The New York Herald Newspaper, January 10, 1879, Page 4

TODAYS EXECUTIONS ‘Hunter Confesses Everything. ‘WHY HE MURDERED ARMSTRONG. ‘The Culprit Admits the Plan- ’ ning of the Crime. "HOW IT WAS CARRIED OUT. é Sad Scenes at the Cam- den Wail. ‘ hy [By vereoRar# To THE HERALD.) 3 Campen, N, J., Jan. 9,'1879, Bepjamin Hunter has confessed his guilt. He has made statements to three persons admitting that he formed and executed the fiendish plot for which he ‘ will to-morrow snffer death. One of the gentlemen to whom the confession was made has reduced what “Hunter said to writing. One of the other two took notes of what the murdercr told him. Both of, ‘these documents are’ said to be in existence. One is alleged to be in the possession of ;the Sheriff and. may be used upon the forthcoming trial of Graham, Hunter's accomplice. The other, {in the form of notes of conversations with the con- demnel man, now lies before ne. It is an extraor- , dinary document, and the extracts which I am per- mitted to make from it reveal Benjamin Hunter as possessing the greed of money to such an insane degree as to render him utterly merciless/and re- morseless to one whom he regarded as coming be- tween him and his god. His statement of what led him to kill Armstrong reveals this. So strong was “his passion on this subject that he grew pale with excitement even in speaking of it. WHY 3X KILLED ARMSTRONG. “Armstrong owed me money,” he says. “I loaned , bim over $5,000 and took an intorest in his business, and besides he and his brother owed me nearly * $2,000 more on other matters.’ He nover would give me any satisfaction about this moncy. Icouldn’t _get it back, and he treated me coolly after he got my money, even passing me in the street. Armstrong's wife's brother, Mr. Kellar, always said Armstrong was a liar, and I found it so. He promised to'\pay mo my money and never did. I used to get slmost, “erazy thinking ‘about this, for somo of this money ‘was my wife's, Armstrong was ambitious to live in ‘better style than he could afford. His music busi- ness was not paying, and I saw my money going to , keep up his style, Sometimes, after he moved into his Sansom street place, Armstrong wouldn’t even speak tome. , ‘ "All these things made me mad. Tcouldn’t sleop at night, and used to brood over this lost money night and day. Tused to get up in the morning in a cold _Sweat after a slecpless night, autlI have got up on a ,cold morning in a burning fever from worriment, DUNTER THINKS OF SUICIDE. “Once I went out into my barn early in the morn- ing to commit smncide, and then an idea occurred to. “me and I stopped to think.” Hunter docs <pot say so in as many, words, but there is every likehood that the “idea” of which he speaks was the wicked plan to get back . the money by the death of his debtor after he haa insured his life. He does not say just when he formed this diabolical design, but speaks of it with o sort cf pride as “a deep-laid plot,” and exclaimed at one time, What a damned fool I was not fo make the NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1879—TRIPLE SHEET. ceetelal and: asked him to come with him to fix s boiler, While walking slong the street Hi mentioned, in an incidents) way, thet Epp must do him a favor, “{was over’ in Camden last night,” szid he, “end @man I was with got hurt. Now I want you to go with’ me and just say that [ was at your plece sf that time.” Hunter reminded Epp that his wife would be angry if she thought he bad been out im s brawl, and explained that it would bring him into discredit in hischurch. Epp, believing that the’ matter was an unimportant one, and that he would be obliging a wealthy customer by what he though was a little harmless deception, con- sented ta do as he was desired, and accompanied Hunter for that purpose to the house where Arm- strong waa lying breathing his last. Hunter never spoke of the manner of his arrest without a of his oyes. He never for- gaye thé clever riige"by which Detective Toder and Sheriff Daubman enticed him into Jersey. He says that he would have fought the officers before allow- ing them to put him in a cell if his son had not been with him, UMAVAILING PRECAUTIONS, After his arrest he tried to get word to Graham to keep out of the way. “I tried to seid him messages by membera of my family after I was put here, but never could do it safely. But I did not fear his ar- ‘rest very much, for I did not dream that he would be damned fool enough to give himself awey and me too.” : HUNTER LIEN TO HIS COUNSEL. From the time of the arrest of Graham and his confession Hunter's manner underwent achango, A very remarkable thing about Hunter's case is that up to this time he had persistently, and with virtuous indignation, solemnly declared his innocence, oven to his lawyers. ‘They repeatedly aswuted him that to defend him properly they must know the truth, but such was his confidence in the cunning of his “deep laid plot” that’ he foolishly imagined “that he could safely deceive even them. From my knowledge of this case and of tne character of gome of Hunter's lawyers und the secret schemes ‘which they had afoot, I focl.satisficd that, had not Hunter's insane vanity led him to lie to his advisers, Thomas Graham would hate been put whére he would not have been arrested aud Benjamin Hunter would never have been conyieted of murder. Thus‘has this man contributed to his own. destruction. “Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad.” Even as late as the afternoon of the evening when Graham was captured Hunter laughingly assured bis counsel that the whole story of his having an accom- plice—for the story had then been published in the Herarp—was as much # lie as that he himself bad done the murder, GRAWAM’S,ARREST. But his dream was shattered when he was told of Graham's arrest and confession. He had a paroxysm of anger whict is described as frightful to see. He cursed his accomplice with blasphemous and filthy oaths, and when he was put into the muréercr’s cage and Graham given Hunter's former cell Hunter's first words were; God dama him; he ought to be choked with his own for, going back on