The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-07-10
WOMEN STAR IN
MURDER CASES
But Mrs. Boyajian and Mrs. Bar.
rows Present Study in Contrasts,
As Do Trials,

With the Michael Burkhart murder
trial started In earnest In Judge Pie.
lan's court. Saturday morning, and
the Boyajian murder case blooming
into startling sensationalism In Judge
Connolly's court, II was Ladies' day
in the recorders court, where two
women. wife and widow, are the
cynosure of all eyes.
Similar only In the point that both
murders are alleged to have resulted
from a wife's unfaithfulness, these
two cases are in as marked contrast
as could we'll have been arranged,
had they been planned az a double
attraction for the mOrbid-one To act
as a foil for the other.
Mrs. Ethel Boyajian, wife OF the
man on trial for killing her alleged
lover. and Pauline Rarrows, widow or
the man for whose murder her al
legged lover Is on trial, both sat to-
gether In the police officers room on
the recorders court floor of the Mu-
nicipal building. shortly before noon
Saturday.
Mrs Barrows, who has had re-
versal Of feeling--as much feeling as
.
wants to see the man on trial con.
victed
Mrs. Boyajian is using every effort
to save the man on trial in her case,
from prison.
Mrs. Barrows. dressed all In black.
made more somber by heavy string
OF black jet beads. and black veil Is
1.-the. slender type. not pretty,
though OF sinuous. graceful figure. She
Is pallid. and entirely Unconditional.
Across from her, in the little room.
sat Mrs. Boyajian. the picture Of
warm. rosy beauty. with her ripe
cherry lips. flushed cheeks. bright
eyes, and animated appearance.
Fresh as some flower in full bloom
-she-ieeked,1 beside the paiiid, somber
looking Mrs. Barrows, and instead of
quiet colors, she wore gray skirt.
white shirtwaist, and fetching little
black hat, saucy little hat that the
women refer to as cute
Mrs Boyajian was called into the
court room, to be the partial cause OF
one OF the most melodramatic situa.
tons imaginable soon after she reach
ed the court building. but Mrs. Bar
rows sat quietly In the little room
until shortly after noon, when she left
for police headquarters with Matron
Hattie Smith without testifying.
At the police court examination,
Mrs. Barrows was the very reluctant
central figure In slightly dramatic
occurrence, when Attorney Percy
Crosse forced her to take the rtand
for the defense, when the prosecution
failed to produce her as its witness.
But at this trial. Attorney Crosse
announced. she will be the prosecu-
tons witness. Mrs. Barrows said
that her story would In all probability
be simply repetition Of her brief
statements In police court. But she
will probably be subjected to grill
ing cross-examination by Attorney
Crosse.
DR.. John Harvey, who was In Mrs.
Bertha Noeske's boarding house. No.
143 Lafayette boulevard. when the kill
ing occurred. and who attended Rob-
ert Barrows Immediately after the
shooting. and DR.. T. A. McGraw, who
operated on Barrows In st. Nary's
hospital, were the only two witnesses
called at Saturday mornings session.
which opened with an argument about
No. 459 Crawford-st.. to serve on the
jury.
Hunt had been accepted, Friday az
but Attorney Crosse stated to
the court, Saturday. that Hunt had
served on jury In Lansing. two
years ago, which Crosse believed dis
qualified him for service inside OF an
other year.
After a long argument. Judge Phe-
Ian ruled that inasmuch as the jury
law here rules the local county alone.
Hunt could serve here, as he had not
been on jury here inside OF three
years.
DR.. Harvey's testimony was repe- |
tition of his police court statements.
He described the wound In BaTrows' |
side, just below the ribs. and testified |
hat Barrows said to him that Mike"
Burkhart shot him as he was starting |
Up the steps.
Attorney Crosse contends that the |
was done after Baffews- Was +
IN the porch, and that Burkhart had
10 way of getting OF the porch with
,ut passing Barrows. whom he be-
ieved to be carrying a revolver. with
he bullets meant for Burkhart
DR.. r. A. McGraw testified that
here were no punctures OF vital or
yans, and that death had. resulted
rom loss Of blood in hemorrhages, a
'ather unusual case.