The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-11-06
MARIA FINED
IN DEATH CASE
Quarry Worker Pleaded
Guilty to Manslaughter
in Perez Homicide
COURT THOUGHT JAIL
TERM UNWARRANTED
Maria Fined $1,000, With
Costs, and Placed on Pro-
baton on Paying $500

q
Rafael Nara, Websterville quarry
worker. who on June Is, 1919, shot and
killed joachim Perez, with whom he
had had previous quarrel, pleaded
guilty to manslaughter in Washington
county court yesterday afternoon and
was fined $1,000, with costs, after
which il was arranged that he should
be placed on probation when he had
paid $500 Of the fine Payment Of
the amount was arranged and Maria
left the courthouse in company with
friends
Nara, Spaniard who does not un-
derstand English very well, was quite
attentive during the proceedings, es-
pecially MS the penalty was imposed
and during the time when the attor-
news were discussing the case. His
attorneys. J. Ward Carver and w A.
Lord, were prepared to defend Nara
on the charge of murder in the first
degree by presenting the claim OF self
defense, and they believed that they
had a good case. But when the state
announced its willingness to accept a
plea Of guilty OF manslaughter, Marza's
attorneys decided to have Maria plead
TO that charge, which was done.
Attorney General f. c. Archibald
for the state, and Messrs Carver and
Lord for the defense, spoke relative
to the case, telling how the crime was
committed and giving their reasons for
the shooting Of Perez. Their state
ments were IN the main quite similar.
They agreed that Maria had been hec-
tored BY Perez and that the fight lead
ing Up to the shooting had been pro
voked by Perez II was pointed out
that Maria, after his first impulse to
fee, made no attempt to escape and
went TO Williamstown, where he asked
friends to take him to an officer.
After giving himself up, it was
stated. Nara rode TO Montpelier in an
automobile and was not handeuffed
and he had been good prisoner while
in county Jail, giving the officials no
trouble Eall. Attorney Lord said that
Maria had lived three years in Web
steryiIle and that he bears a good rep
uUdAlbl tWtiEf NiAt NAlOAiEN HitAAAAtA Nitht
old and young rioh and poor alike
spoke we'll of the boy. who was only 10
years old at the time Of the crime.
The court asked Marza's attorneys if
the respondent could pay fine, to
which query Mr.. Carver replied that
the youth had about $3.50 which he had
saved up before going to jail and that
If fine were TO be imposed Nara was
So well liked that his friends would pay
the fine and trust the boy to pay il
back later
After hearing that statement, the
court said there appeared to have been
no malice in the shooting of Perez,
that the shooting appeared to be the
result of sudden impulse to protect
himself and that the case was very
close to self.defense; therefore, fine
would be imposed because it did not
seem to be case that warranted inn
prissnment. The penalty above men
toned was then imposed, after which
Maria went TO the lawyers room with
his friends
There were many Spaniards in the
courthouse during the proceedings, and
it i said that they were nearly all as
sociates Of Maria at Websteville.
Some Of them were witnesses and they
were paid off
Maria was indicted by the Washing
ton county grand jury on the charge of
murder in the first degree He shot and
killed Perez in the main street of up
per Granitevlle on The late afternoon
of June l6 after they had had a physi-
cal encounter on the day preceding,
during which Maria fled and associates
of Perez prevented Perez from pursuit,
according to the story told at the time
On the day Of the crime Maria was
walking up the street with a male com
panion in order to get to his boarding
place; and he was confronted by Perez,
who was an older and much larger man.
Maria claimed that Perez first made
move to shake hands and be friends
and then started @attack him, where
upon Maria pulled out revolver and
fired twice, the first bullet taking ef-
feet in Perez leg and the second pierc-
ing the breast and causing almost in
slant death.
After the shooting Nara walked up
the street and disappeared in the
woods, going thence to the home of
countryman, in Williamstown, where
the arrangements We're made for sur
rendering him to the authorities, the
pursuit ending shortly after midnight
of the day of the shooting