Prime Crime: Solved Murders - George Bailey Pt. 2

Episode Date: May 25, 2022

The murder at Breakheart Hill Farm led reporters into the violent past of John Best, a farmhand who had worked under George Bailey. As the trial against him made headway, John maintained his innocence. The evidence at the farm told a different story.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Due to the graphic nature of this murder case, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes dramatizations and discussions of murder and assault. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. John Best exited the farmhouse, then closed the doors behind him. He scanned the vast green farm and saw that George's wagon was gone. He also knew the farm hand was gone, and Susie wasn't around anymore. That's what started all this. in the first place. In any case, that meant no one saw what he did. John then made his way to the

tool shed. He pulled a flask of whiskey from his shirt pocket and took a swig. Then he picked up a long-handled axe propped against the wall. He twisted it in his hands and examined the newly sharpened blade. It was only a matter of time before John could make his final move. And once he did, he'd leave Breakheart Hill Farm for good. Welcome to Solved Murders, True Crime Mysteries, a Spotify original from Parcast. I'm your host Carter Roy. And I'm your host Wendy McKenzie.

Every Wednesday we step into the world of true crimes, most fascinating murder cases, and tell the tale of how real-life detectives close the case. You can find episodes of Solve Murders and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free exclusively on Spotify. This is our final episode on the murder of George Bailey. Last week, we detailed George's tumultuous relationships,

including a love triangle with two sisters. Today, we'll discuss the accused killer, John Best, his involvement in one of George's relationships, and the trial that sealed his fate. We have all that and more coming up. Stay with us. In mid-October of 1900, flocks of reporters traveled to Lynn, Massachusetts

to cover George Bailey's gruesome murder. One reporter, however, took a different route. John Carberry, from the Boston Globe, went up to Maine. Carberry hoped to interview George's former romantic partner, 23-year-old Susie Young. Even though Susie had left George shortly before his death, Carberry assumed she knew the details of the case, but he found himself breaking the bad news to her.

She was shocked to hear of George's death, yet she thought she knew who might have done it. The man with the knife. He must have killed George. Man with a... John Best. I thought you hadn't heard about the case. I haven't. I just never trusted John Best.

He drank all the time, and when he got too drunk, I was afraid of him. He would get angry, wield his knife, and... Tell me he could just about kill someone. And you think he made true on his word? I wouldn't doubt it for a second. Carberry eagerly nodded and took notes. This story would send readers into a frenzy. Up to this point, authorities believe John and Susie were close friends.

Susie wasn't the only one who claimed that John was aggressive either. Winfield Row, an 18-year-old boy, who occasionally helped out on the farm, delivered his own shocking statements to the globe. John and George were always quarreling. They argued about work and how things ought to be done on the farm. They argued about money, too. George owed wages to just about everyone who worked for him. What can you tell us about Susie?

Oh, they fought about her, too. I think they were both mad for her, even though she was George's girl. Hmm. What about John's drinking? He got ugly when he drank, and he drank a lot. He yelled at me at George, everyone. He even pounded on me once while he was driving me home. These two high-profile interviews were more than enough to send reporters digging into John's past.

They quickly uncovered a handful of disturbing incidents involving his drinking and violence. Each event occurred about two years prior to George's death at the boarding house where John used to live. In the first incident, John became upset with a man named Edward, who also roomed at the boarding house. One night, when Best was intoxicated, he saw Edward leave the house and decided this was his chance to get his revenge. John trailed Edward, and before the other man knew what was coming, he attacked him. John knocked him to the ground and then kicked him until he was unconscious. Edward lay motionless on the ground while John repeatedly struck him in the head with his boot. Edward survived, but he became partially deaf in one ear.

It's unclear whether John faced any consequences for this, but he was apparently able to keep living at the boarding house. Three months later, the owner of the house walked in on John, assaulting the young landlady in her room. The owner, named William, wrestled John to the ground, dragged him to the front door and tossed him out into the street. Then he ordered John to move out. But John wouldn't listen.

He returned to the house and begged the landlady to let him move back in, telling her he would stop drinking for good. She refused him. Once more, John showed up at the door, asking to meet with a landlady to discuss his situation. When she came outside to talk, she saw he had a gun. He threatened her with it if she wouldn't agree. to let him inside, and she ran back into the house, scared but unharmed.

