Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-08-03
A H.ar,le.. A,,.mp, to oommi, N.raer,


VIE a-REs TO NxoRoEs TO KILL BKR
HUSBAND.
one OF tae most atrocicus instances of pre-
med itaied murder, in cold blood. was re-
vealsd yesterday Were it not that the facts
are undoubtedly true. the common instincts of
humanity would revolt al the thought ofsuch
deed being even eontemplsted in the Chris
tian city Of Brctherly Love The facts, IN
brief, are that MI. Elias Hull. a white citizen,
aged forty years. kept barber saloon AZ No
H3 Chestnu Ut street, and lived, wI:h his wife
al No. Al Gsskill street. Early in the after
noon OF "Wednesday several OF his neighbors
noticed two negroes Were admitted into mis-
house by Mrs. Hull.and did notiseeit hem leave
About midnight of Wednesday ent Hull re-
turned home, and finding the gas burning
quite dimly in the kitchen, inc ulred ofhis wife
the reason, and was sent by her down into the
cellar TO obtain a lamp. The stairway was
nYrrow and dark, having At ITS foot small
vault. In this corner lurked two negroes,
armed with hatchets, who sprang upon him
One hacked him in the head with a hatchet,
and jumping upon him, tried TO throttle HIM.
but Mr. Hulrs outcries brought TO his rescue
Sergeant Pearson, with officers BaZietts,
Schneider and Jeffries, who broke open the
front door to search the house
One OF the negroes was found in the cellar,
and the other was discovered In closet in
Mrs. Hulrs bedroom, in spite Of her declara-
tons that no one was in the room. The pris-
oners, each about thirty years old, named .Ino.
hensley AID Charles Green, confessed that
William Barker had hired them to do .sthe
Job, under promise that he would give them
eight hundred dollars when the murder was
done, and they gave him the key of the fire.
proof safe. William Barker. only twenty-one
years OF age, had visited the house fer some
time, being introduced by Mrs Hull as her
cousin. Mrs. Hull being Enthusiastically con-
nected with the foul crime, was arrested while
Barker was sOoh apprehended at his home
seventh and South streets. Mr.. Hull gave the
following detailed statement OF the attempt
upon his life ..
A plan was laid to murder me for nv money
by man named Wm. Baker and Jane Hull.
my wife; last night when 1 came home, AT a
little after twelve O'Clock, I found the light
nearly out in the cellar kitchen, where ltght
was usually kept; 1 did not 60 down stairs
but went up into my bedroom, and asked INV
wife what was the matter with the lamp, and
she said il was out of order; told her L would
70 down to the water closet: she followed me
down, and she then went down stairs: when l
returned L found the light still DINNER and
she had gone mp stairs; i had turned to go
up stairs when she called TO me to 90
down the cellar 10 ger the light, ana /
turned to go down: L had Just passed the
vault door when i heard a slight noise
inside, turned, when they Jumped out and
one of them struck me on the head with a
hatchet, knocking me down in the opposite
corner OF ,he room; then, when / was down
he Jumped on me and throttled me: he held me
so tight L could not halloo out but finally I
recovered my strength and threw HIM off and
cried murder and got up and hoIsted q win
dow opening into the street when they both
ran up stairs
One of them ran into the water closet and
the other into the second story front room. and
concealed himself in n closet the one that
struck me was IN the waite --closet AZ il stated
that they were TO get SoUO TO murder me. and
they would get the KEY of my safe; they were
employed by VIM. Barllt r; there was also a
clothes-line on the table near the bed. SUM-
posed 10 be tie me if they did not succeed in the
cellar; one colored man stated that after the
murder be was to get the key of the fire proof
from my pocket. he also stated that nv wife
placed The Ratchet in his hand, and concealed
him; yesterday morning at the breakfast table
my wife stated that L would be a dead man
within four weeks or two months. The plan
was laid two OF three days ago.
The four prisoners. two white and two col
ored, had hearing yesterday morning before
Alderman Butler. The negroes confessed TO
all the facts above given. and all Were sent to
Moy amensIpg. to be tried at the next term of
the criminal court.
Mr.. Hull was badly cut across the right
temple. but the wound Is not onsidered dam
gerous. He bears the character OF a peaceable
good hearted man, and is thought % be one of
the best amateur chequer players in this
country. BY living economically,he had saved
quite sum of money. having AZ times in his
safe as high as $500. His wife's threat about
him dying within four weeks frightened him.
and caused him 10 deposit his money in bank
for safe-keeping. Thus had the assassius sue
ceeded in their murdeeous work, they would
have found no valuables in the firc-proof to
reward them for their objectionable crime
Pdil. Inquirer, Aug. 3D..