The
Full Partieulars[sic]
Obtained on the Ground
The Murder, the Escape, the Pursuit, and
the Capture
Verdict of the Coroner’s Jury
This article appeared July 20,
1875 in the Spirit of Democracy, Woodsfield, OH
In
the town of
Finding
that it would be impossible to obtain a correct version of the affair without
visiting
On
the day above mentioned, George and Benjamin Barker, brothers, residents of
Jackson township, went to Sardis, as has been their custom, at times, for years
past, to have a carouse. After their arrival in town, they obtained liquor at a
shop kept by Mrs. Presentine, her husband being in
jail at the time for violating the liquor law.
Soon
afterward they each offered to two citizens fifty cents if they would persuade
John Michel to come out of his house. About 5 o’clock in the evening they went
into Michel’s liquor shop, which is in the basement of his dwelling, and called
for liquor. Michel refused to let them have any, when they commenced cursing
and abusing him.-
Michel
passed ‘round his counter and succeeded
in getting them out of the door, which he immediately locked.- They remained
standing near the door, keeping perfectly quiet, and in a few moments Michel
unlocked and opened it, thinking, no doubt, that they had gone, when both men
sprang upon and shoved him aside, and then commenced a desperate fight in the
cellar.
Fight in the Cellar.
George
Barker picked up a chair and struck Michel, knocking him down. He then jumped
upon him and stamped him in the face and upon the body in a most brutal manner,
crushing in several of his ribs on the right side, and injuring him on other
parts of his body. At the time George engaged Michel, Ben Barker caught Mrs.
Michel by the throat and was choking her, but before he had injured her very badly,
Mr. Alex McGrew, who had been called in, pulled him away from her, and when
released she struck Ben a heavy blow across the head with a poker, cutting it
severely, and from which blood flowed quite freely. Mr. James Havely took George off of Michel, and with Mr. McGrew’s
assistance, succeeded in getting both men out of the door and up the steps to
the street.
Outside
they commenced cursing and swearing and throwing stones through the widows of
the house. They threw a box through a window, tore a shutter off, wrenched
three palings off the gate and threw them in with great violence and also threw
large stones in; for a while it appeared to the citizens as though the fiends
from the lower regions had been loosened, so terrible was the uproar.
When
the Barker’s retired from the cellar, Michel went through a back door, up
stairs and procured a single barreled shot-gun and came out the front door into
the street, where the Barker’s were, for the purpose of protecting his
property. He struck at George Barker a feeble blow with his clubbed gun, but
missed him, when George seized hold of it and then ensued a tussel
for its possession. While they were engaged Ben Barker picked up a stone about
11 inches long, 3 inches wide and 1 ˝ inches in thickness and threw it, striking
Michel on the right side of the face, breaking his jaw bone and knocking him
down. The force with which the stone was thrown broke it about one-third off.
This blow caused him to release his hold of the gun when George Barker Swung it
‘round, and brought it down on Michel’s head just behind his left ear, crushing
in the skull, making a hole as large as a silver dollar, and producing a
fracture of 9 inches in length across the crown to just above his right eye.
The
Barkers then paraded the street, back and forth for more than a quarter of an
hour swearing what they could do, and what good men, physically, they were,
after which they started for home, taking Michel’s gun with them. A short
distance up the street Ben drew his knife and started back swearing he would
have Michel’s
Heart’s Blood.
But
George prevailed upon him to go on and let him alone. Near William Faggert’s, three-fourths of a mile below town, George threw
the gun over the fence into the weeds. It was afterwards found by Mr. Faggert, and proved to have been empty when Michel came
onto the street with it.
The Murdered Man
Michel,
after the Barker’s had left, was placed on a lounge and carried through a gate
way to the rear of his house. Mr. Koenig asked him if he was suffering much, and
where the greatest pain was. Notwithstanding the fact that he was almost wholly
unconscious, and pressed it down on his side upon his broken and crushed ribs,
and uttered in guttural tones something like “h-e, her,” as though trying to
say “here.”
Michel’s
suffering’s were terrible, at one time he raised himself to a sitting posture,
and almost instantly fell back. Dr. Roe was called, but could do nothing to
relieve him. He expired within an hour after being struck with the gun in the
hands of George Barker.