The final incident took place just a few days later. It was around nine at night when William noticed someone in the tool shed behind the boarding house. It was John, who appeared to be trying to hide his face behind a white-collared coat. When William approached carrying a lantern, John smashed the lantern out of his hand, plunging them both into darkness. Then he struck William's shoulder with a hammer. William cried for help, and John ran off. But William refused to let this slide. He took the case to court, and John was sentenced to four months in jail.

Past incidents like these made John look that much more like a potential murderer. Now, John sat in a jail cell again. He insisted he was innocent, but there were no other suspects, and the prosecution was determined to bring him down. Prosecutors teamed up with police officers to gather evidence against John. They asked Susie Young to show them around Breakart Hill Farm and point out anything that looked awry.

It's important to note that this tour took place mere days after Susie's interview in the Boston Globe was released, so authorities were likely aware of everything she said about John. And Susie was asked. happy to back up her words. So she traveled down from Maine. Once at the farmhouse, she immediately proved to be useful. See these keys hanging on the hook here? George never went anywhere without them. Every night, he took them from the pocket of his work coat and put them in his house close. He wouldn't let anyone get a hold of these keys. I know this is hard, miss, but is there anything else?

Why, yes, that hatchet by the stove. It's all bloody. Could it be George used it for meat and never washed it? No, officer. We used that hatchet for ice. Hmm, looks too small to be the dismembering weapon. But I want to see if that blood's animal or human. Back it up for me, boys.

The group continued on and arrived at the storeroom. Upon entering, Susie stopped in her tracks. She pointed at stains on the floor. I've never seen these stains before. Any idea what it could be? I have no idea. We never brought anything in here that could spill. Look around.

It's all tools and boxes. Whatever it is. Looks to me like someone tried to clean it up. See how it's pale in color and soaked in? If you swipe your finger, nothing will come off. Do you think it could be blood? It might be. I'm going to need one of those floorboards for analysis.

Finally, Susie led them to the toolhouse. She walked around for a few minutes, and the officers quietly waited. She looked down at a small round divot in the dirt floor next to the wall. It's gone! What's gone? We had a long-handled axe. We left it propped up right here when we weren't using it for wood. I don't see it anywhere.

That must have been what the killer used to chop the body. Oh dear. We're going to need to find that axe. Coming up, John Best tries to save himself from behind bars. Put yourself in the shoes of a real-life detective. Imagine examining the crime scene, gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses, feeling the pressure mount as you race against time to catch a criminal. Each week on Scotland Yard Confidential, the new Spotify original from Parkcast,

we enter the minds of some of the greatest detectives in history, following in their footsteps as they hunt down suspects and solve seemingly impossible cases, like the scandalous murder of singer Cora Crippin in 1910, whose body was found in her cellar shortly after her husband skipped town. Or the daring Hatt and Garden heist of 2015, when a gang of elderly thieves made off with a hall worth millions, and the cryptic notes founded a murder scene during the First World War.

Was it a clue or a red herring designed to throw investigators off? Scotland Yard Confidential is a Spotify original from Parkast, made in partnership with Noiser, airing episodes weekly starting May 19th. Follow and listen to Scotland Yard Confidential for free on Spotify. Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is California's number one entertainment destination for today's superstars.

Catch the Jonas Brothers return to the Yamava Theater stage on April 30th, the powerful vocals of Demi Lovato on May 17th, and the signature Southern Country Rock of Eric. Church on July 19th. Tickets on sale now at Yamava Theater.com, only at Yamava Resort and Casino, celebrating its 40th anniversary. You in? Must be 21 to enter. Back to the story. In October of 1900, prosecutors discovered an axe was missing from Breakart Hill Farm, the potential dismemberment weapon. Even though this seemed to be a huge break in their investigation, it's worth noting that there are some uncertainty surrounding the searches of the farm. If you recall,

John also led police on a tour before he was arrested. During that tour, officers found clothing items in George's closet that helped them realize he was the victim. They also found a rifle by the stove and blood stains all over John's bedroom. After they left the farm with Susie, officer sent the hatchet, floorboard, rifle, and bullets out for analysis. But the prosecution didn't just sit around and wait for the results. They had another avenue to explore. Sometime later, they returned to the farm with the stones that had been used to weigh down the burlap sacks in the pond, the ones containing George's body parts.

They hoped to find other stones on the farm that look the same, in order to argue that the ones from the pond came from the property. Based on their previous two visits, they knew there was an outside stone wall they could start with. Once at the farm, officers ventured to the wall. They didn't even have to look at the evidence stones to know that they were a match. But what they hadn't expected was to find a hole in the wall.

