The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1920-02-19
BURKE TRIAL
Continued from Page One)
Resnme Of Court Proceedings

Going back In the trial of John A
Burke, for the alleged murder of Nell
son W. BARLEY to last Thursday morn
ing. the first feature of the day after
the opening of the session was the
appointment of George Soule as fore
man of the jury Edward F. Merrill,
county attorney opened the case for
the State very fairly and clearly, call
ing attention to the general location
of the territory adjacent to Jackman
and along the Canada Road by means
of a plan stretched on the wall 10 the
right of the jury He then retold the
story of the tragedy according to the
States evidence. He called special
attention to the hour that Mr.. Bart
lev ate supper on the night of the
tragedy. This was fixed he said at
615. from the fact that the waitress
recalled the time because it was ear
lier than Mr. BARLEY usually ate his
evening meal This played an impor-
tant part in the States opening from
the fact that the County Attorney said
that from examination made of the
contents and stomach of the dead man,
the analysis showed that Mr. Bart
lev met his death sometime prior to
so. the time Burke claimed that he
had been shot by BARLEY. 1t was
claimed by the State that between z
and 730 o'clock. BARLEY went to the
Blair hotel and borrowed Ford auto
mobile which Blair's chauffeur drove
over to the BARLEY place, later Burke
came over and he and BARLEY held a
heated conversation. At SIS 1t was
alleged Mr.. BARLEY and Mr.. Burke
after Mr.. BARLEY had procured flash
light. drove away in a northerly di-
rection along the Canada Road. 1t
was claimed by the State in the open
ing that they should introduce testi-
mony which would show that at 20
minutes of 9 o'clock, the car in which
the men were riding, was seen near
where the murder was committed and
at $40 Mr.. Burke was back down by
the road leading to his house He
then retold the story of Burke's tale
of being shot by BARLEY while stoop-
ing over to light match and of his
consequent notification of John Bull
mer, the calling of DR.. Boothby and Of
his finding a superficial flesh wound
skin near the wound being blistered
and grains of powder evident in the
flesh The time was accurately fixed
as so because Mr.. Bulmer was wind
ing his watch when Burke notified
him that he was shot. 1t appears ac-
cording to the States opening that a
Mr. Mason and a Miss Haggan were
out riding and saw the Blair car in the
Sugar Berth woods near where Bart
lev's dead body was found. The Coun-
" Attorney related the discovery of
the body by Henry BARLEY, brother
of the dead man and E. E. Piper, in
the cave caused by the up-rooted trees.
One of the features upon which the
States attorney dwelt here was the
fact that the clothing on the body was
dry This was significant inasmuch
as it was not raining the night Bart
ley disappeared and was raining the
next day and night. The examina-
ton by the doctor revealed two bull
let's probably from a SO caliber re-
yolver contained within the skull.
The States attorney also went over
the evidence which showed that Bart
ley had been killed back of the cave
and carried to the cave and put inside
blood stains furnishing the evidence
The attorney added that whoever
killed BARLEY knew the cave was
there in advance and had the place
picked out.