The Barker’s Return
At
Mr. Faggert’s, the Barker’s concluded to return to
town for their hats and Ben’s coat, which had been left on the ground in from
of Michel’s house. They compelled Mr. Faggert to
accompany them.
They
entered town with stones in their hands, and George had a knife drawn. Mr. A.
R. Bridgman informed them that Michel was dead and they replied that they
didn’t care a G___d
d___n. they had sent him to Heaven in a hand
basket.
An Attempt to Arrest Them
They
recovered their hats and coat, and were on their way up the street again, and
had reached Mr. Brannan’s store, or near there, when two officers, accompanied
by not less than 20 other citizens, approached them and announced that they
proposed to arrest them. Ben replied, “all right” George swore and oath and
remarked to Ben, “ let’s run.” They dropped the stones they were armed with and
started. Up Street they ran, the citizens following, firing at them with
revolvers. Opposite Mr. J. M. Goodwin’s store they turned into a lane leading
towards Mr. Jas. Nesbitt’s new house; the firing still kept up. George was hit
by one shot in the left hip, inflicting a pretty deep but not dangerous flesh
wound. Ben was hit twice, once in the left shoulder, the ball glancing ‘round
under his left arm and stopping nearly over the region of his heart just under
the skin; the other ball struck him in the left shoulder embedding itself, but
making only a flesh wound.
George Barker Arrested.
The shots failed to stop them, and at the end
of the lane both men climbed the fence leading to Mr. Nesbitt’s house, passed
it, and hid in a corn field just below the house. After searching for some
considerable time George was found. His captors told him to get up and come
along that he had killed Michel. He swore that he hadn’t killed anybody, and
didn’t know what they meant. He was taken to town, securely chained in the shoe
shop adjoining Mr. John Harmon’s hotel, and a guard placed over him. Ben could
not be found, although his pursuers were sure that he was concealed in the corn
field. About an hour and a half after the return of the pursuing party to town,
Ben crawled out of some tall grass, made his way down to Mr. Faggert’s, got on his horse, and started home, but from
reports that came from the neighborhood of his home the following day, he
failed to reach there that night, perhaps purposely, and laid out in the woods
all night.
On
Sunday, the 18th, two men came into Sardis, and reported that when
Ben hid in the corn field he pulled some long grass over himself, and laid
still; one man stepped over him, that then he thought they would certainly find
him, and not less than a dozen were close to him; and further that Dr. Dally,
of Antioch, had attended him that morning and extracted the balls.
Constable
John Shrive, of Ohio township was sent for on Sunday morning,(Lee township not
having a Constable, both of those elected last Spring refusing to serve) and
given a warrant for Ben Barker’s arrest. In the afternoon, accompanied by five
men, he went to Ben’s house, and was shown Dr. Dally’s
written certificate that Ben was not in a condition to be moved. The officer
did not see him, neither did his posse, but it was their impression that he was
concealed not far away.
Some
of the friends of Ben, who saw him after the murder was committed, state that
he declared that he would never be taken alive- that he had been in the
penitentiary once, and that he would take his own life before he would ever go
there again.
The Body
In
company with Mr. Jas. Nesbitt and Mr. James Havely,
we went into a shed, or kichen, in the rear of
Michel’s house to see the remains. The body was in a large pine box, and was
packed in ice. We did not look at his face, it being wrapped about with a
sheet, but was informed that it was fearfully swollen and distorted.
John
Muhleman, Esq., of
M. Brenna, Jas. Nesbitt, Jacob Bumbarger,
John Thompson, Christian Koenig and R.T. Richardson.
After
an examination of the following names witnesses, Dr. J. A. Boice,
Dr. T.J. Roe, Alex McGrew, Christian Koenig, Jacob Drollinger
and James Havely, and viewing the body, the jury
returned the following verdict:
“We
the undersigned Jurors, empanneled and sworn on the
18th day of July, in the year 1875, at the Township of Lee, in the
County of Monroe, and State of Ohio, by John Muhleman,
Coroner in and for said County, to inquire and true presentment make, in what
manner, and by whom, Hans Michel, whose body was found at his residence in
Sardis, Monroe County, Ohio, on the 17th day of July, in the years
1875, came to his death. After having heard the evidence, and examined the
body, we do find that the deceased came to his death by violence, and that said
body has on it the following marks and wounds, inflicted by George Barker and
Ben Barker, (known to the jury) as follows:
Wounds
on back part of head and back of ear on left side of head, also contusion on
left side in region of Floating Ribs, also contusion on right cheek bone, and
which the Jury do find caused the immediate death of said Hans Michel whose
body was found as afore said. Given
under our hands, at the time and place of said inquisition above
mentioned.” Signed by the Jury.