One of the officers knelt down and traced his finger along the hole. Then he grabbed the bag of evidence stones, dump them onto the grass, and spread them out. Hmm. Look at how many stones we've got. Look at the size of that hole. It seems these stones are pulled right from that wall. Sure does. Now, just need to find the right configuration. Try moving that dark one over to the left. Yep. Then move that little one down. This one's got to go here, and got it. They fit perfectly.

Authorities concluded that the burlap sacks had indeed been weighed down with stones from Breakhart Hill Farm. This helped the prosecution solidify their case against John Best. In contrast, the defense took preparation for granted. John's lead attorney, a man named James Sissick, believed all he needed to do was undermine the prosecution's case. John's case was first going to be tried in an inquest. John's lawyer didn't think it would be hard to convince a jury that John was innocent. He would repeat John's claim that he had spent a quiet night at home at the time of the

murder. He felt he only had to convince the judge that the prosecution lacked sufficient evidence to warrant a trial. His defense team advised John to sit quietly and listen, leaving the case to them. They believed John needed to show the judge that he took the matter seriously. When the hearing began on November 8, 1900, John's behavior was pitch-perfect. He slid into his seat, lit a cigarette, and grinned at the reporters behind him. John's cool and confident demeanor impressed the people who were present.

He did not behave like a guilty man at all. And as the hearing proceeded, his defense lawyer only grew more, confident in their case. Mainly, James noticed the prosecution wasn't presenting certain evidence, like the results of the floorboard analysis. This led him to believe that the stains were not human blood. From there, he likely assumed the results of other analysis would be equally inadmissible. So, based on this assumption, James called attention to the rifle from the farmhouse.

Officer, you sent the rifle and bullets found at Breakard Hill Farmhouse to be analyzed by gun experts, correct? That's correct. And what did these experts find? The bullets found in George Bailey's torso were fired from that very rifle. Oh. How, uh, how exactly did they determine that? Based on the grooves in the bullets. elaborate please i am not the expert sir so i can't detail the process but the analysts did provide us with a thorough report

james move backfired the testimony ended up benefiting the prosecution the following day john's easygoing demeanor began to seem out of place a gruesome murder had obviously been committed by someone it looked more and more like that person was john finally on On November 10th, everyone filed back in the courtroom for the judge's determination. When the judge finally spoke, he announced that based on the evidence, as well as John's behavior, the case would go to trial. In the meantime, John would be held without bail. John looked to James for help, but there was nothing the attorney could do.

The court officers handcuffed John, then escorted him back to his jail cell. John sat in his cell for four more months awaiting trial. During that time, his only visitors were his brother-in-law and James. And whenever his lawyer came to see him, he only brought bad news. John, you should know that Attorney General Hosea Anulton has joined the prosecution. You may remember him as the man who prosecuted Lizzie Borden after she was accused of killing her family. He lost that case. This is good news. Well, not exactly.

That's one of the only cases he's ever lost. And he's tried more murdered cases than any other lawyer in Massachusetts. I just can't catch a break. I wouldn't get too down. The prosecution is spending all their time chasing dead ends. Like what? They're trying to locate a gold watch that belong to George. If you'd taken it after killing him, you would have stashed it somewhere on the problem.

property. Well, they've searched the farm more than once now, and it's never turned up. James, would you please have my brother-in-law come and visit me? I can do that. Even though James was taken aback by John's sudden request, he obliged. Then, in March of 1901, just one day before the trial was set to begin, John's brother-in-law William made his visit. As soon as he saw John, William knew something was wrong. The favor. Um, what is it?

Go way down to the cellar. There, in the corner nearest to the house, you'll find a package containing a watch and some money. Take the money for yourself and do away with a watch for good. I don't understand. You don't have to understand. You just have to do it. William, if they find this watch, I'll be lost.

But I don't even know my way around the farm or where the keys to the cellar are. I wouldn't even know where to look once I was down there. I've drawn you a plan. There's a black mark we'll find a watch. Take it. I have left. William took the plan, shoved it into his pocket, then went home. William knew he should tell his wife, Nettie, about his conundrum, since Nettie was John's sister.

Nettie's response came as a surprise to her husband. William, if you're called to the stand, you have to tell them what John said. But don't you think he's innocent? Of course. I know my brother drinks and has a temper. Perhaps he even stole a watch. But I don't believe he's a murderer. The jury might if I tell him about this.

