landing at the city of Brooklyn, where
went to Canada, setting in the township
of Aradoc, in the county of Huron, On
tario, where she has lived ever since.
At the age of II, two years after taking
up resider ce in Ontario, she first met
the defendants father, Florence Barry,
and the marriage Of the two followed at
an early date Her husband was then 2S
years of age, and he died a few years
ago, at the age of 65.
The examination by Mr.. Templeton was
confined to the history of her own family,
journed. The witness gave a detailed
narrative of the condition Of her
two sisters, Mrs. Sweeney and Mrs.
Ridge. She was asked by Mr..
Templeton to show the jury how
they acted, and give them a general idea
Of what she saw them do. "They wur
pullin' their cothes and taIkin' all sich
foolish nonsense as does insane persons
we've all seen them, and ii yees haven't
7 fa11
them,' was the answer A portion of
this answer Mr.. C0chrane moved to have
stricken out as not being in response to
the question and the request was granted.
Dispositions From Canada.
The defense then took up the deposit
tions from Canada, three in number, all
bearing upon the trait of insanity in the
Barry family.
The first was that of Ellen Holt. She
is not related to Barry, but is acquainted
with defendants family. She knew of the
grandmother having set fire to her own
shanty and burned it, and believed her to
be insane.
The deponent also had known of the in
sanity Of Mrs. ORourke, sister of the de-
fendant's mother. Deponent knew Barry
as being of an excitable nature. He ex-
pected on his last visit to Canada to get
wife, but was disappointed. Witness never
knew Of the insanity of Richard Barry. as
testified to by his wife Thursday.
The second deposition was that OF
Charles Ridge. husband of a sister of Will
liam Barry's mother His wife had been
confined twice in an insane asylum. two
or three weeks each time.
The third deposition was that of John
Barry, brother of defendant He de-
posed as to William Barry's having been
kicked on the head with frozen boot by
Richard O'Rourke, and William remained
in the house all winter holding his head
down in stupid fashion, and could not
sleep unless he hung his head over the
bed. William couldn't stand noise in the
house all winter. In the spring vein
bursted half way between his ear and the
crown of his head, and the wound tre-
quently bled. Deponent told of a quarrel
later between himself and William during
which William foamed thick white foam
from his mouth. Deponent was sure from
his actions that William was insane at
that time.