In Jail
Monday
morning, the 19th, officer Shrieve and
five guards, all well armed, placed George Barker in a wagon, chained him
securely, and started by the way of Baresville to
Woodsfield, where they arrived about noon and committed their prisoner to a
cell in the jail.
The Funeral
The funeral of John Michel took place on
Tuesday, the 20th. The remains were interred at the
George Barker’s Statement
We
went to the jail on Friday and inquired of George Barker if he had any
objections to giving his version of the killing of Michel. He replied that he
did not know much about it. He gave us the following:
After
we got to town I bought one glass of liquor at Presentines,
and drank it. Don’t know how much wine I drank there. Ben bought half a pint of
liquor at Schaubs; helped to drink that. Don’t know
when we went to Michels. I mind something about
Michel telling us to go away when we first went into his place; don’t remember
anything about the fight with Michel in his shop.
Do
you remember what occurred after you went up the steps from Michel’s shop?
No
sir, I don’t. Can’t tell whether I could walk straight or not. If I could
remember that I could remember something more about the affair. If parties in
From
the above it appears that George has no recollection of the difficulty with,
and the killing of Michel, or at least that he is unwilling to communicate what
he knows.
Monday morning, the 19th, when the officers
were getting ready to leave Sardis for Woodsfield, with Geroge
Barker, one of the men engaged in the murder of John Michel, he remarked, “boys
I would not have been here if I had not returned for my hat Saturday night, but
whisky is the cause of all of this.”
Reward-
The County Commissioners off a Five Hundred Dollars for the apprehension and
confinement in county jail of Benjamin Barker, charged with the murder of John
Michel at
Our Baresville correspondent
informs us that considerable ill feeling was manifested by the friends, at the
funeral, of John Michel, on the 20th, caused by remarks of the
officiating minister, the Rev. E. Huber. During the discourse he referred to
his course in life, his terrible death, and unbelief in the existence of God,
when the friends left the church and exhibited bad feeling in their acts and
conversation. Considerable excitement prevailed for a time, but quiet was
restored and the ceremonies concluded with further difficulty.
On Sunday, the 18th,
the ladies of the town of Sardis, visited the liquor sellers in that place and
gave them notice that they must quit selling intoxicating liquors against
Wednesday, the 21st. The citizens are determined to sustain the
ladies in the movement. Monday evening the boat from
Spirit of Democracy,
August, 3, 1875
Page 2
Two men are now occupying murderers’ cells in our
jail, for the pleasure they could get out of a pint and a half of whisky. It is
too high a price.
Spirit of Democracy,
August 3, 1875
Page 3.
Arrest of Benjamin Barker- Committed to
Jail on Friday, the 30th.
At
10 o’clock Friday morning the 30th, Mr. John Hathorn
and Mr. William Hoburg arrived in town with Benjamin
Barker, charged with the murder of John Michel, at
Ben
remained in the neighborhood up to Wednesday evening, the 28th, when
he went to a friends near Maramoras, in
The
morning of the 30th, at 5 o’clock he came to the house of Mr. Hoburg to advise with him as to the best course to pursue.
Mr. Hoburg and Mr. Hathorn
advised him to give himself up and they would pledge themselves to look after
his family. He replied that he had determined to not be taken by force, and
that he regarded them as being his friends and would take their advice, they
being members of the Grange, to which Order he belonged; and would leave his
wife and children to their car and protection. He then permitted them to arrest
him and was committed as above stated.
The
reward offered by the
From the remarks of Mr. Hoburg
and Mr. Hathorn we were led to infer that the $500
will be paid to Ben’s wife for the support of herself and children. Taking everything
connected with the arrest into consideration, this would be the proper
disposition to make of the money.
Spirit of Democracy,
August 3, 1875
Three
families in this county have been deprived of their protectors within the past
month, and all brought about by intoxicating liquors. They are the families of
George and Benjamin Barker and John Michel. The latter was murdered by the
first named, who are now confined in jail. Can any one deliver a more
impressive temperance lecture?
