The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-28
THE CAMDEN MURDER TRIAL.
ARGUMENT TO THE JURY COMMENCED BY MR..
JENKINS, ASSISTANT PUBLIC PROSECUTOR

ARGUMENT TO THE JURY COMMENCED BY MR..
JENKINS, ASSISTANT PUBLIC PROSECUTOR.
CAMDEN, n. j., June. 81, 1878.
Toe heat in tho Camden Court House to-day was
almost uncomfortable, but that did not prevent the at
tendance OF as large crowd as ever before 10 listen
totho closing proceedings IN the great murder trial. II
understood that wilson II. jenkins, Assist
ant Prosecutor of the Pleas, would up the evl-
dence on behalf of the state ami that Colonel james
H. Scove OF the counsel for tho prisoner would
make speech TOR the defence to be followed tomor
row and Saturday b. George N. Robesoo aud Prose-
cutor Richard S. Jenkins who are to make The clos
ing addresses the prisoner ana the Commonwealth
respectively.
MIR. Hunter came into court with the appearances OF
more composure and than no has shown lately,
and as he settled himself in his old seat beside GEN.
eral Scovel nc seemed relieved 10 hnd that hs
ordeal on the witness stand over aud tnal he
could once moro SIT rs spectator ana auditor.
Shorty altor the formal opening OF court, with
Judge Woodruff presiding, young Mr. jenkins, the
nephew aud assistant 10 the prosecutor 10 de-
liver his argument He began Dy stating tina. the
jury is relieved of one embarrassment wnicn ire
quenty attends this character Of cases. thore is de-
gree OF murder proven. IL Is often d. iicut Tor
jury to determine the degree Of murder IL Is 10 de-
termine the guilt or Innocence OF the defendant from
the facts. THIS Is murder perpetraied by lying IN
murder In the first degree under the laws OF this
Stale.
Ehero only two important questions to consider
aconcuson as TO the guilt or in
nocencc Of the defendant The first ls:-Did John 81.
Armstrong die from the blows he received on Vino
street. IN the city OF Camden, the 23d day OF jan
uary last? And the second s:--Did the defendant at
the bar, Benjamin Hunter, administer any Of the
blows, or was he present, aiding and abettng and
caused them to be administered?
Taking up the first OF these questions Mr.. jenkins
then reviewed the testimony which proved what tho
law terms The corpus deficit the body Of the onence
showing the hiding Of the body ana the weapons ne
conveyance to the drug store the recognition by the
son Of the murdered man, the Efforts OF the
TO save the dying aud the death IN Philadelphia.
In concluding ms branch the subject Mr.. jenkins
referred 10 the instances resembling winch
men VINO could bring bushels OF rcoommend atlons
70 gooa character have oeen IN the owest
doptns oil CRIME citing the murders OF Professor Web
ster, iwucneil anu Uddcfzoon.
VINO COMMITTED THE MURDER?
The Bec0nu and important qu istion To be
cided ny The jury-ss TO who comm ed the murder
The speaker discussed at length going into the
dence mnutely, and carefully reviewing u Tor tue
benefit OF The jury He did not defend Grahams char
pcter admitting that he was murderer Dut declared
that he perJuter and that The state
able TO corroDoraIe hts evidence. Mr.. jenkins went
over Granams CON- esson, wAh notes and Is,
mony, LED up TO the crime anu was hnaly COM
pei ed to do the deed himself. He
over the evidence OF Mrs. UIrich, Mrs. Graham and
Mrs. Eweli TO show how ANXIOUS Hunter
was to keep young Graham in hand aud kept
following him up and coming 70 see n!m
frequently. He drew attention to Hunters asking
Demaris where Davis lived, aud asked why should
he want to know that II he ns,ther knew nor cared
anything about Armstrong; relations with DAVIS
commenting Hunters contradictions as 10 TINS
intervew, Hunter having hrst stated that alter
leaving Demar,s he went back Arnastrone's place.
but denied givIns his testimony GU the stauu.
10 Offset Hunters DENIAL that ho WAS In Camden
the night of the murder, and MS general denlas that
hn nv xhnl AL lar a
cited the written by Armstrong vile, tell III
her mat he had gone to Camden with Hunter, aud
also the evidence OF Carey and young Arms lrVLg us
70 Hunter's statements aud oilers To accompany
MS partner 10 CaLnden Re-unins his ara Mr..
jenkins wanted TO know how Graham knew TIL Al m-
strong would DC Camden that night uEletis
one told m, and VINO was bettor acquainted with
the TACT that Armstrong was gang tnan BeDJamin
Huatcrf "rherc sits the man who told III there
that Nnew that mad the object OF gain Gra-
ham bore III will against Armstrong; he had
nothing 10 gain but the collars when this NJ IN
No; everything was found on his person intact. IL
fatcd that Hunter should 20 to Camden himself
anu strike inc fatal blow when launched his victim
into elernity aud NO gets tIuo deserts he VIII
\ launched lnere too"
| The speaker further reviewed the evidence OF the
car driver and others, corroooratng Graham's state
ment AS 10 hunters bsing IN Camden and the pur-
chase oil the hat at Speiisscy's.
Mr. jenkins, then coming 10 the motive tor the
crime, alluded TO the proof that Hunter
man that while his income was small his expenses
were large; showed now he had TO pay heavy
premiums Armstrong's life, ana pointed out III
temptation, the chance OF making $4,000 held Oh,
to him. He spoke oil Armstrong; ignorance that
Hunter wanted SO large an amount on his lite and
Hunters collect the money after Armstrong;
death, sending the poicy 10 ms lawyer three days
alter the wounded man Died.
Mr. Jsnk,ns' argument was plain statemens 81
tins sv dence, not pretending 10 induge IN flights d
4 el0Quencc.