The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-09
KEPT IN AN IRON CAGE.
4 REPORTERS TiLK NTH HUNTER,
me .iLLEGED STJRDERER
Laughing, Praying. singing, aud Joking In hi.
tron-bnrrcd Room ~ rrisuncr WIN IL
Never Ont Of the Sig ht Of his 8 rnied (snnrd

since the arrest Of BENJAMIN Hunter.
charged with tho murder - John II Armstrong
" Philadcli hin. hc has been kept in close con-
ilncmcut In Camden. No one has been allowed
To- SEQ him but his family and counsel. As II
precauton against suicide Hunter has been
kept In n cage. whore every motion could be
seen by watchmcn specially detailed.
Through the Kindness Of District Attorney
jenkins reporter for THE sun was permitted
to talk with Hunter Yesterday. the only prohi-
biton being that nothing should be said to him
of the charges against him. Room No. . on the
top floor OF the Court House il about sixteen
feet square. and ten feet between joints. A thin
pine door, with spring lock. opens into H. In
one Of the panels li,,le hole. about the size Of
Il trade dollar. has been cut. and through this
the watchmen from within holds communica-
cation with those who stand ouiside-and they
are many. hut they never see Hunter.
Inside. In the centre ~ the room. stands tho
murlcrcrs cage. There Hunter PAGES back and
forth Ike mouse I'M trap-thc comparison
has suggested tsclfto every one who has seen
him and il. In fact the cage resembles in every
particular. except size. ono VI the square wire
RI, traps thut every one has socn. The iron
bars are round. an inch in diameter. running
through thick iron crosshars. II is about eight
i'rt square. and Of equal height and is firmly
rVcted To- the floor. Within stands n
white pillow casa 4 washhowl and chair ara
the only iurnimrc. Even the towel hangs ON
81 IL" United states is hung W. ON one si 'I.
that aaar'st The door. conlVletily uroirct,nE
Hunter from kcyholt pccpins. s. Kccpef
John Ware opened the door and admitted tho
reporter. Hunter grnspcd a bar In each hand
and hooked eagerly ont.
THANK you for coming" he said Ms he
thrust one hand between the bars To shake
hands. " IT, very beautiful day. isn't IT,"
hrrprr War, paced back and forth. his eye
constantly on Hunter. who took no notice Of
porter viii tlio cTprrssion On h.s iace th..'
rapid and intense concentration II thought al
Why's Orinrs out HIS eyes. pale blue. OF the kind
commonly called watery. ARE lar apart, and sci
deep neutrality-suspicious. The brows On nmscl,rs
are ~" only uau Of the features that suggest
anything sinister There are heavy wrinkles
running oat from the corners which. il is said
have doepencl greatly sin'r his confinement
aud they are the only marks II his trouble
visible ON his face His forehead Is high and
broad. AMI the cheek bones are very rron,in~nj.
HIS CHECKS. c!in, and lls are covered Uv a
heavy beard and moustachr the beard close
trimmed executing beneath tho chin. Ii is
baes, with irw gray hairs. His hair Is thin.
liSnl brown. and way,
, luillln ms ry,'s ~ lenCth anu looking from
tlr chfe 1utHl NE WINDOW upon the distant
spires oil lhIladelphia. lie said IN soft but
almost merry tone. ~ Of Il man who never had
u care III MS ne;
. IL WIS So cold thls morning That had To
nav nIe mere. am s.ad 10 see you. Ike
tonsel any, one. M
h9u nnd II lonesome mere ~,
IesS's lulvSly'
% are lecllng well after your long connnc-
men;
fcrie,ty. DOM look IKE Il well man.
nave good appetite
me 'olor IN his lace anu its iu!ness bore out
y !. assertion.
HOW many crooks nnd turns there are in the
law, ne, continued. l went down stairs tu
c1urt Jay or TWO ago. supIosing my matter
would 70 on. hul thcr' was delay II seems. as
mere always IL IN law matters, ana Mr.. Hun
yer ,Au-heu heartily and apparently sincerely.
You are ANXIOUS 10 be relieved Of sus-
pehsy -
ID, VI course nave an easy time nero. but
lnen' ~ ronrS". would rather nave TIE matter
v'VI. lrii perfectly az cas-. don worry IN
t"G slightest. have no occasion 10.
49, .'h ne chatiSd pleasantly ana lokIngly over
matters too ,r!iing To repeat. Thus. his keep
rrs lay he las been ever since his !ncarcera-
non. III We lace OF thc Tact that he knows the
cham, : are that he will never leave the room
excepting Tor yle court room aud the gailows.
ms hinplest h"nr-. ne says. are when he j.
sinslns Moody anu Sankey hymns. iaNorlte
,n' more dat', WORK Tor Jesus,
o"' Ices 'l me tor me
Ware about their bOyhool days. Tor the two
were rlaymatcs and schoulmates He is not
allowed 10 have spcetuclcs. 50 he cannot read,
but ne is anxious 10 learn the news OF the day
aud likes 10 have Il chapter OF the Bible read
night and morning. Hekneris M tho ted when
he rsiircS. and also when he rises. and prays
long and silently. and rarely "A day pHs-es that
he docs not crack some lukeH. 4 day or two
a,1 hcep"r Hollis killed % mouse IN the room.
spring lock snapped. Hunter was III his cage
alone and no one To watch him.
" AAni' he shouted in fun " ahn. Now Two
got YOU. must hurry. Let me- find my iuru-
lar VEIN. Now I've got "A. Then he laughed
heartily. and then thrust his hand through tho
hars and pulled the spring lat back lust ns
Tho keeper was about L. break in the door
armstrong was Killed IA Camden at o'clock on
the night OF Jan. - He WAS found unconscious
ON the sidewalk and died before morning A
Ratchet and hammer with the initials + " d.
cut in their handles were uirkrL M nj the
scene of the murder SUSPICION at FIRST fell
upon Ford ". DAVIS and one De Marris who Ind
hiui unpleasant business relnilons with the muir
uercd man. \ micruscopt examination how
ever. showed that the letters IN the handles Of
the hatchet aud hummer were fresh cut and
the mention 10 throw suspicion on DAVIS WAS
seli-evident. Meantime. Mrs. Armstrong pro-
duc.d II letter written. to her by her hus-
hand on the afternoon ~ the murder lie said
that he was gong over to Camden with Mr.
Hunter. and would not be back before O'Clock
with this clue the authorities discovered TINT
Armstrong had borrowed about $1,000 from
Hunter and the latter had induced him 10 in
sure his life Tor S26O1U. Tie policies were
made over to Hunter. who also paid the pre-
mlums. On the day OF the murder Armstrong
told his son Frank that Mr. Hunter had lust told
him that Ford DAVIS had money in the bank
and advise him 10 20 over to Camden and got
what hc owed him. saying that il he would
~ over that might he would 20 with him. Frank
also says that he saw Hunter IN his fathers Of
lH.t flts ttt pf L.. b.n a