A mistaken impression has got abroad concerning the
members of the Barker family, that is, that they are habitually desperate and
reckless characters. Such is not the case. The testimony of neighbors, who have
lived near them for many years is, that when not in liquor they are as
peaceable and law abiding citizens as can be found anywhere; but that they are
reckless, as many other men are, when drinking.
Benjamin Barker was arraigned before Esq. Beard, of
this township, Center, on the 31st, charged with assaulting John
Michel with intent to kill. J. P. Sprggs, counsel for
the defendant, entered a plea of “guilty” and waived an examination. The
Justice required bond in the sum of $5,000 for his appearance at the next term
of Court, in default of which he was committed to jail.
The
County Commissioners [In Jefferson County] have ordered wire screens to be put
on the inside of all windows and openings in the county jail, to prevent
outside parties from conveying tools or other articles to the prisoners, and
workmen are now carrying out the order. The best evidence of the fact that this
is a wise precautionary measure is the conduct of the prisoners who are very
indignant over the matter.- Cambridge Jeffersonian.
A very wise order: our
Spirit of Democracy,
August 10, 1875
Page 2
We publish an interesting letter, this week, from Rev.
J.A. Walters, in regard to the moral of the
[Letter written for The
Spirit of Democracy by Rev. Walters]
The
The
Accounts, published in The Spirit, of this awful tragedy are truly sad and
startling in the extreme. To me these accounts may be, and indeed necessarily
must be more sadly interesting than to many others. They are remembrances of
events which sorrow-stricken hearts would gladly forget. Nothing less than an
earnest desire and hope to benefit some who may perchance read these lines,
induces me to refer to occurrences so unpleasant to dwell upon.
Thirty
eight years ago, my life on earth began shout midway between Woodsfield and
Beallsville, and within the boundaries of Monroe County the greater part of my
life has been spent especially my earlier years. Then and there my first
acquaintances were made, friendships established and impressions received.
Beneath her soil, three brothers, one sister, and as good a mother as God ever
gave, now “sleep their last sleep”
These
and other circumstances make whatever incidents that connect themselves with
her history, whether they be of a prosperous or adverse character, all the more
interesting and important to me. The springs and the rivulets, the hills and
the fields, and also the woodlands of “Old Monroe,” my native county, will to me
never lose their charms.
Whatever
adds luster to her reputation on the one hand, or tarnishes it on the other,
effects me accordingly, either pleasantly or sorrowfully, as it must every
other person who feels for her welfare a like concern. Consequently, there is
room for great grief on the part of all well wishers of their fellow citizens,
over the bloody and brutally murderous deed recently committed at
What
does all this mean? And what is to be done to prevent a like occurrence? Let us
pause and think a moment. The capturing of George Barker and his brother, Ben,
and putting them through a course of law, may satisfy those who think and feel
superficially respecting the moral status of society, but those who have a
better appreciation of the demands of a high degree of civilization and
Christianization will not be, and cannot be, so easily satisfied.
Reader,
do you ask, “Are you in favor of lynching them?” I answer unequivocally NO. The
Barkers are men. Very bad men, and as such, they must now be treated in harmony
with the laws of the country of which they are citizens.
What
have they done more than has been done several times before in
Some
one might suggest that there is one way in which the result might have been
bettered, viz: by Mrs. M. dealing out such blows with
that poker, on the pates of both murderers of her husband, as would have been to
them also a constant quiet; after which she should have (should do so anyhow)
at once declared her house no longer a sink-hole of vice, and deeply repented
of having engaged in such a nefarious business, leading to such terrible ends.
But
remember that George Barker declares he has no recollection of having done any
violence to the unfortunate saloonist- Mr. Michel.
This may be true. Of course there is but little confidence to be put in the
word of either the seller or drinker of whiskey.- that is, respecting the
traffic, for respecting other matter they may be as reliable as other people.
But whether George Barker was conscious or not of the violence he was doing Mr.
Michel, one thing I think may be safely affirmed of him, viz:
Had he not been drunk he would not have committed the deed. As much might be
affirmed of Ben Barker.
But
you may say they always had the devil in them. Grant it; but they could always
manage toe sober devil until he was reinforced by the drunken devil.