If you lie, nothing good will come of it. Despite his concerns, William agreed with Nettie. He didn't go. to the farm. And perhaps he didn't want to be tempted towards it in the future because he burned the plan John gave him. Then he prayed he wouldn't get called to the stand. After the jurors were chosen, the trial started on March 19th, but it didn't begin in the courtroom. In a fascinating move, the court immediately brought the jury to Breakart Hill Farm and told them to roam the property. Only James and the district attorney were a

allowed to speak to them, they pointed out spots that were connected to the crime. However, as Douglas Heath and Allison Simcocks point out in murder at Breakheart Hill Farm, the farmhouse had a new couple living in it, and they had cleaned it up and repainted. None of the blood stains remained, and the old furniture had all been replaced. Then the jury was taken to Floating Bridge Pond, where George Bailey's body parts had been found. The DA claimed that the route they took from the farm to the pond was the exact same route that John Best took when he allegedly drove there to dump George's body.

They returned to the courthouse later that afternoon and watched as John Best entered. John attempted to appear calm in front of the crowd, just like at the hearing. Some reporters were still impressed by his resilience, but he couldn't keep the act up for long. As the trial progressed to the ninth day, John's expression turned to one of utter sadness. He was clearly worried he would be found guilty, and if that happened, he would be sentenced to death.

Coming up, Best's story meets its end. And now, back to the story. In March of 1901, 36-year-old John Best went on trial for the murder of George Bailey. The prosecution, led by Attorney General Hosea Nolton, pursued John with full force. Witnesses described John as a violent alcoholic. They said he had problems with most of the people in his life, including George Bailey. Yet John's attorney, James, did not think that was reason enough to blame John. James may have reminded the court that George owed lots of people money. That meant many people besides John would be motivated to commit the murder.

Gentlemen of the jury, this murder was not messy. It was organized and it was all done without detection. Consider whether a drunk person could shoot a moving target or dismember a corpse in secret. You've all heard just how sloppy Mr. Best is when he's drunk. And you know that he's drunk quite often. Do you really believe he was capable of this? The jury nodded as James spoke. He made a compelling argument,

but it was nothing compared to what the prosecution had coming. 18-year-old Winfield Row, the farmhand, was called to the stand. The prosecution asked the young man to tell the court about a time when he witnessed John's drunken shenanigans. Winfield described an incident when John was drunk and bragged that he could still shoot a bull's eye. He wanted to show Winfield, So they went out on the property and set up a target.

John aimed, fired, and shot within an inch of it. To this point, the prosecution would have reminded the court that George Bailey was shot twice. If John had been sober, he probably would have been able to kill George with one shot. But because he'd been drinking, he needed two. But the prosecution wasn't done yet. They called their next witness, John's brother-in-law, Willie. William, William avoided eye contact with John as he shuffled to the stand. William, can you please tell the court what happened when you visited your brother-in-law in jail before the trial?

John handed me a plan of Breakart Hill Farm and told me to go there and do away with a watch. He said if the watch was found, he was lost. To be clear, he never said it was George's watch. He just said it was a watch that was hidden on George's property. And yet we know that George always wore a gold watch. And the medical examiner did not find that watch on George's corpse. So, is it possible that the watch belonged to George? It is possible.

And where is the plan that John gave you? In ashes, sir. I burned it. But I remember where he said the watch was in the cellar of the barn. The DA instantly turned to face Officer Neal, In a theatrical move, Neil and other officers fled the courtroom. They were headed for the farm. When they arrived, they ran straight down into the cellar.

In the upper part of the stairs, there was a hole. Neil felt around. His fingers swiped at dust and cobwebs. Then they brushed something solid. He grabbed the object and pulled it down. It was a package. He opened it and discovered $72 a pocket. and George's watch.

They dashed back to the courtroom and called Susie to the stand. She positively identified the watch as George's, shaking the jury to its core. She also testified that she and John had never been romantic with one another. And despite their friendship, she also believed John was guilty. She thought the money was his only motive. Finally, John was brought to the stand. He again professed his innocence and explained that he had stolen the money and watch from George's drawer days after he'd already disappeared.

The only reason he asked William to get rid of the watch was that he knew it looked bad. He apologized for stealing those things, but said he hadn't committed a murder. But at this point, the juror's faces were stone. John and James pressed on through the trial, but in hindsight, their situation was done. They had no defense left as it came time to present closing arguments. Both sides mostly restated everything they'd already said. According to the prosecution, the order of events for George's final night went like this. On the night of October 8, 1900, George Bailey returned to Breakhart Hill Farm after making a milk delivery.