a friend.” Thon it was that, for the first time the doomed man confessed his guilt to his lawycr, whom he had successfully deceived, Hunter wrote a letter to Graham immediately after the latter's arrest, but was induced by. his counsel to tear up this evidence of his’ indiscretion. He admits in his statement that ho offered $200 to Monk, the prisoner who car- ried the food, to poison Graham. He gloated over this, and was only persuaded to give up the idea by his counsel when they showed him that Mouk would take his money and expose him to the authorities. REGRETS NOT KILLING GRAHAM. ‘ Hunter hated Graham with a devilish ferocity, and at one time regretted that he hud not followed ab inclination he had on the night of the murder. After the bloody crime was dong, and when crossing the ferry with Graham, he bad thought of pushing him pverboard as » measure of safety. He cursed himself for not having followgi this impulse. In another place Hunter confesses that one of his reasons for hoping for release on bail was so that he might kill Graham. Hunter bas never expressed any remorse for his crimé, and regretted nothing but that it was not suc- cessful and that be had uot killed Graham, © insurance on his fo $100,000, instead of wheé T dia,” |- HAGTRR. ; '{026,000.}. "Than companica were. esger to teks! any atid , noe Nn Ne « Pisk offered, aud I might have done it.” . “THIS MAN MUST BE KILLED." He then goes on to say that after ho had made & payment on each ofthe three policies on Armstrong's life he brooded more than ever over the loss of his money. “Then,” he says, “I went.toTom Graham * and said, ‘This man has got to be killed.’”” Hunter then admits, in answer to questions, that |"5¢ the cords. «the detailed story toill, by Graham on. tho witness stand in relation to the plans to waylay, Armstrong and do the deel was substan- tially correct. He admits arranging with Gra- ham: to commit the murder while he (Hunter) should absent himself during a trip'to Vir- ginia, He purchased the hatchet at a junk shop on South Broad street, Philadelphia, and exults in his statement that Sheriff Daubman, with all his shrewd- Moss, was never able to trace the source whence it ‘was procured, The hammer was one of his own. He admits that he gave Graham money just beforo “Jeaving for Virginia, and intimates that he expected to find the murder done when he came back. , “A DREP-LAID PLOT.” . Munter takes a subtle pleasure in reciting and Awelling on what he always insisted was “a deep-laid plot.” These were the words with which he always Gesignated it. He said on ene occasion :—‘The loss of this money kept mo awake day and night, bpt I could have slept in Armstrong's grave.” Again, with in- eredible cooluess, he says:—"‘His life to me was no more thau the life of a dog. Why shouldn't he be killed?" THE MANNER OF THE KILLIXG. “Hunter's narration of the manner of the murder ‘floes not differ materially from that of Graham, ex- eept that the accomplice swore that he struck Arm- strong but one blow, that then his heart failed him tnd he throw away his weapon and ran, Hunter ways that Graham struck three blows before he ran away. Hunter never at any time was induced to say just how and where he struck Armstrong. This scemed to be the only act in the tragedy. which he was loath to pattiviilarize upon. “However, he virtually admits that it was his strong arm which: oait the one terrible blow. which ‘crushed in the top of Armstrong's hes4’and made his déath cortsin, for he says, “When I siw Graharn of the bout I told him that I had to finish him (Armstrong), because he ran Qway.” FURTHER ADMISeIONS. He admits that he ferged the postal card which purported to come from Ford Davis, the Camden man who owed Armstrong money, and which was the trap to inveigle Armstrong to his death. He ad- mits the purchase of the soft hat at Spellissey’s asa Giaguise when he accompanied Armstrong, and ad- ‘wits that the signal for the attack by Graham, who ‘was lying in wait, was the word “Yes,” which Hun- ter could pronounce with safety, becanes his friend tnd companion was somowhat deaf. Ho described the séparation from Graham on the Philadelphia sideof the ferry after tho murder, and admits the promise to pay him $300. ‘THE ALIBI. Hunter recites how he endeavored to make oat his hbi, and tolls a very interesting story which for the first time explains how it was that Poter Epp. ® reputable tradesman with whom he had dealifigs, was induced to make a lying statement to the Armstrong family in deciaring that Hunter had beon at hts (Epp’s) honse in Philadelphia at the time the murder was committe’ in Camden. Hunter is known to have told the exact truth in this matter, as it is now confirmed by an affidavit made by Epp, who has no knowledge until he reads this article of what Huuter has said, Hunter throws light on the mys- tery of the hat which he bought to couceal his face. Ho says that after he went back to the store to get his silk hat he throw away the cheap felt one which Ke had bought. He threw it in the gutter in Passyunk avenue, and he congratulated himself with evident satisfaction on its never having been found, : . A MURDERER'S FRANS, ‘The truth is that Hunter waa so anxious to prevent @uspicion attaching to himself that he overdid the matter. Ho began forcing his alibi on the dying Armstrong's family before any one droamed of ac- euding the man who had beon Armstrong's old ond intimate friend and business partnor. Yt appoats thet early on Thursday, January 2, the Gay after the murder, Hunter went to Epp's shop pears to be simple and admirable for two reasons. In the firat place there is no repulsive scaffolding or any other object to offend the sight. Nothing is visi- ble in the corridor but two slender cords pass- ing from’ floor to ‘ceiling four fect apart, and the. only suggestion of their deadly pur- pose is the noose that dangles from the end of one In the second place the machine is certain to do its deadly work quickly, and, therefore; mercifully, if it is used properly. I described the manner of its construction in to-day’s Henaxp, but the following diagram, kindly drawn for mo by