I tell you earnestly; and as one who can and does feel
keenly and deeply on this subject, that most (nearly all, in
Spirit of Democracy,
August 24, 1875
From July 18th to August 14 there were
three inquests held by the Coroner of this county, vis:
John Michel, murdered; the child of Miss Suter, found
dead, and the body of a child found in the
Second letter to the Editor of The Spirit written by Rev.J.A. Walters
Temperance
Spirit of Democracy,
August 24, 1875
It
is presumed that no one who has due regard for truth and the feelings of the
unfortunate will question the correctness of the allegation in my article,
published in The Spirit of August 10,
that the Sardis murder and the murders generally that have been
committed in Monroe county, have had their origin in drunkenness.
“Well,
what of it, and what worse is she than other counties?” asks someone with an
air of indifference. It is not my purpose to discuss the relative moral status
of
There
is another thing which it is not my intention to do: viz:
to try to amuse the readers of the Spirit with temperance anecdotes. Or rather
anecdotes about unfortunate and ruined inebriates. It occurs to my mind that
the cause of sobriety and temperance has been damaged by an effort to please
the public ear by sport making of that unforturnate
class of our countrymen. Very poorly at least does it become a Minister of the
gospel of that compassionate Redeemer whose heart was so easily touched by the
miseries and weaknesses of man kind, to indulge” In fun making” at the expense
of him concerning whom it is said in God’s Holy word, “No drunkard shall
inherit the kingdom of Heaven.”
The
charge that
As
serious as it appears it could not easily be made more mild. If there have been no such failures, how then
can we account for the awful crimes committed, year after year, upon her soil?
And how can we hope for anything better in the future? And why urge reformation
in the pulpit or through the press, if there be no room for it?
But
it is a foregone conclusion that those bloody deeds would not have been
committed had it not been for drunkenness. If this conclusion be not correct, let
it be shown to be incorrect. Boldly and yet kindly does it challenge
investigation. Probably no one will be found who will dare day that Craig,
Henderson, or any one of the notorious Barkers, with others who might be
mentioned as Monroe county’s murderers, not even excepting the money loving
Daniel Salisbury, would have ever been accused of murder had it not been for
the great evil that I do most earnestly desire to help talk down, write down,
pray down and also force down.
As
drunkenness is a most fruitful cause of murder, than which there is no greater
crime, if follows that any community will prevent much of the latter by
removing the former- it’s acknowledged fruitful source.
“To
do this is a consummation greatly to be wished.” To be indifferent respecting
such a result seems to me would not be very commendable to any one.
In
thus finding security against like occurrences, namely, by the destruction of
their most fruitful cause, we are naturally led to consider the various
influences and causes which tend to drunkenness itself. In the investigation of
these the reader will likely see the main respect in which it is regarded that
the people of “Old Monroe” have not done righteously.
But as I desire not to be tedious at any one writing,
nothing more will be added at present.- J.A. Walters,
Spirit of Democracy,
September 7, 1875
At this writing there are five persons confined in the
county jail, charged with murder, rape, and horse stealing, vis:
George and Benjamin Barker, charged with murder; Winfield S. Troy and John A. Messerly, charged
with rape, and Barney O’Frail, charged with
horse stealing. A girl named Suter, a
resident of Lee township is under bond for her
appearance at Court on the charge of killing her infant child, making in all
six State cases for the next term of Court, which does not convene until
November 30th. This county has not had such a fearful crime calendar
in any one year before, since the close of the war.
Spirit of Democracy,
December 7, 1875
George and Benjamin Barker have not, to this writing,
Monday morning, been arraigned in Court, but we have been informed by J. P. Spriggs, Esq., one of their counsel, that the trial of one of
the accused will be fixed for Monday, the 13th.
Spirit of Democracy,
December 7, 1875
Report of the Grand Jury
The
Grand Jury returned into Court, the afternoon of the 4th, and
submitted the results of their investigation, which is as follows:
George Barker and Benjamin Barker, indicted
jointly for murder in the second degree.
Spirit of Democracy,
December 7, 1875
Sixty-six witnesses were summoned to appear before the
Grand Jury last week. Twenty-one witnesses were examined by the jury in the
case of George and Benjamin Barker.
