The New York herald., 1878-10-09
THE BILLINGS MURDER TRIAL.

1uE DlLLlNUS MUhUEh IhIhL
COUNSELLOR MoAK's FERMENTATION OF TIE
CASE ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE AGAINsr
JESSE BILLINGS, yR.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
BALrsros, N. Y. Oct. s. 1873
Mr. Moak continued his summing up for the prose-
cution to-day. He has disappointed every one who
was compelled to listen TO his plea. When CON-
mencng he stated that the address would be con-
cluded IN hsf dav. The vsrbosty and lack Of
weight that have thus far characterized his summary
has been a dsaerseable surprise. The evidence had
scarcely been touched upon after Two sessions had
been consumed, and II does not look now as though
tho verdict Will be arrived before Thursday, and
scarcely then should the jury sticY their opin
ions and remain coseted Tor any length OF time. II
is generally believed that they will agree within hall
day alter retiring The Judges charge will unqucs-
onaby affect exten. OF their deliberations Alter
the Court opened Mr.. Moak addressed tho jury
Fiction, II truly written, 10 good representation
or human nature.
Mr. Moak referred to ssMoonstone," " and tho part
taken by detectives In that tale
small Ink spot, smear, are slight, but tney
point tho guilty individual. There is divinity
points out tho guilty party. Motives prompt men 10
commit crime Wo should Judge, wheR q murder is
committed, whethcr or not tho motive Is adequate.
In this there is nothing that will greater
motive than that which leads from Illicit love. The
relations Of Billings and Mira. Curtis next demand at
tenton. When Billings married Mrs. Billings was
every way mis- equal. He may since that
timo have surpassed her intellectually and by
experience with the world while she has
podded on IN her little home There
had been arrangement for years. they had occur
led separate beds They say Mrs. Curtis was chastc
Billings called Mrs. Curtis and repeatedly in
her company. He under contract to let her 1.-Two
over the bank But he under q contract TO pass
portion OF his time there? We all know that Mra
Billings was jealous. Billings knew she jealous
and he loved his wife he should have properly gov
srued his conduct When he could DO found dur
ing business hours his clerks would up 10 Mr-.
Curtis Tor Rim. Is thcro any wonder that Mrs
Billings was jealous? Mrs. Curtis may have drawn
subtle influence by which other women have ruined
other men and crushed their Iames.
Mr.. Noak cited the OF Helen Jowete
VALUE OF TESTIMONY.
Testimony should pc weighed, not counted. One
Blllings ''tho autocraL" Billings, they would
have believe, The power Of That place. Billings
calls IN his foreign laoorcrs TO swear Tor him. Aud
u saini, they all swoar just AS BiiliRgs wanted
them 10. About the Dsyoss Baucusss, friends OF
as fr,snds Of tho a.cus,d they cling 10 MIN Ine
Same as would cling to q friend similarly situated.
Their friendship TO Billings has boon SHOWN here.
All Of those Witnesses should have known then what
they know now but they allowed their neighbor,
friend and snpaoysr 20 % .treseS on susp'c,on aad
tioh they had they allowed Billings 10 be dragged
ielon's coll. Havo these witnesses lied? Or have
they colorsd thor testimony consider II very
strange that men with the important testimony
known to Jones should not communicate Il 10 Others
than the accused. Jones told II to enc Deyoe tnen
| 70 another Deyuc. then 10 Baucus and hnally
landed in the nsnds OF Jesse Billings. ST., and has
been there since. l tnink not The press
Of the v,cnlty wsre punlishing statements oai-
culated TO- prove Billings guilt but still no
saia noshins. You remember how Wsdnes-
DAY Bihipgs won't out Impressed with what
| occurred the night before 10 nnd out what Sher-
man knew. He accused sherman Of turning traitor,
| aud intimated that he had murdered Mrs. Billings
because opposed TO his marriage with Jennio
| Billings; pretended to know nothing OF Sbcrman's
love i"r Jennis ho thinks OF his empioycs
found sherman asserted his manhood no delibor-
| atsiy discharged HIM. sherman says:-''Sir. II you
want ring into tnis thing 80 ahcsd." For me,
| woua sooner have Sherman's old boot than Josse
Billings whole body. he gets rid OF Sherman Davis
| iat,on 70 the Billings family ana might tell them
| 10 tho Jury. WHAT Biuinss do? he calls this
DAVIS and tnstals him In Snerman's placc--the auto
crat OF all the Bi,iinEs possessions Tho conduct Of
Mr.. Biings discharginK sherman ana getting into
ms employ men VINO coaa s,v0 aoss Injurious 70 nis
ing. and by tho arms OF Tho faithful Jones
| taken from tho howell sleeps ON leather bod
good meals. Jonos but proper estimate on MS I'm
! portancs, and l think the only truthful romark he
adehat after this trial he expected to cease TO os
| employed by old DR.. Biinga Circumstances like
| len, OF book Wnen put together they make q
| THE DAuGHrER's TESTIMONY.
Now as the question vi Lhs In this case.
Tho defence claim ihat we brought jennie Billings
| here In tho hao,iimcns Of woe TO play the hgns
tragedy. Justice cannot be satisfied without proof,
anu Il dsagresabc, but necessary, to cali
! members the family OF the accused the Of
y young s,r IN the back by insinuation is . coward
Il was cruel 10 compare this young girl 10 rnlla
Sorvius Tuli,us, or 70 y daughter OF King Lear II
| cruel and UNJUST. tApplause.) l. sne had
been . Tuina. would shs nave tainted on tno
| witness standf She could not help coming
| here; she bound TO appear here, and on
| failure would have been committed for con-
tempt And why should she commit pcrjurys
| knew from actions she would tell no more tnan
shc could hep, but would tell the truth. She was
placed IN a delicate position. II she favored her
father she had TO commits perjury, put she told toe
| truth have no oncomiums Tor ncr. wish we had
| more women ike Jennie Billings l know nothing
| against her. She oay borne mp by tho excise.
| ment but when her examination ended 'she
/ tainted and was carried away, mass oil ioanimatc
was no. true. But 1t said ,ho daughter
| nad condemned her father IN advance IL docs seem
mother Dceved she might yet be mated by
her husband, ana II inc daughter entertained
some nat similar opinions, and am sorry TO say
they were MOT disappomea. Ihey knew Jossc bll'.
ings and when Jesse Billings did present the horrid
spectacle to jennie OF placing her mother In an insane
asylum jennie did cay "she would spend her last dol
lar Ia mothers 0enaiI" MIRA Billings had lived
| with tho prisoner Tor years; unpicasantness had
arisen between tnem. II sho lett him u vas on ac-
count OF thsso spats, and this poor girl has bevn
Inc cause OF keeping TINS couple together,
/ and probably caused the murder. Aud so
this woman endured her sucrings ior years tor her
daugnter's sake. Billngs' Of his vile had
deared the daughter TO tho mother. Nobody accuses
Mrs Billings OF being impudent. There Is nothing TO
i show she angel anu fear she was not Brum-
sgsn says Mre Billings could stand the JOKES and
vent away wuh tosis IN her eyes. Jcnnic says hcr
father used ridiculc her mother at taoiv before
/ Others, anu then Billings told sherman that II ne
| would take Mrs Biiiings no would give him
l 81 QUO throw n aorse, and Billings says this
was joke Possibly Billings wanted TO give his WHO
10 a younger man and take to himself young WHO,
nnd this was joke.
| MRS. BILLINGS JEALOUSY.
Tho woman Is aud cannot tell what causes she
had Tor Ler Jealousy. FIRST u vas with tho boys, aud
| sherman tells US Airs. Billings spokc TO him TO the
effect tnat u was improper visit MIRA Gurus, ana
Sherman stopped ms visitA Billings was aiso told,
but ne continued his VISITS II man wants 10 get rd
OF his wie thero arc other than 10 murder her
or put her IN an Insane asylum Ho can procure a
limited or absolute divorce. Mr. Biuines' relations