The New York herald., 1878-09-19
THE BILLINGS MURDER.

THE BILLINGS M MURDER.
IMPORTANT TECHNICAL II sTIMoNY YESTERDAY
At THE rRIAL-A DETECTIVES sroRY-AN
ARMoaER TEsrIFIEs AS TO THE GUN AND
THE CARTRIDGE.
By TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.1
BALLsroN, N. Y, Sept. 49, 1873
Tho Billings murier trial presents many novel
features. Some feature Of the is developed
almost daily that changes It's bearing on the PROB
abilities OF tho prisoners innocence guilt Tho
treno with which the prosecution have en-
deavOed to cover every imaginable or real deia sup
posed be connected with the murder, and the per-
tinacity aud ingenuity which the counsel for the de-
fence have manifested their endoavors TO
favorable verdict Tor their Client havc made this trial
an OF extreme interest TO those who study the
eiec: OF circumstantial evidence,
Tho eighth day OF tho trial has closed the prog
ross made been great considering the number of
witnesses and the extent OF their testimony. Judge
Landon, by his prompt and impartial rulings and
sessions OF The Court has greatly assisted
expeGitng the Fastening Of the end The prosecu-
tion VIII conclude their testimony in two days
Tho case against Billings may bc somewhat
marized now without unseemIy premature spccula-
lion The evidence against him Is, unquestionabIy,
OF q damaging nature, and sucn as few
ii
able reputation and liberty comprise any
attractions Tor them. The proofs OF the
tracks are indubitaby strong aise the Identification
OF the rubber boots and tho ae with which the crime
was committed. The ownership oi the boots and
the making OF tho is admitted, but in regard
to weapon there positive denial, and particu
larly go respecting Its use, because thereon hangs
the presumption OF his guilt or innocence Tho
tracks certain parts OF the fields no admits,
alleging that he went thore the evening OF the
murder tor the purpose Of feeding salt TO his sheep
and mending the fences. wnca the high winds mad
partially blown down But he does not explain the
appearance Of the tracks coIvcrg!ng at the well
wherein the weapon found ny the vlgiiant OIL
GERS Concerning tho Whereabouts OF Billings on the
evening question the searching Inquiries OF tho
counsel nav. as vet failed 10 veal any.
tning tangipte. There rumors oil an intention TO
prove aii5i shat score, Dut until the defence
bring forth iher proofs the theory Is purely eoDJec-
turc. The prisoner was conversing with young
irieud oil his sunday and cxpr essed mis- uailed
latin IN his acauittaL whcn what he believed
led 10 the murder ho replied, "A conspiracy" anu
added tEaL believed II To be the result OF Mrs. Bill
ings' indiscreetness IN gossipins and making enc
In the court room the accused very CHEERFUL
smiles continually when auy incentive arises and in-
tent,y watches the progress OF tns proceedings He
frequently prompts G-nerdi Hughes 10 ask questions
ana writes the inquiries they arc sug ges.ea
his mind. When AIRS. Harris, Lis mother-in-laa, APP
pcareu ON the stand Biiines cnansed MS posi-
tioa so as TO DC unseen by inc lady, ana
watched ncr from the space allowed Ny the
elbow The acuteDess OF The prosecution was fully
ghown today wnen, not saiis shed WIN producing the
rifle OF Billings III court, they brougnt there
pert from Massachusetts 90 particuisrizs about all
KINDS OF cartridges, nrearms and bullets and also
placed witness on the stand 10 state the measure
ment oil horsc's STRIDE wnen waking or trostng,
tnsl the foo steps Of The animal supposed TO have
carried BILLINGS that night ight correctly
amined, ana the time occupied known more Iuiiy be-
lore hs appeared at Wasnburne's, II such tning Is
possible.
men TO-DAY was princip,ijy Occupied IN rx,m,niup
n.is Va nell Mai kualn of ~ no
the gang OF street garrOtcrs at tna city,
VINO had Jus returned from massachusetts, where
he had Devn TESTIFY against Tuouas MOuanau, VINO
was murucr rne otner Witnesses were q.
