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- NEWS: Absalom M. BARNER Arrested for Murder, 1900, Perry Co, PA
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A. M. BARNER ARRESTED
Juniata Tribune, Mifflintown, PA
Thursday, November 1, 1900, page 1
HE IS CHARGED WITH KILLING ADAM GOODLING,WHO WAS MURDERED ON THE 2ND OF OCTOBER
DETECTIVES WORK UP THE CASE
IT IS CLAIMED THEY SECURED SUFFICIENT DAMAGING EVIDENCE TO WARRANT TAKING THE ACCUSED INTO CUSTODY - WAS BROUGHT HERE AND COMMITTED TO JAIL
Ever since the day the news was received here, about noon on the third day of October, that a most foul murder had been committed in Susquehanna Twp, the night previous, rumors have been rife as to suspects, that a certain person was strongly suspected as the one who committed the foul crime, and that an arrest would certainly be made in a day o two. Time went on, and after awhile detectives were put at work o
f running down what all called "the cowardly assassin," and what headway they were making in their efforts was only known to a few. But it leaked out the other day that sufficient circumstantial evidence had been gathered to warrant an arrest, and that the sleuths were putting two and two together, and making every effort known to the profession to substantially form a complete and strong chain around and tightly fasten the crime of killing aged Adam Goodling on the suspect, and that he would be arrested soon.
Sheriff S. C. Stoner received word on Monday that those working on the case had conducted their efforts in such a satisfactory way that warranted an immediate arrest. That county official and ex-sheriff Samuel lapp left here on Monday evening for Susquehanna Twp, where the recent murder had been committed, and arrested Absalom M. Barner, the man
whom the detectives seemed to think committed that most cowardly murder. The accused man was brought here on Tuesday afternoon and take before Justice of the Peace C. B. Horning, who committed Barner to jail to await a hearing at some early future day.
S. E. Dressler, a Pittsburgh detective, a working member of the Perkins Detective Agency of that city, who was one of the sleuth-hounds on the case that were employed by the county authorities, made the charge and swore out a warrant against Barner, charging the accused with murder, on what it is said to be alleged facts acquired by the detectives, indicating the guilt of Barner.
The crime that the Pittsburgh detectives seem satisfied can be prove against the accused is the killing of Adam Goodling, at the time aged Susquehanna Twp farmer, who was shot on the night of October 2, while sitting on a rocking chair in one of the lower story rooms of his modest little home. The murder was committed between 8 and 9 o'clock on that evening, the shot being fired through a partly-opened widow. The weapon was a shot gun loaded with No. 4 shot, and almost the entire charge struck the murdered man in the face, killing him instnatly.
The word was quietly passed around town Tuesday morning that the officers would return here with their prisoner on Way Passenger, and there was quite a crowd of town people and a number of residents of nearby sections, whose business pursuits brought them to town early in the morning, gathered on Bridge and Main Streets, where they anxiously waited for their arrival. But the 10 o'clock train did not bring them, and the crowd separated and those two principal streets again took on their usual quiet of an ordinary day.
It was about the noon hour when it was definitely given out that the prisoner would be brought here on the 1:11 train, and a short time befoe train time the streets again had a holiday appearance, the quiet crowd all seeming anxious to see the man charged with the crime of killig a fellow creature. Their curiosity was soon satisfied. Just as so
on as possible after the arrival of the train the two officers and the prisoner were driven over from the station in Bergey's bus, up to Squire Horning's office, and then there was a great rush to get into the small quarters to hear what would be said against the accused; but all were disappointed. All that was done in the case was the making out of the commitment, which required but little time, and the prisoner was taken to jail. It was at the accused's request the hearing was postponed, and the time set for it will no doubt also be as he desires.
The prisoner did not seem to be in any way excited over his arrest o the grave charge made against him. To all outward appearances he was the least exercised of any in the crowd, and his every action was of a man that had no fear of the final result being in his favor. The accused was arrested some years ago, being charged with "assault and battery, with intent to kill." He was indicted by the grand jury a
t the following term of court, but on being tried, was acquitted.
Since the formation of the county in 1831 there have been nine indictments for murder in the first degree returned by grand juries. The trials of the cases resulted in the acquittal of four of the accused; a verdict of murder in the second degree in one case and manslaughter in one. There were three sentenced to be hanged, two of which were executed, the other one having his sentence commuted to life imprisonment.