He parked his wagon, took his horse into the barn, and then went down to the cellar. Meanwhile, John Best watched all of this from the shadows, brandishing a rifle he'd taken from the house. John was livid with George because he'd scared Susie off, his only friend there. George was also the reason John was so poor. He owed him months of wages, yet still had the nerve to walk around the farm counting his cash and brandishing his fancy watch.

John walked across the grass and waited for George. George. Once George came through the barn door, he froze at the sight of John looming over him. John shot him twice in the chest. George fell, dying at the second shot. John bent down, reached into George's pocket, and pulled out George's keys, gold watch, and a wad of cash. He pocketed the items, then hurried to dispose of the body. He laid out some blankets and dragged George's body onto them. This may have been near the door to the storeroom, which was later found splattered with blood. Then he used his large knife to sever George's head, arms, and legs, but the blade was no match for muscle and bone. So he went to the barn and grabbed a long-handled

axe. Back in the storeroom, he hacked away. In his frenzy, he tried not to spatter blood, and instead let it seep onto the blankets. Some of it still got on the floorboards and the wallpaper. Next, John stuffed each body part into separate burlap sacks, which he planned to drop into the pond. But he knew they wouldn't sink on their own. The gases from decomposition would cause them to float. So before he got into his wagon,

he went over to the outside wall and yanked some stones out. Then he loaded everything up and drove to float. bridge pond. He tossed the sacks into the water one by one. They each made a splash and sank. Before heading back, John wiped the axe clean and chucked it out the window. Once back at the farm, he burned the blankets and mopped up excess blood. Then he wrapped up the watch and cash and hid them in the cellar. Finally, he went to the farmhouse and hung George's keys by the door to make it appear like George had returned home that night. The defense responded with their own closing arguments,

and the whole room was silent. After the day's proceedings ended, everything that had occurred spilled outside, drawing people from all over. On the final day of the trial, reporters eagerly packed into the courtroom. No one wanted to miss the jury's verdict. After six hours of deliberation,

the jurors emerged. They took their seats, and the judge invited them to announce their verdict. The foreman rose and told the court that the jury had found John Best guilty of murder in the first degree. James told the judge he would file for an appeal. In the meantime, John was taken back to jail.

Over the next year, John maintained his innocence. He made multiple appeals, all of which were denied, and failed to reduce his death sentence to life imprisonment. Finally, the inevitable came. At midnight on September 8, 1902, John Best was taken from his cell to the electric chair. He used his last words to claim his innocence one final time. The electric chair then stopped his heart forever. John and George's lives weren't all that was lost in the end.

William and Nettie left Massachusetts. Despite the fact that William told the truth, he was persecuted by the public. Breakart Hill Farm was also lost. Although caretakers maintained the property until about 1925, it was an uphill battle to preserve the property. By 1934, the farm was turned over to the government. Acres of beautiful forests and orchards were turned into offices and other buildings.

In the 1970s, the barn and the farmhouse were so deteriorated that they were demolished, that they were demolished. Then in 1987, an archaeologist finally convinced state officials to halt development. But even though the lush green is regrown, the weight of George Bailey's murder will always hang over his former land.

Thanks again for tuning into solved murders. We'll be back next Wednesday with a new episode. For more information on the murder of George Bailey, amongst the many sources we used, We found murder at Breakheart Hill Farm by Douglas L. Heath and Allison C. Simcox extremely helpful to our research. You can find all episodes of Solved Murders and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. We'll see you next time. If we live till next time.

Solve Murder's True Crime Mysteries is a Spotify original from Parcast. It is executive produced by Max Cutler. Sound design by Michael Langsner, with production assistance by Ron Shapiro, Trent Williamson, Carly Madden, and Travis Clark. This episode of Solve Murders was written by Ellie Reed, with writing assistance by Sarah Batchelor and Giles Hofsef. Fact-checking by Claire Cronin and research by Mickey Taylor. The amazing cast of voice actors includes Tiana Camacho, Kai Jordan, Drew Lawn, Melissa Medina, Cameron Nicod, and Nizit Harsha. Solve Murder stars Wendy McKenzie and Carter Roy. Scotland Yard Confidential is the new Spotify original from Parkast.

Enter the minds of some of the greatest detectives in history as they crack seemingly impossible cases. Join us for episodes airing weekly starting May 19th. Follow and listen for free on Spotify.