The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-24
EACH DEFENDANT GIVES
THE SAME TESTIMONY IN
TRIAL At RISING SUN
James Gillespie and the Barbours
Tell Stories Remarkable for
Uniformity.
DENIES HE STRUCK SISTER
Twin Brother of Murdered Wom-
an VIII Be Cross-Examined
To-Day.
SCHOOL DAYS RECALLED
Elizabeth Gillespie and Youthful
Lover Were Graduated Just
Twenty Years Ago.
SCHOOL DAYS RECALLED
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special 70 the indianapolis Journal
RISING SUN. Ind, May 23.-Just twenty
years ago tonight. at the ninth annual
commencement of the Rising Sun High
School. Elizabeth Gillespie for whose muir
der her twin brother is now on trial. stood
before a large audience and graduated. the
subject of her address being. Even the
Sun Is Not Without Spots" peculiar CO.
Incidence lies in the fact that former
lover &C Miss Gillespie. Albert B. Cooper.
OF this city. graduated at the
same time and place. the subject of
his address being. Twenty Years Hence.
While there was much of prophecy in the
address OF Mr.. Cooper on that memorable
occasion. there was nothing that savored Of
the terrible crime by which Elizabeth Gill
lespie became the victim of a foul assassin
with her own blood and kin charged with
the infamous crime. The love affair of those
glad school days long since passed: yet the
principals in il ever remained true friends
and no citizen deplores the untimely death
of Elizabeth Gillespie more than does AL
bert =. Cooper. now a prominent and pros
porous official and business of this
city.
The murder trial was called this morning
and larger attendance present than ever
before.
II did not shoot Elizabeth Gillespie and
had nothing TO do with her being shot.
either directly indirectly" the state
ment made by Myron l.. Barbour, defend
ant in the case. on being examined this
morning. In the same language Carrie L.
Barbour and James Gillespie answered this
question. when propounded TO them by
their attorney
UNIFORMITY OF TESTIMONY.
The examination of the three defendants
named remarkable for uniformity of
night OF the murder. Dec. S. and the day
following.
Myron Barbour testified that he ate his
supper little past O'Clock, and. after
attending to an errand for his mother, re-
turned home in few minutes and sat down
in the front room of his home and was
reading a newspaper when the shot was
fired; that his wife was in the kitchen with
their domestic. and that as soon as he heard
the shot he opened the front door, ran out
10 the front gate, which has a click TO II,
TO the sidewalk and from there up around
the Gillespie corner TO G.. A II. Hall,
seeing no one and hearing nothing. On his
return home within a brief time. he said.
his wife came out the front door, and then
he heard Margaret Gillespie calling a neigh
Dor next door TO her home. and then from
her front door. He went across the street,
he said, and saw Margaret Gillespie. who
told him that she believed Elizabeth was
shot. He then went back across the street
other women whom he saw at Belle Sew
ards TO go over there and assist Mrs. Gill
lespie before he started up town for a doc
tor.
Barbour denied emphatically that he said
to Earl Seward He ought not TO have
shot he ought to have had pity on poor
old grandmother" Barbour said that
James w. COrson is good friend of his
and that the statement was not made by
the witness. On cross-examination. Mr..
Spaan asked Barbour as to whether not
Elizabeth had not said TO witness that mis-
wife was not true TO him. but the court
sustained an objection for the present un-
Ill counsel could have time to present au-
thorities bearing on the question of COM
Potency.
Barbour said neither he nor his wife were
at the funeral He denied a statement Of
a states witness that his wife said, My
ron. you do not know anything of this, do
your He also denied saying to Charles
Stegemiller There are persons testifying
before the grand jury who know all about
the shooting He declared he did not ask
Stegemfller next day 10 not repeat what he
had said. Reserving right TO further cross
examine the witness. the state permitted
him TO leave the stand.
MRS. BARBOUR ON THE STAND
Carrie Barbour was placed on the wit
ness stand this afternoon and her testi-
mony a full corroboration in detail of
that OF her husband. She said she is thirty
four years of age. and the daughter of a
Methodist minister the Rev. Mr. Reamy
in September. 1885, at Rising Sun. Ind Said
she was at home the night of the shooting
and that she was in the kitchen when the
shot was fired. The report. she said,
sounded like cannon. Her husband.
Myron Barbour. who was in the front room
reading. threw the paper down and
him go out and heard the gate
slam and click. She said the Sew
ard gate, a similar iron gate. is broken and
nf u hon Cln r,o
said she then went out of the front door
and met her husband. who said: Mrs
Gillespie is calling for CanfieldS." Belle
Seward then came out from her house and
Margaret Gillespie. at her front door across
the street; said; II am afraid Elizabeth is
killed. Mrs Seward became greatly ex-
cited and threw up her hands and went in
her home and the witness followed her
Within one minute and half Mrs. Bar
bonr said she saw James Gillespie; he ap-
peared at the door of Belle Stewards and
went In the house. James at once took
charge or his sister, Belle Seward, who
was in a serious condition. and gave her
medicines.
Mrs. Barbour said she went home between
10 and III O'Clock, but was up most of the
night She said she went over TO the Gill
lespie side OF street soon after the shooting
and looked In at the window and saw Eliza
beth lying on the floor. but did not go into
the house She saw some one close the shut
ters OF the Gillespie house soon afterward
She denied she called Elizabeth Gillespie a
devil aud she also denied having spoken 10
IL
said she did not tell the grand jury that
Elizabeth said things about her; that she
did not dislike Elizabeth Gillespie or say she
was a hypccrite. Mrs Barbour said IL was
not 10 exceed a half minute from the time
the shot fired until she at her front
door and within minute and half she
saw James Gillespie at Belle Stewards
door. She stated that Myron Barbour. her
husband is the only well one OF the four
defendants.
The examination of Carrie Barbour lasted
for hour and thirty minutes and her
cross-examination by Attorney Spaan was
particularly severe. She stood the ordeal
well and was warmly greeted by her faith
ful grcle. DR.. Thad Reamy. when she left
tn tard.
GILLESPIE FACES JURY
James Gillespie. pale and anxous-looking
took the stand in his own behalf and faced
the jury throughout his entire examination.
He answered the questions promptly and
without hesitation
He said he was at work during the day
of the shooting repairing fences in the
afternoon. and that he took supper at )
2 o'clock. Earl Seward left the supper table
CONTINUED on PAGE 3. COL A.