Spirit of Democracy,
December 14, 1875
George
and Benjamin Barker, indicted for murder in the second degree, were arraigned
in Court the 7th, and both entered their pleas of “not guilty” The
case of George Barker was set down for the 13th, and that of
Benjamin Barker for the 15th.
On
Monday, the 13, at 1 o’clock p.m., the Court ordered the prisoners, George and
Benjamin Barker indicted for murder in the second degree, to be brought into
Court.
N.
Hollister, Esq., of the attorney’s for the defence,[sic]
requested leave of the Court to withdraw the plea of “Not guilty” heretofore
made in each case, and to enter a plea, in each case, of guilty of
manslaughter. With the consent of the Court, the Prosecutor accepted said
pleas.
In view of the fact that there was thought to be a
difference existing as to the guilt of the parties, the Court ordered five
witnesses examined in order to determine the matter; after which the prisoners
were remanded to jail to await sentence; the law fixes the sentence at from one
to ten years confinement in the Penitentiary.
Spirit of Democracy,
December 14, 1875
There was an apparent feeling of relief about the
court-room when it was learned that the Grand Jury had found a bill against the
Barker brothers for murder in the second degree, and not the first.
Spirit of Democracy,
December 21, 1875
In the cases of
Spirit of Democracy,
December 21, 1875
Judge D. D. T. Cowen, of St Clairsville,
was in attendance at Court last week. He was employed by the friends of the
Barker brothers to assist in their defense. The other attorneys for the defense
were Hollister & Okey and J. P. Spriggs, Esq. The prosecution was represented by the
Prosecuting Attorney and W. F. Hunter, Esq.
Spirit of Democracy,
December 21, 1875
Sheriff Little will take Barney O’Fries,
George Barker and Benjamin Barker to the penitentiary this week.
Spirit of Democracy,
December 21, 1875
When George and Benjamin Barker, charged with the
murder of John Michel, came into Court the 13th, they were
accompanied by their wives and five little children. Mrs. George Barker, having
three and the other two children. The women were distressed and care worn, and
there was not a man present that what pitied them, and felt that they would, if
they could, spare them from further distress and trouble.
Spirit of Democracy,
December 21, 1875
Sentence of George and Benjamin Barker
In
Court on the 18th, George Barker, indicted for murder in the second
degree, for the murder of John Michel, and who withdrew his plea of “not guilty”
to the charge, and entered a plea of guilty of manslaughter, was sentence to
confinement in the penitentiary for a period of seven years. In answer to the
Court whether he had anything to say why sentence should not be pronounced, the
prisoner shook his head.
Benjamin
Barker indicted for the same crime, was sentenced to the penitentiary for a
period of six years. In response to the inquiry whether he had anything to say
why the sentence should not be pronounced, the prisoner said: “I never intended
to kill the man; never had that in me to kill a man.”
The Court thought that had the prisoner not yielded to
the desire for strong drink, he would not be in the position he was. The
prisoner responded: “Yes, I am satisfied of that, too.”
Spirit of Democracy,
December 28, 1875
The
costs in the case of
F.M. Beard, $7.10; Sheriff Little, $29.90; guards, J.M. Hall $4.50, D. Conger $4.50, M.
Baker, $3.00. Nine witnesses from Lee and
We present the above because of the report that Esq.
Beard’s fees in the case amounted to $62.75. The statement furnished ought to
send that report to it’s little bed.
Spirit of Democracy,
January 11, 1876
[From
People
here expressed surprise at the result of the Barker case; thy think Pearson was
easy to compromise with.
Justice
to Prosecutor Pearson demands an explanation of his action in the Barker cases.
The day set for the trial of George, the Prosecutor informed the Court of the
evidence in his possession, and when the plea of “not guilty” of murder in the
second degree was withdrawn, by both the accused and pleas of guilty of
manslaughter entered. Mr. Pearson stated distinctly that with the consent of
the Court he would accept them. – Publisher Spirit.
Spirit of Democracy,
February 1, 1876
Allowed John Hathorn and
William Hoburgh $ 500, for the Delivery of Benjamin
Barker to the Sheriff of
Spirit of Democracy,
February 1, 1876
The reward money, $ 500, paid to Mr. John Hathorn and Mr. William Hoburgh,
by the
Provided by Susan Kay Dierkes Miller