The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-22
A Man who Has n Daughter.


there would not be SO many pretty girls ae
there are. The handsome Mrs. COSTING
had as many rs twenty-four children.
large part Of whom were daughters. and her
grandchildren she almost required slate
and pencil to reckon up; yet she was never
troubled, and looked as fresh and rosy as
nm English barmaid.
There is, as we said nothing remarkable
In having n daughter; but what is remark
able is the kind of daughter Mr.. JESSE Bill
LINGs Jr., has. She is young and at least
one young man in the village where she re-
sidcs considers her fair We use fair in the
sense OF beautiful Hardly anybody could
regard this daughter as just toward her
father. She is described az eighteen and
weighing only one hundred pounds but
Bho has tried to weigh great deal moro
than that In the scales of justice against
her own father.
Mr.. BILLINGS has usually employed him
self in Specializing, canal boating, and mis-
cellaneous business; but just at present,
with the aid of counsel. he is occupied at
Ballston Spa, in this state in defending
himself against a charge Of wife murder.
Between the hours Of eight and nine o'clock
In the evening. on the fourth day OF June
last, Mrs. BILLINGS was seated near n table
In n sitting room of her own house when n
bullet, crashing through window pane
entered her head, killing her instantly.
Miss JENNIE BILLINGS was the only
laughter Of the murdered woman and Of
Mr.. JESSE BILLINGS, Jr. She and servant
girl were in the room when Mrs. billings
was shot. JENNIE BILLINGS at the time de-
clared that she saw n man, wearing high
hat with a broad brim. run across the road,
behind pile Of lumber that stood opposite,
on the bank Of the river. little later in
the evening when her father entered the
house, JENNIE stoutly accused him Of the
murder, and to this accusation she has since
adhered with the ferocity of n tigress.
The previous life Of the BILLINGsEs had
not constituted model of conjugal and do
nestle felicity. Mr. BILLINGS hired apart
ments over his bank to the husband Of a
pretty young woman 81 whom Mrs. Bill
LINGs was furiously jealous. On one occa-
Bion she had manifested her devotion to her
husband 10y stoning his bank, indenting the
woodwork with the missiles which sped
from her lovc-nervcd hand. The husband
and wife often came TO words. sometimes To
blows. Mr.. BILLINGS had borrowed money
OF his wife. The wife went to a lawyer and
LETT with him the demand against her nus
band for colectionl
The mother seems TO have brought the
daughter mp in the way she went herself,
whether il was the way IN which either If
them ought 20 go or not. II the wife and
mother was violent against the husband
and father. the daughter was no less SO.
Iyon while be- has been lying in jail under
capital charge no sentiment Of affection,
pity, or mercy appears ever to have touched
her heart. She did not visit him nor write
t. him, nor manifest in any wise the con-
sciousncss that she was his child and that
the tics Of nature bound thcm together.
Flint is not SO hard ~ her young bosom.
1t may be said that in all this she only
SH~wci r.. devotion TO her mother; that
she stcoled her heart against natural aiIcc-
ton from high sense Of duty, determined
g. ayrngo her mothers blood.
But it could not be certain, NJ all events
before the trial, that her father was guilty.
She might. at least, So long a. he was not
convicted, do what every fair-mindcd per-
son in Tho community would give him
the benefit If a doubt. And If he was known
T. he guilty. the work Of the cxecutioncr
would have lcen punishment enough. and
vhe nithi have lighleucd with daughters
love his short. lnrrQw, and tAorns pathway
10 an igrominious death.
She felt differently. Felt perhaps she
establishes and illustrates the fact that
there are human hoing~ who do not feel
one way in which it was attempted to
COW, Billings II the murder Of his wife
VA by showing that he had threatened and
attat.Dt..l f. lffll lion. lDfUra II was only NJ