The New York herald., 1878-10-04
THE BILLINGS MURDER TRIAL.
CONCLUSION OF THE EVIDENCE MAZE OF
CONTRADICTORY TEsTIMoNY-sUMMINa UP
FOR THE DEFENCE TO BEGIN TODAY.
[pY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD


FOR THE DEFENCE TO BEGIN TO-DAY.
[DY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
BALLsroS, N. Y, Oct. 8, 1873
with the close Of this the twentieth day ot The Bill
ings murder trial the evidence all In, and tomorrow
the summing up will commence According to Tho
subjoined testimony Thomas Virtue con,radicted
George Washington jones' story about hiring Mr..
Fnne's boat and declared that he called at the WASH
burne house soon ater she murder. and that MIRA
washhurne told him that The Squire had Just arrived
home and told her OF the shooting. He did not
the Squire or Mr. Billings, nor did he see Mr..
Billings horse and wagon. which, according to
the testimony OF the WashDurnss was htched TO the
post on tho Squr0s arrival. The examination Of
Alyinza L. Finne was coItinued:-l remember tho
rain and wind storm ON the afternoon OF tho 9TH of
June; may have sat on my s,oop convsrscd about
other storms OF wind and incidents happening In
nsction herewith; am certain tnat sent Virtue
down to Billings; was standing In front OF tho
store; Virtue sitting on the stoop.
Mr. Moak offered IN evidence the testimony taken
before the Coroner's jury.
The witness called was the boy, Thomas
Virtue, who testified RESIDE In Northumberland
and am In the employ OF Aivinza L. Finne; remem-
Der the evening oil the 4th Of juno; took my at
the usual hour. six O'Clock; aitor that MIXED
COWS got back hour aftsrwardj was sitting the
store stoop whom heard tho shot; Mr. Tinnc, Mr.
Reed and Jonn Terhume werc sitting the stoop at
tns time; remember occurrence whom George
Jones got Mr.. Finnes boat ~ was IN tho early part
Of tn after noon; Jones spoke to me, anu told him
Mr.. Finne sitting in the bay window and he had
better ask him; Jones went after Mr. Fane and came
back lew minutes aiter am positive IL was not on
the afternoon ot tho 4th OF June ..Ee
NEWS AT wAsHBURNE's
Stopped In front OF Washburnes, near the hitching
post, soulh Of the gate, and called Mr. Washburas
lw,cc; old Mrs Washburne came 10 the door, and
sXca naqi al m IN Tsai Sha,s
dead now and then went on; at tnat time am sure
there was NO horse and wagon biscned 10 tho post.
The witness was cross-cxamined by General
Hughes His evidence Is qaus important, and is
anything but favorable 10 the defence. Virtue Is
funsss that charactsrizes the ordinary country lad
He answered all questions clearly terseiy and TO tns
mont among the audience by his sharp, bright n
swers 10 General Hughes on mis- cross-sxa natton. IL
only 10 slrengthen the effect OF the direct testimony
The prisoner watched the witness closely while he was
gvng ms and ,n was some
Washburns house thero was NO horse and wagon
standing In front OF the premises.
wAsHBCRHE's RECOLLECTION.
Mrs. George Washburne was recalled. Mr. Moak, in
serious and solemn tone put the question 70 ner:-
tIp view OF the oath you have taken here 20 tell the
truth, the whole truth aud nothing but The truth,
isn't it Jesse Billings came TO your house
the night OF The murder aiter your husband got
ME Moak-Isn't II true tnat While your husband
was tell,ng you some down street had been shot
Jesse Bilings Dursi into the made tins ex-
ciamat,on:-.Wha.'s 10 payY Whs's shotf Who's
hurt2"
Mra Washburne-No, STR, s40 st.e.5
Mr. Moak-And didn't your husband then tell him,
ana he exclaim, "on. conspiracy oh, conspiraeyl"
Mrs. WashburDe-No such thing was said.
ABOUT CARTRIDGES A
George d. Lset, rscailsd-Hs produced number OF
Cartridges which Mr.. Moak had requested him yester
day 10 secure Upon opou,ng ons OF ths cartridges
the bullet was iound 10 nave fiat 'heei" or base.
Billings gun, and was iound to be 2I0O Of an iach
shorter than The Billings she'll This explained
shei is turned 10 about bullet when loaded which
straigh ened out whom II is fired. the cartridges
were offered and reserved IN evidence noswithstand-
ing the objection Of The doience.
Wnen the last witness iet the stand District Attor-
ney ormsby arose and announced that inc prosscu-
tion Rested lneir case.
xvIDKxcx FOR THE DsyBxoE.
In tho afternoon session the defence opened their
surrebuttal evidencs portion OF Virtues testi-
mony Deiore the Coroner's jury was offered in svi-
dcnce. Dr. Frank Gow, the Coroner, was recalled
ana shown The Billings buiiei, testified when
he weighed iL all tho particles were there William
Hagan, expert called and shown tho Biilings
bullet He swors that u had weighed aud vsri-
fed At 164 grains Mrs. Edith Lewis, typcseller in
the office OF the Schuy,srvle Standard, Caleu,
ana added her ,es'mosy ~ direct opposition 70 The
Curtis siandsr suit item nto the office. The editor
declared that George washourns handed the copy in
and Mrs. Lewis declared that he not. Albert
Ellis, composilor IN the Standard oboe, aihrmea
tnat the younger wasnburne and not the old Squire,
br0ugns the Arucle 10 the Office. .s.t# tH9
SHERMAN CONTRADICTORY.
william Palmer. former clerk in the Billings
store, positively assertoo ouermau was wrong IN
his allegations and altogether crooked ABOUT his recol-
lsctions OF experiences with the Billings gun This
makes three persons who have conuoverted Sher-
mans assertions.
George Bates then took the stand and subsantiated
the evidence OF George w. JONES' also 1atly contra
doting Alvnza L. FiEnc relative to the borrowing OF
Finne's boat lns day OF the Billings muraer Two
others mentioned as witnesses TO these traDsac
Lions There has evidently been some false swearing
LLis trial. but where the guilt is would be difficult
matter 70 determine Three persons oorroborated
THIS iattcr testimony. 4f
This closed the testimony and the court adjourned
The inning up for the defence by General hughes
viii be opened Tomorrow morning The will
probably be given TO the jury on Monday.
THE LAIL MHERE HUMBER Is