the Sheriff himself, will fully explain its working:— A. (0) | | SECOND FLOOR. ‘The dotted lines represent the rope. Astout piece of timber (A) six feet long is laid across the beam# on the floor of the County Court room, whers Hunter was tried, and underneath the very platform on which he sat, Near cach end of this timber, and four fect apart, are two sheaves (B), or pulleys, over which the rope runs down through holes in the ceiling.. One end of the rope has the noose attached and the other is continued down throtigh the frst floor to the basement, where it is attached tos heavy iron weight of 300 pounds (C). This, weight has also attached a second roye, called the ent rope, which passes up through another holo in the ceiling and over a shoave (D) to a point on the floor at E, where it is made fast. F is a block, over which the rope passes along the floor. A sharp blow with an axc§will sever this rope at tho block and release the weight, which will have three feet to drop. There will also be about two foet of slack in the rope after the noose is placed over Hun- ter’s nock. This will make five feet of fall, and this great force will aurely break the neck of the condemned man, because the slack will be so ar- ranged that the weight will fall two feet before the slack is drawn down and Hunter is lifted off his feet. The frightfal momentum which tho heavy weight will by that time have acquired will cause him to be hoisted into the sir with the rapidity of a shot. ONT SAVING ‘THAIT, ‘There waa one redeeming trait about this man—his love for his family, He loved his wife and chil- dren, and the only tender emotion he ever showed in the privon was for them. He never broke down in the presence of his counsel but once, and it was the thought of his little household which caused it. With tears rimning down his face he exclaimed, “What an awful calamity thin ts for my family!” This was the one bright spot in the blackness of Benjamin Hunter's charac. ter, This man of iron nerve and heartless cruelty nover lacked fn tender sens{bility toward his wifeand children. » Mis Las? DAY ON EARTH. ‘The condemned man passed a restless night in his iron cage and awoke early this morning feverish and sick in body and in mind. He was sullen and silent, and searcely exchanged # word with his keepers, who watch him every moment, day and night, During the morning his brother, John ©. Hunter, a gentleman whose suffering arouses the sympathy of many, friends, came once more to the prison and spent several hours beside the cage. John Hunter has been devoted in his attentions and has spent freely of his wealth to save the condemned man. He isa retired builder, of Philadelphis, and reputed to be worth a couple of hundred thousand dollars. In the afternoon the wife and children of the prisoner called to take a solemn and last: farewell of the husband and father standing om the brink of an ayfnl death. The scene was a painful one, and too sacred to make the subject of public comments The dying man’s famfly were’ permitted to remain with him until quite late in the day, and then left the jail, never more to sce Benjamin Hunter alive. THE EXECUTION. All the arrangements for the execution are now complete, Sheriff Calhoun had the good judgment to leaye matil the last all the preparations possible, #o that the gaping growds which came to-day to satisfy their morbid cravings to see the engine of death, were compe'led to go away deservedly disappointed. All that was to be seen to- day wero two small holes in the ceiling of the corri- dor, and it was almost Indicrous to bebold the drop- jawed dismay which overcame the idlers who trudged through the rain all for this. To-night the scaffold was completed and everything made ready for to- morrow. THE FATAL SPOT. The execution, as I have said, will take place in the centre of the main corridor of the first floor of the court house, at the point where a transverse passage crosses it, The main corridor is about nine anda half feet wide and about. one hundred feet long, the extreme length of the building. The cross passage ix about seven feet wide and about fifty. feet long, or the width of the building. i ‘The annexed diagram will show the exact typogra- phy of these corridors and the roonis and offices ad- joiniug:— i EAST. Fong enh Sheriff's Office. .@) Heater. » aia i e > Witness Room. Keeper's Residence. ———_——_ A.—Where Hunter will stand, wre will be cut. Bathroom, F.—siaire. Hunter will stand with his back to the heater, marked in the plan. He will be brought down the stairs atthe end of the corridor from the third or top floor of the building. It is quite a little journey, as there are two halls to be crossed, LAST NIGHT'S SCENES AND EXCITEMENT IN AND AROUND THR: CAMDEN JAIL, [BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.] Campes, N. J., Jan, 9, 1879. Early in the morning Hunter complained of a sink- ing feeling. He declined to rise, and kept his bed until late in the day, Some misapprehension exists in the public mind a« to the cage in which Hunter is confined. Imagine a large apart- ment, well lighted; comfortably heated and as quiet asa church vestry room, on week days, built in the exact centre of it a smaller apartment the four walls of which are iron bars fastencd by cross pieces open at all points, so that one can seo in or out, according as he be jailor or pris- oner. Such is the cage in whieh Hunter lives and sleeps. In the words of his keeper, he has lived like a fighting cock and slept like a top ever since he was first incarcerated, until the docision of the highest Court told him to hope no more. At first he was the jolliest jail bird Camden ever saw. MIs COUNSEL. It is evident that Hunter's counsel are not pleased with’ Hunter’s financial agent, John funter, and to-day it can be truthfully said the man really hasno counsel. James M. Scovel was reteined at first, and with him was associated Mr. Thompson; later it was deemed advisable to inelude ex-Seeretary Robeson in tho list, and s retainer of $5,000 was paid him. As matters progressed Robeson becaine the senior counsel, and at last the two others, fecling that