The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-23
THE BILLTvGs rRfGEDY
Arraigned ror the Murder er his wife on the
Evidence OF his Daughter.

Few men were more aulo"rgtic in their sphere
| or ncighhorhoo-l. third Of the village in
roIled by him. There were few To dispute MS
| mandates. Or oppose his wishes or plans. This
| kct renders doubly significant the rcmark Of
! Mr. Billings the dav following tho tragedy at
Fer Miller Bridge. when, u conversation with
| scarcely supposed 90 much excitement would
be- caused by my wife's death, or that the Dis
trict Attorney and ao many ofti GERS detectives
! would b. present to investigate tho casc." Nor
| did he seem to expect that the ncwspapers
! that a Coronsr's Jury would b. empHnellrd
who would endrayQr to ind the p,ern"tra.or.
| quotation is Mr.. BillinRss phroseology YER
batiln. Nor was his judgment erroneous. 10Y
! the Coroner's Jury did exactly as expected, and
| fned even to fasten suspicion on any one. II
| WIS hardly probable that they would name Mr.
| Billings in connection with the terrible crime,
! because the i3reman OF the jury was closely
connected with him bv mnrriage, and every
member Of that body was pocuniarly Interested
But M Bllingss position, YESTERDAY attcr-
scented n widely different phase of the muiabiii
| " OF human exprrienres. Lutte moro than
fortnight ago he was dictator 70 al about him;
but when he stood before Judge lAndon and
| answered to the charge of committing murder.
| moro abiecty disiresscd man is seldom seen.
| The finding Of the Grand Jury unqusstionably
| met popular appreciation, although II was
scarcely expected. II was well known that four
persons sitting in that body were related to Bill
linRs. within the ninth degree. and that many
others wore using every possible cxertton toad
twenty. three jurors had unanimously agreed
on an Indictment Tor murder in the first de-
gree, which virtually means hanging or ncquit-
tai, tho public were naturally surprised.
The prisoner for the first time fully realized
the danger, and his manner underwent q great
change between sunrise an sunset In IN"
morning he WINS very cheerful, convrrsed freely
with several friends ioked and laughed almost
dom before the morrow. But In the afternoon.
when the finding WAS made known and he was
brought into the court room. he dropped list
| less ly into scat and seemed completely weighed
down mentally; The lines on his forehead were
deepened, and his frame was limp and appeared
to yield absolutely to the mental pressure ho
when District Attorney Ornshy requested
him TO Please stand up. thoac was performed
mechanically. and he stood with arms folded,
form bowed and head heavily hanging forward
charge as follows: " Jesse Billings. Jr.. you are
1878. with malice aforethought and willfu in
tent. by means OF deadly weapon commonly
called gun. murdered your wife, Mary Eliza
| Bllings. Are You guilty or not guilty. Rails
ing his head with painful eirort ne replied.
Not guilty, and Mt once seated himself not
moving again until tapped ON the shoulder by
an officer 10 be escorted back TO his cell. Mr.
Billings WINS not ironed. nor will he be. unless
some attempts nre made NJ escape.
Miss jennie Billings had not been summoned
before the Grand Jury u witness until yester-
day morning. because II was desired to save
her from such an ordeal as much rs possible.
, The position Of this young lady Is one Of peeu-
seen but little Of worldly experiences. To hcr
, for the past ten years. had the murdered woman
looked exclusively for association and SYM
: ibis time. Mrs Billings alleging that a fear IL
violent death prevented her from from occupying
, , accredited with having remarked on the day ~
the murder that already Mr.. Billings had made
two attempts To take her life. and that she sup
! | posed the next time would be. according 10 the
old adage. three times and out"
After the Jury had made their report Miss
! ! Jennie Billings went TO her fathers cell to see
! | him. in accordance with request espresso by
Interview at once. She replied by letter that
such thing was Inconsistent then, He imme-
4 diately wrote more urgent letter desiring par
! tlcuarly that She come. before giving her test
l mony to the jury. Mrs. John Harris. with
whom Jennie has male her home since the
tragedy. advised her not to see him. and the adj
monition was aso urged by the District AuOr-
ney who anticipated inai the pris2ner KNOWN;
damaging. might attempt To enli st her sympa-
thies. Acting on these suggestions. she post
o fore the Jury. The interview was one OF greni
9 prdn 20 the young lady. who seems TO have q
a sensitive nndaifectionate nature She WAS very
. colby received and II WIS not until after she
l. had burst into icdHrs at hisS upbp9iii i
/, several times. that he. even noticed her
n Even then, he INDUCED in no sym
p srohiing bitterly because she had not como
: when he first requested. After a few moments
i emerged from Tie heavly-ironod door told "
II the agony that p'rvaded her mind at the maut
- fold sufferncs she has boon compelled 10 en
i dure within a weok or two. For one 50 youn,
Y. and beautiful, who has ever been cherished an,
Ii anccs. and looked upon ms the prospectiyc h"ir
% ess to wealth her Nprriencos nave been veritn
a bly, sad Deprived Of mother father and ,
- ,yyur,,,s bf,,e', r,. suib ,,rrili" ,,.,t ,,,
Q now called upon % receive lnath'mas from IN,
only living member of the family and That In Z
e tcons cell. 10 a youthful and feminine min,
"A the position would appear to be indeed sorrow
: full, and such ~ few yyoon,ni ladi,s are calie'
e. der Of the family ana witnesses returned e
e Nanhumhcrland Yesterday nm.
= We're George Holmes. eighth degree; Era 4
r Golden. eighth degree james NJ Gail9r
= gree. Prior TO the prisoner replying to th
H. charge, his counsel. j. p Butler of Saratoga
e called the attention Of the court 20 the fact tina
lie he desired To pres Mt an objection To- certain
proceedings before the GRIND Jury on the par
n proper. and striking ~ the foun ION princp.
4 Of grand lurcs, besides inyalidnting The indict
Is ments. BY reason of such illegal and unJu-
the Indictment quashcd, He also claimed TIA
st the action had particular effect in In
r, prejudice aiore,housht. Judge Ihndon carr
Of fully considered the SUBJECT, and reminded NJ
a Butler Of the importance ~ attempting in al
ia manner 10 interfere with the transactions of
~ Grand Jury as proceedings before such bodie
ne were strictly secret, not matters for public motto
III rirty. and meddling herewith might coustiiut
In dangerous precedent that would perhaps SER
III ously romulicatc on cmbarrass practices hereto
u fore in vogue regarding criminal c1ses. II di
We not desire To do Mr.. Butler or his client any in
80 iustice ana realized that this case was one d
ia great intricacy, involving SO many cireunl
IS stances that compelled counsel to take alvar
Of lage Of every le,hnMli,y. The Judge there
v fore. permitted Mr.. Billings To plrnd and hi
K. counsel reserve the right at any time TO wit
~ draw the plea. and make any and al objection
Tho Court named July 2 rs the date for hear
he ing on that question, and to state tme for IL
III The matter which Mr.. Butter complains
In consists in the fact that the District Norn,
M asked the lurymcu If they were related 20 H.
Of prisoner, and nsoertancd who they We're, q
be above named. Mr.. Ormshy then went o. Jull
r LRudon and requested him 10 sct aside tno-
- Jurors. The following was tho reply OF I'll
ii. Court: