News Items pretaining to Barry Co., MO
Bridgeport, Connecticut Republican Farmer, August 1, 1843

A horrible affair occurred in Barry county, Missouri, about three weeks ago. A woman killed her husband under the following circumstances: Being in the habit of treating her in a brutal manner, he ordered her to get up early in the morning, and get breakfast for himself and two children, and then commence saying her prayers, for she should die, he swore, before sunset. She got up, chopped wood, made the fire, and then returned to the bed room with an axe in her hand. Finding him asleep, she struck the axe deep into his head, and then ran and informed her neighbors of the fact.

Canton (Ohio) Repository, Thursday, September 21, 1843 - The woman who killed her husband in Barry county, Missouri after he had ordered her to get up, get breakfast, and then prepare to die, for he would kill her before night; has been tried and sentenced to five years confinement in the penitentiary.

Reference: Cassville Democrat, April 13, 1907, Historical Facts - In regard to Barry County in the long time ago. - Mrs. Castoe, the second female prisoner at the State penitentiary, murdered her husband in 1843, her striking him with an axe, while he was asleep. She was sentenced to the five years in the penitentiary, but was pardoned in January 1845, by Guy Edwards.
Submitted by: Linda Skelton, Face Book User and State Historical Society of MO Microfilm