they were crowded aside, left the case. Fach of the thfeo received $5,000. Rubeson was then called away by official duties, and now Hunter has no legal adviser at all. His brother John alienated Scovol by refusing to honors thousand- dollar bond he had given him for expenses, but tho Court compelled him to pay it, and now there is the bitterest feeling between the two. HIS ACCOMPLICE, : Graham, his accomplice and tool, is now in acell on the ground floor, within twelve feet of the spot where Hunter will stand, Graham can hear every word that is said to-night, and‘as the excited discussions progress he glues his car to the grating in his door and takes in all that goes on. To-night, the bleakest of the season, the Court House is dark and gloomy. Ordinarily the building is cheerfully lighted. The lumber for bracing was taken in at eight o'clock, the ropes and the weight being already housed. There fs a thin partition of lath and plaster only between Hunter's apartment and the court room, in which the hammering aud exclaiming and laughing go on. AIS FAMILY AND HIS BIBLE. When the watchmen were changed the new comer noted a marked difference in his countenance. Hun- ter was moody and restless and uncommunieative. He read his Bible and talked to himself until his wife, daughters, son and brother came over with the Rev. John A, Kunkleman from Philadelphia to see him. It was at first intended that this should be their fare- well visit, bat the prisoner's prostrate physique so tonched them, that after a profitless: stay of several hours they left, with the understanding that they could come over again in the morning The storm was so flerco and Mrs. Hunter so depressed and delicate, that it is doubtful if she: can again endure the ordeal. PREPARED TO DIR. While they were with Hunter, the clergyman again approached the subject of ® pabiic confession. He at first avoided it aud turned the conversation to spiritual matters. When the clergyman renewed the subject, Hunter said that he Was prepared to die, and that he had no intention of mak- ing sny puolic confession, As is slware the the City Counc care in these trying hours, but little was said by the ‘prisoner and his fanuly, who seem devotedly ‘attached to him and for whose sake it hus been be- lieved ana hoped le would withhold his confession. They sat silent witnesses of his prostration and weep- ing sympathizers in his grief, but so faras cousolation ‘was concerned there was none to be given by either party. It wasasad procession that filed out ot the dingy corridors and down the sleet-driven strevts to the ferry, where the ice is piled in heaps and winter is in extreme development. After his family lett him Hunter braced up 4 little and at the request of his watcher ate a fair supper. ‘Then he turned in and soon fell intos trdéubled sleop. At half-past cight P, M., when carpenters were shouting about joists and pullies end beams and holes, Hunter lay curled in bed with an anxious expression on bis haggard face, while from his thin and whitened lips came moans and groans that made the keeper wish for more’ con- gonial company. At halt-past ten the experimenting ‘amateurs were far from happy. Pertect as their plan ,appeared upon the plumber’s paper, ‘it wus by no means so clear to the Sheritf or the public prosecutor. In the animated Aiscnssions that ensued the confessed assassin, Girne ham, manifested great interest. It is one of the odd coincidences of the Hunter case that the condenmed ‘man {s to stand dircotly under the spot in the court room where he received his sentence, and so near bis accomplice that were they to whisper au revoir the ironic expression could be distinctly Leard. PRARS OF SUICIDE. Whethor there are any grounds or not for the fear of the officials that Hunter desires to commit suicide Leannot ascertain, His triénde scout the idea, but the inmost severe watch is is kopt on every movement of'the prisoner, and even his dishes are removed the moment he is finished eating, lest he should break a plate and try to cut himself, At eleven o'clock Hunter was asleep and apparently in trou- bled@reams. His early religious training is assert- ing itself. His mind runs in conventional channels and he uses the cant phraseology of professionals. That his mental vigor will endure the strain of the morning better than his physique is evident. There is no hope of pardon, respite or delay. Ho will cer- tainly be hanged about noon to-morrow, but whether the hanging will be a butchery or 2 solemu ceremo- nial is something that cannot be safely predicted. ie THE ¥INAL PREPARATION, The streets leading to the Court House square aro to be roped off in the morning and no person will be permitted to. go beyond them without a pass and the public school that faces the square will be closed. At eleven o'clock the high wind whistled fiercely about the jail and as the storm ceased the moon burst out from the dense Diack clouds and threw one cold ray on Hunter’s face, He turned and groaned, and the cloud passed on, covering the moon, but the wind whistled wilder tham before and the haggard face was mcre dis- torted. At twelve two keepers relieved the watcher, andat six the prisoner will be roused. NO RESPITE, [BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD,) Trenton, Jan. 9, 1879. Benjamin Hunter’s brother mado another applica- tion for a respite of one month in the case of the condemned man. The Governor replied, through his private secretary, John A. Hall, that he was powcr- less to interfere, It is rumored here to-night that Hunter is in a dying condition. FARRELL'S DOOM. @XCITEMENT IN QUEBEC OVER TO-DAY'S EXECU- TION—A MENTING OF IRISHMEN AT WHICH THREATS WERE UITERED AGAINST THE Mank- QUIS OF LORNE—THE GOVERNOR GENERAL [BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.] Quvexec, Jan, 9, 1879, The approaching execution to-morrow of Michael Farrell attracts more interest than any which has ocurred in Canada for years past. The murder for which he will hang in the morning is the second committed, if not third. In 1861 he quarrelled with a neighbor named Mahar on,his farm, killing him outright with an