Leet, the expert VINO Was kep tns siand for i've
nours Dy the persistency o. the cross-exlminer.
tbs TESTIMONY
Cornelius Markham teStiucd AS foilows.--l have
been detective IN tue Troy city police iorce Tor
years; 1 remember the murder ol Ars. Billings at
( Nvrthumb iand; saw Olicer Cuase anu AIR. Cuuy
| gu Thursday nignt; | haa some conversatIon with
them about a well; aiter that "eat with them up
TO tue well; w went up the lane before dark wheh
got there | saw Tracks where somevody mad
been tnrough tho Held; dad noI notice whether any
| oil .ho boarfs ou The well had been disturbed; |;
l TAXED wnh Mr.. Billings about tho weii; saw
tracks Reed lot, the nccd eide o the icucc: the
tracks were IN Hover bed traced the tr,cks all the
way up TO tne cornneld, they were not ccLtinuous
tracks, tnev frequently Interrupted; c,nparcd
the ruuuer bouts wnth the tracks III the Hover
bed ana iouuJ that thsy lifted The tracks IN Tie
cornaeld; the boots matched nicoly; sDuic
places tie TRACKS we're more distinct, particu-
larry In the cornfeld; III tho nOwcr bed ,he
1uots nj 40 ut,ed ~ rlcclN did not tina any track
| that the frog Tho Uoot would snow (Ihis ~ al
rcclly opposite To ,he evldcucc OF al previous wit
nesscs on tnat surJccL) could hot reproduce the
| impression OF the frog any places whore tflod
the impression ol The rim ID rear OF the bccl, how
evor coud be plainly seen; Tired 10 get an iinpcs.
oi ihe frog the Doot IN soft grouud nuticod
| The ieet came together as tnough tue runner haa
| stopped.
! Cross.examiIation--I nrst observed tracks on
Wednesdays looked Tor lnem iu the BliIinEs garden
hrst The on the Reed size OF the iencc
| nave certain recollection oil tracing the tracks
further than The oalneld; did not that day observe
tracks on the Reed SIDE OF the cornheid,
near the house, but DID Oh the day follow
| ing Thursday; 1 followed them west UP to
the corbheld; when | tried TO III boot
| TO the track put VI down hard and carefully; oc-
caslupally round marks of iceL together as tuoug
tho person mai tDerc; examination nado IN
the garasn was on Wednesday aiterooon: the one
Track wen only IN one direction; there wcro no
more than three tracks ths Hover bed there was
very distinct track, the impression OF the whole
iJot being worry perfect; that was MS perfect I" ""
10 a Juroi---rncre was ono distinct track IN tnc
flower Dcd; IN that trea tho boot and II was per
Icct ~.
| AN ARmoRY ExrERr
| Y. d. Leci, an expert from the armory at Spring
field, Mass. was next called Tor the prosecution. lie
sixty Ave years old reside ut spring held
most OF tho tinc have been engaged III making me-
tac cartridges anu nfearns auu testing them; nave
Tor twenty been making experiments with such
weapons; Tor two years nave been employed by The
Austrian government Vienna (Showu the Bill ngs
gunl rms is IA Ballard cavalry carbIne, cabre "A
toesc hooks for cavalry earOne; tat wnat
| was made ior (5bown shelL) rns rs u - neanin.
mat the caipre IS l4lU0 OF aa iucn. (,ucl tina. was
| taken from tne head Oi Mrs. Bnlngs snywn.J 1hir
u conlcal ball nave examined tue ball before;
am satisfied from ino examination that II was conf
! cal ball. IRON certain we'll known marks tbat II was
nred from Al 100 cslibrc caibiuo there are mum
| ber OF nne rings about the tali that are only
IN oonicd balls; these grooves are put ~
that is put them, 30 that when the bali IS hred
from the rins IT WI grctso tue btrrcL tNafks
| shown tue cvuhsci aud Court) rno butt Il
| mur&cI by a circular square base, where II wouid
enter the shelI the end VI cast Dai was marked by
the circular square. Witness showed tho ball 10
| iurv AM q