Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-10-27
The furhfn Muvaep Case

Yesterday, In the Criminal Court, Judge
Macarthur, the trial of the case OF Johanna
Turbin, charged with the murder OF Startling
Turbin, on the 5ih of July last, was contin
uued after our report closed. The District
The government, and Msssrs James an (. Bangs
and p. j. Donohue for the prisoner.
Jane, Cfog0on. reporter OF THE STAR,
THE CONFUSION OF THE PRISONER
ON the morning OF her arrest (Juiy sth),
He wouldn't take me TO the picnic on 9TH
but he took one Of the children, and went
there, sir, but couldn't 60 In, for hadn't ne
MONEY nn, and stood by me fence: Wn ,s we
and asked, What II the use Of quarreling?'
He then threatened to stamp my CUTS out.
to bed. The nett morning he got up and We
why he didp't take me TO The picnic, and be
hadn't any money and tore my dress. He
went out, but came back and got his break
fast, and then commenced to quarrel again,
sinking slut. He then grabbed the axe and
struck at me, and dOdged Ii. He put the
axe down behind the door and 1 picked it
up He then struck me on the head (indi-
eating the left forehead), saying, I'm go To
jail for yOu.' i then picked the axe up and
struck Dim, knocking him down. AFTER he
fell he said Never mind; walt till I get
up, and I'll kill you; L mean To hang for
you He lay there groaning, but didn't
froan long, and after awhile found he was
dead. ana cut of his head. Then cut of
his arms and legs. / put the body out on
tne ASH pile FIRST, and the other pieces after
wards. hardly knew what was doing At
tne time-I didn't know what was doing at
nom smelling. The two children were home
tnat night, and stayed there with me- He
dldn smell much that night. L didn't tell
the children that cut his throat. / didn't
cut his throat, and the only thing I used was
the shOrt-handled axe, and when IL was over
1 washed It, didn't put the body and legs
and carried them to the ash pile, Before
took them out. and before cut him up. /
took his clothes OF and put them in the bar.
rel re-. , forgot 10 Put my dress in TIE barrel;
used 10 quarrel with me right from the first
and knock me about; he did this with his
nst, pointing to the scar over her eye.)
OTHER TESTIMONY.
D. y. ~ Hortig1a testified that he exam
lied the remains OF Turbin; had no dou OF
mat the wounds were made with an axe, and
parts.
g. W. Thompson testified that he lived in
shed attached to the house; was at work az
the time OF the murder; heard some quarreI-
ing, which commenced about ten O'Clock in
she had become of no account, and he would
have her sent 70 the Workhouse; the Quarrel
stopped and began again, then heard a fall
and ran down. inquired II anything was the
and said that nothing was the matter, but
Turbin was drunk and groan1ng in his
drunken sleep; saw her about O'Clock, and
she was WITHDRAWING In the alley.
FuHnte Kennedy testified that she was in the
front room OF the house at the time of the
occurrence; 1t was between IL and O'Clock
the person did not groan long; went To the
door and Mrs. Turbin said that Turbin had
got drunk and fell down. She came down To
asked where was her hus band abe said thar
ne had dressed and gone to Petersburg to see
his children; went into her room about 6
3 fnt land and she was WITHDRAWING; she said
wanted TO clean up, and she said that she
could not sleep since Turbin had gone away.
Mrs Ihonpson testified that the day after
me homicide Johanna told her that Turbin
pad gone TO Petersburg to see bis other wife
and children, aud would never come back.
ChGtotte Il. Itrotn testified that she is Is
years Old, and the child OF Startling and Jo- |
mamma Turbin. Witness lives out; left her |
father home on the morning Of the homicide:
never saw him again.
A girl, years old, sister of the last wit
ness, was then called to the stand. The de. |
'ence objected to her testimony. and the |
court having examined her decided that she |
was not competent witness.
wife formerly lived next door to her house. |
Mrs. Turbln told witness that she was tired |
Of her husband, and she Intended to knock |
1lm IN the head; that he was too old for her, |
get somebody else. She was in a passion |
when she said this. On cross Examination |
lie witness testified that she had heard Tor |
almost tempted to knock her in the mead
1ut that he would not send his soul to hell |
or her.
PROCEEDINGS TO DAY.
al hfa
George SANDERS was called and testified |
hat he met Turbin on Wednesday morning
y store, and was With him about IN hour
old witness To wait, and witness waited |
'ver an hour. Never saw him again unit
,e was dead. Witness saw the prisoner on
md asked him II he had seem T1rbin. f sbe
hen said that Turbin had dressed himself |
Ind gone TO Petersburg to sec his other wife |
md children. While talking with witness |
nan owed her some money. and the prisoner |
aid II Turbin owed Der anything he would |
lever pay her. Witness got . brush handle |
prisoner had her furniture etc, out, az pre-
)aItDg TO leave the place, and asked witness
4 he wanted TO buy Anything. Witness told |
,er not 70 sell them that Turbin would
John Lee testified that he knew deceased.
Had conversation with the prisoner once,
ust after she and Turbin had had some |
IacdS, ana sn0 asked witness III she was not
90 young woman to be In contact with Tur- |
bin? Witness said he did not think go. She |
'aid he was too old q man for her, and wit |
ness told her to listen 10 reason, and said |
he ought to have thought or II before. She |
that IL was no use, she would get |
i'd Of him IL she had to kill him. Witness |
had had some money transactions with Tur-
bin and he lost his book. Witness went with |
him, and Turbin asked her for the book, and |
witness tried to get her TO give up the book, |
but he did Tot success.
Cross examined:-Witness did not at that |
lime know, Of his own knowledge. that Tar |
bin had another wife, but had heard that he |
had wife and children In Virginia. The |
about the book was In April.
This closed the testimony for the govera- |
ment.
TESTIMONY FOR DEFENCE.
The defence called Austin BlaldU who tes- |
tined that he lived near the psrtiss-next |
door and from April to July they were al |
most continually on bad terms, fighting and |
querrelipg, and only for short periods did |
they appear TO be friendly. Starring Turbin
worked at whitewashing. Had known Fur
bin three or four years and the prisoner for
eight or nine months. Turbin after being
tantalfZed by her would tussle, and gener-
ally Startling would throw her and fall on
her. Had seen them In these fights. When
she would tantaliZe him to q higu pitch he
would throw her down and hold her and be
afraid 10 let her up.
WA. Rose testified that on the morning OF
the 5th Of July he heard q quarrel In TOR
bin,s Mace: thew wer0 talking nrettv n t~h.