axe and Pf on his body os if ft had been » Tog. ‘year Farrell obtained a verdict -of sequittal, though the fact of the murder was ‘not dgnied, the plea for the murder being self-defence. A year or two subsequently another neighbor, named Landers, on his dying bed deposed that Farrell inflicted his fatal injuries, but this was denied and matters rested there, . . HIS LAST CRIME, The murderer's ready escape from punishment sorved only to harden his disposition, and in August last the Dominion was startled to hear of the brutal circumstances or Francis Conways murder on’ a Sunday afternoon, while walking home on the Gosford Rafiway track, holding one of his young children by the hand. The railway track crossed Farrell's land, and the proprietor seeing Conway advancing ran out of his house, gun in han d, and at a distance of two feet from his head fired, the shot which sent his neighbor unwarned into the presence of his maker. He was tried, convicted and sentenced in November last to be ey os on the 10th of January, and when asked what he had to say wh: sentence should not be pronounced, merely replied, “If my enemy Conway had pat np the fence after him he might been still, alive and I would not have been here. THE FINS EXECUTION IN EIGHTEEN YEARS. Since Meehan was hanged in 1964 for the murder of Pearl there has been no execution in Quebec, and anxious to avoid one, petitioned the Governor General to commute Farrell's sen- tence. ‘They were refused, aud then a i tion to the Marquis of Lorne was forwarded by Trish residents Quebec who, strangely enough, evinced strong feeling in‘the matter, notwithetand- ing the @rutal murder of an Irish follow country- man. Mrs. Farrell also visited Ottawa to eee Prin- cess Louise, but without avail. THRYATS OF THE TRISH. To-day 209 Irishmen assembled in Durham terrace and attempted coercive measures with the Marqnis of Lorne, averring that he could not visit Quebec oF be received by the h here, Farrell's sentence was allowed to be exe- cuted. Political agitation was unfortunately, however, at the bottom of the meeting and the =. telegraphed to Ottawa aud the reply received that the lsw must take its course. Consiterable excitement crists with reference tu the meeeting and the specches made at it. The jail f well guarded by an extra force ot police and the execution will occur, FINAL PREPARATIONS. Sharp at eight A. M. the scaffold is ready in the jail yard. bo ‘s coffin lies below the oe. am wife @nd fami! bre mm amd took sup with itn, Bi ing Et SP teeckent at five orehuk. Hig father confessor, Father Wynn, stays with him all night in the cell. Farrell does not seem to realize his fate and promises to make a speech on the scat. foid pleading great aggravation in the shooting of Conway. ‘ SENTENCED TO DEATH. Boston, Mass., Jan.'9, 1879, In the Supreme Court at East Cambridge this foro noon William H. Devlin, who was gonvicted of the murder of his wife at Lowell about a year ago, ro- ceived sentence of executiva, to take place March 14. IMPRISONMENT FOR “LIFE, * New Haves, Conn., Jan, 9, 1879, The jury in the Superior Court herg to-lay returned a verdict of guilty against Kdyar Freeman, colored, of Ansonia, who committed a brutal outrage upoh a little girl, and who narrowly escaped lynching. ‘The penalty imposed was imprisonment for lite. An effort will be made to take the case ty the Supreme court. A FATHER'S CRIME, Mitwavxer, Wis., Jan. 9, 1879. At Avoca, Wis., an cxumination was held on Wednesday over the body of Henry Doty, aged eighteen years, which was recently found in the Wisconsin River. It appears that’ the father of the boy was a hard character, who, when en- raged, was in the habit of by the boy terribly. The evidence showed that he struck the boy on the head with some weapon, killing him, then, fearing detection, shot him throngh the bh with a pistol, and to give an appearamce of snicide threw the body and pistol into the river, The father ot the deceased and Wilson Doty, his nephew, are in jail at Dodgeville, OHIO GREENBACKERS. CoLumnes, Jan. 9, 1879. The State Central Committee of the national green- back labor party met hore to-day, eighteen out of twenty districts being represented. It was decided to take steps for.more thoroughly organizing the party for the next campaign and to hold a State von- bn ag in this city ou the first Wednesday in June ne ee fedtous triat Ta Suty orm That” MRS. COBBS TESTIMONY. Her Remarkable Demeanor on the Witness Stand. SHREWD, PLAUSIBLE AND COLLECTED, A Flat Contradiction Bishop’s Story. of TEARS FOR “POOR CHARLIE,” She Would Not Marry Again the Best Man in the World. — [wy TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.) . +Nonwica, Conn,, Jan, 9, 1879. ‘The sensation of the Cobb murder trial to-day, was the testimony of the prisoner, who remajned upon the stand during the entire day, Her story, it must be edmitted, was told with great care, with great pur- tieularity as to details, was pathetic now and earnest then, in just the right places, and was, in brief, the kind of a statement calculated to have an effect upon the mind of the average ‘juryman. Her denials of any knowledge of poisoning were most earnest and positive, and a skilful touch was manifest in her tes- timony «s to feigned or real ignorance of the appear- ance of arsenic. Early in her examination the line of defence was portrayed that Mr. Cobb came to his death either from the uso of arsenical powders taken by himse!f or from poisons administered by Bishop during his frequent interviews with the’ husband of his para mour, All the testimony bearing on the subject of poisoning was cleverly arranged to support the the- ory, and Mrs. Cobb related numerous instances in which Bishop had opportunities for administering poison if he chose, notably during his visits on the day of hér husband's death, when Bishop handed Cobb something that he was chewing when his wife entered the room, but the nature of which he did not ex-. plain. : The witness was most positive in her declara- tions that there had never been any improper in- timiacy between herself and Bishop, not evgn 4 little stolen kiss, and the impeession