The first trial was at the December session in 1852, for the murder of John Jackson, which resulted in a verdict of murder in the second degree, and the convicted man served a term in the penitentiary. The second was at the December session, 1859, when one Andrew Limbert was tried on the charge of murder, and the verdict was "not guilty." At the April session, 1861, one principal and two accessories were tried for the murder of Henry Auker, and resulted in the conviction of one of murder in the first degree and the other two of second degree murder. The first paid the penalty of the law by being hanged by the neck until dead, and his companions in crime each served long terms in the penitentiary, one of them dying during his penal service. In 1863 at the December session, the man indicted for the murder of Charles Brown, colored, was found "not guilty." The next case was tried in 1878, at the December session, when two principals were indicted on the charge of murder in the first degree, but both were acquitted. At the December session, 1882, there was a murder trial, and the result was acquittal of the accused. In 1884 at the September session, the trial fo the murder of Charles Kepner was held and a verdict of manslaughter was returned, the accused being sentenced to the penitentiary for a term of years. At the April session in 1886, the second verdict of murder in the first degree in the history of the county was rendered by a jury. It was the Nancy (Funk) McMeen murder case. The convicted man was sentenced to be hung, but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, and he is still confined. The last case tried was for the murder of the old blind man, James Carpenter, which was at the February session in 1894. There were two accused principals and both w
ere indicted for murder in the first degree. One pleaded guilty as accessory after the fact, and received a penitentiary sentence, the other one was convicted and paid the life penalty.
What the present case will result in coming developments will decide._
_______ for greatly as to what will be the result. What will come out bearing directly on the case at the hearing so far as known here is only conjecture on the part of all but the officers making the charge, and we will defer judgment until the complaint against the prisoner is fully substantiated.
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Goodling's Head Sawed Off - Barners and Goodlings were buried side by side at Barner's Cemetery, near Liverpool
One night in the October of 1900, a 65-year-old farmer named Adam Goodling from Juniata County was allegedly shot in the head by Absalom Barer, with whom he had been feuding. The prosecution declared that no expense would be spared in bringing Barner to justice, and they were correct- the day after Goodling was laid to rest, the prosecution paid two doctors to dig up the victim and saw off his head, which was used as evidence at Barner's murder trial.
From the Middleburgh Post, January 17,1901:
Goodling's Head Sawed Off- Grave reported to have been opened and the victim's head secured as evidence.
Barner, the man accused of the murder of Adam Goodling, near Liverpool, on the night of October 2, will have a ghastly piece of evidence to confront when he is called before the court for trial. Some time ago it was announced that the grave of Goodling had been opened and shot extracted from the dead man's head to be used in the trial. The prosecution has gone a step farther than this and has secured the entire head of dead man.
One dark night not long ago two well known physicians of Mifflin, political enemies, went to the lower end of the county and met a well know character of Middleburg. They hired a carriage on the pretext that they wanted to hold a consultation over a typhoid fever patient in the country and then drove over the hills and back to the old grave yard where the remains of Adam Goodling were laid to rest a day after he was foully murdered, supposedly by the man who stands charged with the crime.
There was no moon and the sky was overcast, an ideal night for secret operations. The party arrived at the cemetery shortly after midnight and at once set about locating the grave of the murdered man. This found, the Middleburg resident produced pick and shovel and went to work, his only light being the few rays shed from the muffled dark lantern in the hands of one of the physicians. While the work went on the other doctor sat on the edge of a tombstone and tried to whistle a cheerful tune.
The grave was not opened save at the head. When the coffin lid was stuck the upper part was removed with a short axe and the Middleburg ma was handed a short saw. With this he cut completely off the head of the dead man and when the gruesome operation was complete handed it up to the waiting doctor, who placed it in a sack which had been brought along for the purpose. Then the grave was refilled and the physicians drove back to town, while the Middleburg man went home.
They took the morning train back to Mifflin and now Adam Goodling's head is jarred and stowed away in the stable of one of the physicians to be produced at the trial.
The prosecution has been trying to keep the fact that they will produce the shattered skull quiet by circulating the report that only shot was taken from the body and that no part was removed from the grave. The story leaked out through a stranger finding the head and demanding an explanation for its presence.
The prosecution claims to have a strong case against Barner and no expense is being saved to convict him.
The ensuing trial became a sensational affair throughout Juniata County. The prosecution claimed that Barner shot Goodling because the victim had been carrying on an affair with Barner's wife. However, the defense established an alibi and Absalom Barner was found not guilty. By the time the trial ended, more than one hundred witnesses had been called to the stand, and the affair cost the county $2,450 (roughly 70,000.00 in today's currency).
But the strange story does not end there. In the fall of 1903, Mrs. John Barner- a relative of Absalom- was shot dead while she was clearing brush with her husband outside of their home in Greenwood Township. Revenge? The world will never know.
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1861 - 1928 (67 years) Has 14 ancestors and more than 100 descendants in this family tree.
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