The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-11
7HE. CAMDEN MURDER.
Hunter Plots the Death OF Graham,
His Alleged Accomplish.
A FIENDlsH PROPOSITION.
"YOu Put Slrychnine in His Coffee and III
Give You Two Hundred DollarS!"
AN ATTENDANTS STORY

PHILADELPHIA, April 10, 1873.
Benjamin Hunter, the alleged murderer Of Jona ~
Armstrong, - stiil confined tho murdercrs cage u
tho Camden jail He is watched day aud ngnI,
Keepers Hollis and Ware taking turns 10 guarding ths
room OF which the cage II tho centre Hunter
betrays no sigma OF realizing the terrible position In
which no stands since the confession OF young Ora.
ham, his confederate. who made clean breast and
told tho whole horrible story OF how he and
Hunter committed tho murder He spends
great deal OF his Time singing aud Wits
ting, 'Home, Sweet Homen and "Hold tho Forln
being his iavorile selections He eats vorac.ousy,
sleeps well, assumes good humored behavior and
acts generally Ikea man whose Is entirely
peace But Tor his siuis,er face visitor would not
suspect him OF being The man against whom there u
apparently overw hemipg evidence OF having assas.
sinatcd bis best friend to obtain his lilo insur-
ance money he mas never betrayed fear or
dependency. except upou tho one occasion.
the first Gay OF his confinement in The cage, when
the Sheriff mentioned 10 him the name Of Mrs.
Speiissy. OF whom he purchased Tho hat 10 disguise
himself Tor the murder. When ne realized that ths
authorities had discovered this grew pale and his
knees knocked together. But no speedily recovered
himself AUD has SHOWN no signs Of weakness since
then He 10 undoubtedly man OF extraordinary
nerve. or he would never bear up ana smile under =
load which would have crushed men long a.o.
STILL wATERs Run DEEP
But beneath his nonchaaDt exterior he has been
busy plotting further mischief, nothing less than
anotner MURDER II the evidence OF mate Of
jail be believed. Il seems that young man
named Thomas Ellis WAS, until yesterday. when uis
short term confinement expired, fellow prisoner
with Hunter. ana being IN tor mild case OF assault
| und battery, allowed make himself useful
In ihe jail by carrying tho meals to The prison
ers kept In closer confinement tnan himself.
lion. 70 TINS man Hunter actually proposed that he
should murder Graham. the accompiicc who
essed. by putting strychnine Ia his coffee, Offering
i'm a hor
str cken, prompIiy informed tho PRISON officials The
san was .ae nd inc .o
are best told In the following affidavit signed and
sworn 70 ey Es tins s ., moe r Ssors master ~
4 pEvILIsu PLOT
ana have done some work a6oa tne jail Tor tbs keepr
have been taxing Mp me meals 70 nuas.r One d.yle
SAM. e .s sss
H. RsS at u ssa s;s iS sas
wh,psy Does GrAsm Sss the same vissa.l' Is DO ~
Well" Hunter replied. You Of mo.
ad1sa '' sSsass zone ss
s Keeper 70 ws wa. as * an.
Inc s s sh. s s
v0x n ~. sssax s s & fna sas M.
you DOH i show you the money! ssla him would,
in >. s's DO s
%sr.y ~ she mGsa' io 2, ~ i''I =. eau se' ny
morning sn aansr 20 take HI. meals 70 Hunter asa
~ %."ss
aid Tor r.. an nnp'e .ps ys and 10
about shi. shng' you have sh.nss AID can work
M Nm
s:s rs; Y:
and ao ", went o.es on man ~ my fs You a. no
tell scsvel .wyer 70 right to me-" or sstar
=. ] :. a tn s s@ .s 10 9 s
one aana,sa do.i., notes. lie also n'i@A'sd that
This story so Tar a. y relates 10 tho sheriff and the
officials oil the JAIL II entirely confirmed, aud it
lIeved thai Ellis tells the whole truth.
1 cogRoBoRArrvE xyIDaScR.
| Turnkey Kennedy repeats tho narrative Of Ellis
Almost 90 gwen r. epsIss 2, ,nS wsss%ss
u frequently hsppens during tho day that
Ware rings his bell for some one 70 70
nm TO breathe tho iresh ar, az hts position
room constantly with Hunter Is monotonous, and 10
order to give him the needed relaxation the head
keeper often sent Eliis UP Mr.. Kennedy contlnued:
ION Tuesday morning Of last week, after Eihs had
ssse. wnsn asked MIN what was tho matter
be said. 'rnst scoundrsi Hunter. orer"i me $40
! to put Graham away. Then no related lno
story OF Hunters proposition 10 procure strychnno
and drop u into Grahsm's coffee Without telling
Ware anything about the affair managed il so that
Ellls would quito oItou and urged him 10 ges
The money from Hunter Que DAY he asked Huntcr
ior The money hs pulled out roll Of paper aud
said rnsrs i. is bat NC altrrward said Inc money
would DO hero on Tuesday, that's yesterday. Hunter
store Hunter would given EIlls tho money Il We
had waited day or two longer"
now HUNTER TALKS
| The correspondent won't unter and
found him In bis usual pleasant mood, glad 90
VISITOR, with whom he shook hands through the bars,
quite comfortable. "Never fei, bs,ter In my life,
comfortable. mentally and physically. You
see, l have nice quarters here" pointing
gloomy irou forming SIDES OF The cage ia
which he sat. ION, they take good care Of here;
he keeps the place very clean and nice, don't you.
jimmy -
engaged In cleaning the noor oi the outside the
cage
tsrs better than whore saw you DOWNSTAIRS" said
tne correspondent
.,oh, yss." rejoinsd Hunter. othsrs's more fresh
down thers; now ice nrst rate. they nr,s
ra,e ZOO They iet me outside there wnsrs
Ter comes TO shave mo. On, Yes, tbev'i lot 60 all
over The house by aud byc The judge there WARE,
mo play turnkey Tor wniis. Won you, Judge ~ said
Hunter, with laugh.
There was an evident desire on his par, to Impress
the VISITOR that no was quite comfortable In his
nnemcnt and Hunter repeated this observation sew.
srai times ho does NOS read ms Bible apy more. boz
cause they have taken away his eyeglasses, and no
cannot read the the print Of daily papers he u
visited occasionally BY his lawyers and by hrs vile
and family v,ry often. he tod his vistoI but this
Is not truc, his jaors say MIS- vile calling upon him
lie has not been told Of the discovery Of his po, "a
have Graham POISONED, and the correspondent ven,
| tured TO hint ~ tho matter duriug Inc interview.
Hunter was taking voubiy and Pleasantly about the
ram being so good Tor the crops aud no~ cool would
be IN tho cage In the summor TINE when tho visitor
suddenly asked. "How's Grahamf" Hunters whole
manner changed. He ~ oocs avcrt~d hts eyes, but
not rapidly enough 70 conceal nm unusual glare ~
| them II don't KNOW anything ABOUT HIN, no ro-
plicd gruniy, win his head turned aside
| ~ hear" said the cofrcsrondsnt carelessiy. 'tnas
| he 10 suddenly taken very sick" Hunter gave .
quick, sharp glance hrs visitor, aud dem nded,
! eagerly, "Is ney VINO SAYS sof who're did you hear
mr. Just here there vas provoking interruption ~
the shape Of three MORBID scsrs. who provided
9th ofnciAl passes had come TO see live murderer.
Hunter greeted them with his customary pontcness,
and the did not get favorable oppor.
tuniiy 10 roisr 10 VI anam again.
SPECIE PAYMENTS.
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