was given by the tes- timony throughout that Bishop stood toward her in the light of an aspirant for her love and that she gave him no encouragement. Poor Charlie Cobb, it may be remarked, seems never to have suspected this, Tho woman must have appreciated Bishop's motives, and if ghe spoke so freely to her husband on every other subject she gave no testimony that she had mentioned to him this most important matter, which a true wife would have confided to her-hus- band. The denials of giving or receiving presents, testified to by Bishop, were given with great partic- ularity and in direct contradiction of his evidence, HER APPEARANCE ON THE #TAND. Mrs. Cobb's demeanor on the witness stan@ was modest, with nothing defiant in her tones, but a steady, resolute manner of speaking, as though nerved up to a difficult and hazardous task. Het memory appears to be remarkable, but this may be explained by the fact that er counsel spent hours yesterday afternoon and last night in arranging the programme. Whethcr she has told the truth or not, there is no good ground for claiming that as much reliance cannot be placed upon her evi- dence as upon the four statements: and confessions and .sub-confessions that Bishop has given to the public. On her*cross-examination this afternoon Mrs. Cobb gave an erhibition of coolness and nerve which old lawyers admitted they had never seen equalled. State Attorney Waller is keen and rapid and would confuse an ordinary witness, but Kate Cobb is made of sterner stuff. Not a single instanca uring three tong hours, duriey wieirtethe exerted every effort of his power and of device of his legal experience to shake her teatimany in chief did she waver for an instant. Her face was that of‘a Sphinx. Cold, impassive, devoid of semblance of emotion and her answers deliberate, yet not hesitat- ing. Again and again he would endeayor, by yary- ing interrogatories, to lead her into a contradiction, but she held her ground until there grew among the spectators an unvoluntary sympathy for a woman who endured what many a strong men would have failed under, @ne thing is evident, that if Kate Cobb did not do the deed she was the Lady Macbeth who: spurred Bishop to his work. ‘MRS. COBB'S TESTIMONY. The Court met at nine o'clock, and Mrs. Kate M. Cobb was called as the first wituess for the defence. As she took her seat on the witness stand there was quite a sensation in the court room, as it was known that her testimony would outline the plan of defence that would be adopted. 2 Being sworn, she testified:—I was married ten years ago; Mrs. Bishop and myself were schoolgirls together, and continued our intimacy until her death; Mr. and Mrs. Bishop were marricd three years before I was; I was a schoolmate of my husband, and’ he and Mr. Bishop had a long and close intimacy before I married; they often wentan trips ie sey Bishop finally removed to Baltic and my husband and myself visited him there on the occasion of the installation of the officer’ of a lodge of Good Templars; some time later the Bishops went to Oregon, and upon returning here we renewed our intimacy; Mr. Bishop and my husband were not together so much because they were separated by their business, but they were alw jends; my most intimate lady friend, while [ was living on the west side, was Hattie Bishop; het husband first be- gan bringing provisions to my house in the spring of ‘1877, and during the previous winter my husband and inyeelf met the Bishops at public entertainments and often the four of us went in company me of these entertainments dances, and T danced with Bishop and Mrs. Bishop with Mr. Cobb, but L never aaneek round dances; during that spring Bishop came to the house to bi ng Provisions about four times weekly; he would call in the morning to take my order and return in the afternoon to deliver the articles; my husband bought hay and meal at the store where Bishop was employed, and Bishop on one occasion, 2, moved my mother's furntture to my house, ‘was there several times that day. ‘WAS IT POTSONING 7? My husband was a tall, thin, spare man; at one time he had side whiskers, but about three years ago the beard began falling out, the hair first turning white; his whiskers finally became so thin that a shaved them all off; his njtistache also foll out In same way; this mattor led to remarks, anil as Mr. Cobb was very sensitive as to this and his attenuated form, on some occasions he was greatly annoyed, for instance, at masquerades, where his long, thin neck betrayed him; he was in the habit of tuking a great deal of medicine without consulting a physician; I have known him to take California Wine Bit- ters, Hostetter's Bitters, Vinegar Bitters, Atwood's Bitters and some kind of a solution that I knew lithe about; they were all patent medicines; he ‘had a severe attack on New Year's Day, 187%, of vomiting, and was unable to smoke in the evening a cigar that Bishop offered him; another attack was in February, on the occasion of an operetta of “Linderessa”’ in the town, we having tickets but he being unable to at- tend: in our family only my husband and little girl drank tea, and he wanted great strength to it; some- times he purchased the tea at one place and some- times at another. BISHOP FURNISHRS A KPECIAL TRA. Abont a week before Mr. Cobb's first attack Bishop came to our house to take orders, my husband being resent, and I stygested that he order-some tea froin Bishop's store, but he refused, remarking that the tea was better at the tea store; that atternoon when Bishop came with the orders he brought about an otnce and told me to make the tea for my husband and not let him kuow where it came frum, to see whether he would know the differcnce; [did so, and when my husband tasted it he exclaimed, “What's the matter with this? it's very bitter; 1 told him it was a sample that Bishop had brought; he replied, “It that's the kitd of tea he keeps ‘I'm sure I don’t want any of it; throngh the month of March my husband com- plained that he did not feel ‘first rate; he kept his medicines in a chest in the kitche d Mr. bishop, upon seemg them one day, inquired, “Do you keep Ms drug store?’ Bishop spoke ot the matter on several other occasions; during the winter and. spring of 1878 I knew him to purchase calisaya bark and Win- chester « waperpitospliate, in the April preceding his their effects were weakening, resulting in nausea and vomiting. . BISHOP HOVERS AROUND CORN's DEATHBED. On the day of his death, June 6, Bishop was there three times, the third time. a few minutes past eleven; he stayed only a short time, and was alone with my husband in the sitting room, and 1 up stairs saw him’ when be came in, and then went wp stairs and returned after Bishop had gone; on reaching the room T noticed that he was chewing something, gnd when t it was, he replied, “Something “he coivplained of being sleepy, pon the tounge, and le went to sleep; when the children returned from school they disturbed him, Aid gpaking up he exclaimed, ‘Oh, dear, dear, [have no®had sleep enough; he arose and as he came up irom the sitting room he sort of tae: gere| to his chair at the table. affected to tears, chovked her testim freely from a glass of water at her call resumed.) He did not seem sat down in his chair and ne called a prescription by Dr. Paddock; I, went to the back room after it, and returning he complained of faint- ness aud asked for brandy; -I administered it, and his taintness continuing he asked me to rub his and to send for his father; he lived until nearly one o'clock; while-I was rubbing his he looked’ up at me and said, “Don't be frightened, Katie,” and to my mother he “Well, mother, I think I have got a shock that means something.” (Lhe witness was greatly affected while giving this testimony, and frequently her utterances were broken by sobs.) Among his other remedies, ny husband had often used a gal- vanie battery, and had a shock from a large one owned by . Church on the morning of his death. me ARSENICAL POISONING THEORY ADVANCED. Bishop sometimes brought liquors to the house, and on the occasion of my husband's April sickness Bishop obtained some brandy and whiskey for him and he took it; no one else drank any of it; again in May he brought some whiskey; I asked him to get me some and he inquired **Who is going to take it’? my husband need part of it; Bishop brought canned tomatoes from the grocery, and after eating them he was seized with vomiting; my husband had @ private box in a closet, in which he kept Masonic and other papers; one day he brought home another box, und taking thes papers aM putting them in it, put the box on an upper shelf, and told me not to tonch it; late in April, when I was cleaning house, this box was knocked over, and among the things that fell out was a sinall package containing some white powder (sensation in the court room); this package had been opened and some of it spilled on the floor; while restoring the papers to the box my husband entered and said-— AN OBJECTION TO COBB'S DECLARATION. ‘The State objected to this declaration by Mr. Cobb as not in connection with the complaint he was suffer- ing from. His admissigus are not admissible in this case, a8 he is not here to deuy it, and can neyer be brought to deny it. Colonel Wait argued at length on the admissibility of this evidence. The Stute had claimed arsenical poisoning, and the defence has a right to show the Dinding ot this white powder in Cobb's private box ‘and wnat he said about it. We can show that he was taking arsepical powders for purposes of his own, and we wish particularly to show what he said re- garding these powders when his wife accidentally found them, State Attorney Waller argued that this declaration was one not sworn to and of a perty not known in the A ‘ase, and who is beyond the reach of cross-exami- nation, lonel Wait said that Cobb destroyed the powder at the time and his explanation accompanying the act is admissible, State Attorney Waller offered, in support of his , the ruling of Judge Sunford in the murder any of the State vs. Dodge (29th Conn., p: 153). ‘The Court remarked tht the taw on this point was clear, Naked declarations by a party out of court, explanatory of no uct, are inadmissible, but a declara- tion in explanation o timony as to the act. In this particular case, in which an objection is raised, if Cobb was about to destroy wders, what. he said in explaining his action may be admitted in evidence. COBB AND HIS ARSENIC. ‘The counsel for the defence then changed his form of interrogatory, and Mrs. Cobb, continuing, sajd:— My husband said, “This is 4 orciye and ought to be destroyed—I thought I told you not to meddle with the box;’"he then threw the package in the stove. Did you ever haye a conversation with ‘Mrs, Waterman and your husband as to the leanness of members of the family ? Objected to and ruled out. —* . Tho interrogatory being changed Mrs. Cobb re sumed:—I have talked with my husband about his leanness, and atone time he told me that he was going to-get fat;*I knew him to have a box of arsenio powders, and said to him, “Why, Charlie, that is poison!” he replied, “Poison is good for some peo- ple if taken in small, doses;’’ then looking at the powders I said, “Why, that’s not arsenic, that’s white, and arsenic is green, for I have always heard of arsenic green as a color;"’ he replied, ‘‘No, arsenia is white, and if you don't believeit you ask Bishop, from whom I got the powders;” I often saw him take the powders; he had kept the powders in the box until the time it was tipped over; then hecarried them on his person; this was during April. THE HAND MIRROR GIFT. About the time of my husband's visit to Troy Bishop came to the house for orcers one morning, and I asked him toget mea hand mirror; he brought it the next day; my husband knew of it subsequently and it was openly used; I did not regard it as ® present until after my husband paid the grocery bill at the store where Bishop worked, and I found that. the mirror was not charged to me; I asked Bishop about it, and he said he presented it to me “us a token ot friendship and that his’ motives were pure;”* never wrote any note to Bishop about the mutter. INNOCENT EXCURSIONS. As to the Fourth of Wig fe sgh that was by my husband, and Bishop’s statement that planned it with him was a liv; the sailboat excur- ston in August was arranged by my husband and Mr. pe! 1 the statement that I had anything to do with planning it was utterly false; the Martha's Vine. ‘ard excursion had been contemplated by my hus. id a year before; no notes passed - between Bishop and myself on that occasion, and there would have been no opporgunity, for I was with some of the Jadies all the tinic, The gold pencil which Bishop says he gave me J obtained in ‘July, 1877, when on my way to Troy, going up the Hudson ona steamer; when going to claim my baggage I picked up a piece of yellow pa per, in which this pencil was wrapped; when I wrote to my husband next I wrote him about it; I cannot produce the letter, but Ican produce evidence that i wrote ‘such a letter; while in Troy 1 corresponded with Mrs, Bishop and sent her some pieces of poetry; I sent Bishop a watch charm while in Troy; it was a philopena present, and the promise’ to send it was nade in the presence of my husband aiid Mrs. Bishop; it was a simple thing and inexpensive;'on my return in September, 1577, and when on the way te church with my husband { met Bishop and his wite, this was the first meeting after my return; durin, that fall we exctlanged many visits—that is, the Bishops aud my family; weaiso went to MroCharles ‘Tracy's, and I tearned to play one game; this.was on the evening of the lsth day of July, 1877 (a smile in the conrt room at the particularity of this statement as-to the date); it was casino. . Bishop had testitied that it was auction pitch and that she was not a good players + H¥ NEVER RISKED HER; NO, NEVER. Bishop never kissed me, as he testified; I yave him the silk handkerchiet that has been produced in evidence; it was one that was sent me from Sydney, Australis, and one Sunday evening on my way to church it was taken from my muff by Bishop un- known to me; later that evening he met me and said, “Here's your handkegehief,” and: I replied, jokingly, “If you want a silk handkerchief so bad as to s' one [ will buy you one;” some time later, whon in & store with Mrs. bishop, I spoke to her about it and bought the handkerchief with her knowledge and gave it to Bishop afterward in my mother’s house and in her presence; the box of engage | reterred to was ordered by me and I supposed it had been paid for until I heard in court the other day that it had been sent as a present. BISHOP'S NIGHT VISITS TO MBS. COBB. During the fall and winter of 1577 Bishop came to the house several evenings and remained some time; he came expecting to meet his wife, as she was a fro quent visitor and he was in the habit of meeting her ‘there; that he made private calls is false; also the statement that I conversed seriously with him about divorce in October of that year; there had been some talk ina joking i both by Mrs. Bishop and myselt, and it ren out of the fact that my husband and Mr. Bishop both objected to or ridiculed our belonging to the Order of Good Templars. I remember. say- inj that perhaps she could Y ad a divorce, but I could not, for I had no yrount A GENERAL DENIAL. ‘What have you to say ing Bishop's testi- mony implicating you in the poisoning of his wife and your husband, and, in fact, all his statements about tho use of poisons by yourself? Mrs. Cobb (with great carnestness)—They are all utterly false; I have never ordered, bought, received or administered any poison, or had anything to do with such things. Continuing, the witness said:—Bishop's statement, that he planned with me the ill treatment of his wife is also false; I gave rye i niatch safe and ching cup and saucer, marked “Pet: they were Christmag presents, and his wife made presents to him at t wame time; I never had any morphine pills in mj possession; in Januar; S78, there wasa conven sation at my inpther’s about some one being poisoned t Lanman & Severn’s drug store with aconite, taken under the belief that it was whiskey; Bishop was present during this conversation; on the occasion of my husband's attack in Feb- ruary he went out after a physician and rettrn later than usual that afternoon; it was a stormy di aud Lexpected him eariy; 1 prepared his tea abo five o'clock, and mentioned to my mother that it was very strong; my husband had purchased ita fow days previously; the tea was steeping from five to nearly seven o'clock; when Charlie returned I gave him the tea, and after he had swallowed a saucerful he complained that the tea was strong, that it didn’t taste right and that it gave him him a queer feeling in his throat; Mr. Bishop testified falxely that he saw me that evening, but we saw him the next morn- got | ing, aud any husband and myself conversed with him on the subject of the tea. SHE REPAIRED BISHOP'S SHIRTS. I only visited the Louse of Bishop once during the absence of his mother in New Haven; he was at m; house tn the morning and spoke of the collar band ¢ his shirt being wrong, so that his necktie did not tity Lasked him to bring the shirt to the house, but he said he would not have time; then I toll him 1 was going to call on Mrs. Lee that evening, and if he would let me have his key I would go to his house and get the shirt; my intention was to get it from him then or about halt-past seven, when he usually went home to replenish the fire in his sitting room; Bishop occupied the upper portion of the dwelling im which Mrs, Lee lived; that evening I first called. a Mrs. Lee's, and after remaining @ few minutes [ weut to Bishop's apartments, got the shirt and went home, Was there on this occasion or any other any ctim> nal intercourse between Mr. Bisnop and yourself? Mrs. Cobb (very positively)—Never, sit! Witness resunrod:—After this I mate various little repairs of clothing for him and he wanted to pay me; Trefused payment and he finally gave me a set of jewelry; my hueband knew of all thi admit mak- ing and giving to Bishop 4 broom wre's death she and I set to lot of fancy articles and rooms alike; after his wife died he was one day would now never be this broom case at the titme, and told him 1 ‘was working on n act can accompany the tes. ald |