The New York herald., 1878-09-11
THE BILLINGS MURDER.

OPENING OF THE TEAL YESTERDAY IN THE
SARATOGA COUNTY COURT HoUsR--sIx JURORS
swoRN-AS INTERVIEW WITH THE DAUGHTER
OF THE PRISONER
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
BALLsroy, N. Y, Sept 10. 1878.
The Billings murder trial opened al the saratoga
County Court House, In this village, a. haifpas,
this norning. Tho court room has been exesssi vey
crowded from the commencement, all stand
ing room being taken. The bench
cup,sd by Judge Judson s. Lsndou, o.,
tho Supreme Court. who presided. and Mr..
John Crane, County Judge, and Mossr. Bogsrt
and Taimadge Justices OF Sessions The counsel for
the prsoncr were ex Congressman Charles Hughes Of
Sandy Hin; John Lnmoreaux, OF Baiston; ID. o.
Potter, OF Sohuy ycrvhs, and Captain James p. Butler
OF Saratoga spr'nss. For the people there sp
Mr N. c. Mosk, Of Albany; Mr. Lemuel b. PIKE,
and Mr.. John Foley, OF saratoga, and Mr. Jesse
with bis isthcr ana the Rev. Mr.. Ford, clergyman
from the Baoou Hill church. OF which tue prIsouer
Hs was neatly but looked uly years older
than at tho time OF hts arrest Two months ago. He
s about fiy years OF age and Of dark complexion lie
utterly Indifferent IN manner, and ffequsntly
smiled during tho proceedings
HUNDRED WITNESSES.
The counsel Tor the people have SUNNI moned ffty-
seven witnesses, aud viii caii Tor ten more. Tho
defence will probably call about Any, msking very
large array OF testimony Mr.. Billings has hired
rooms at motel Tor tho reception OF his Witnesses
THg
The selection OF twelve from the nrge panel OF 200
Jurors called occupied all tho morning The nrst
twelve Jurors were ootained out OF eighteen but tour
were pcrcmptsriiy challenged by the prosecution.
WHAT MISS BILLINGS SAYS
The HERALD correspondent held aa Interview this
afternoon WIN Miss jennie Billings who stated that
her sentiments toward her father had Undergone no
change from the bter antpathy shown At tho time Of
the urdcr, ana tina, she was dctermissd TO nor
utmost excrtions to secure hts CONVICTION Mrr Bill
iues lott ertons OF 930, ,0J0 which, prevoas 70 The
crime shc requested the child TO spend to the last cent
In Efforts to secure the hanging oi Mr. Billings should
she over meet . violent death The daughter states
that Two occasions the father tried to KIN his
wife, once by Administering repesed doses OF chic
roform, and another time by locking her up
IN a room and piiins some bedeothing against tho
door, snturating II with Kerosene OIL ana then setting
u on lre Tue attempts were only fosd by the tor.
tunate appearance OF the daughter on the scene
Jennie also alleged that during convsrsstion the
day prcvisus to the murder the lady remarked,
"Wsil, twice he has tried 10 90 away me- and the
next time ! suppose u viii be three times
ana out" She Is the only child. Her
father has maze strong Efforts through outside
parties, TO approach her ana innusnce hcr testi-
mony, bptng mat In case he 10 executed ho
else, amounting TO about $780, oco sno emphaucsiIy
states that no possible influence brought bear could
change her purpose she nrmy believes her father 70
be the perpsrator OF the deed, and a,,ribu,c,
no owed her mother money and kpe v
that she was iatsodisg 10 leave MIN.
snd han commenced a suit for divorce Jennie
also stated that Tor eight years past Billings
and vile had not roomea together because the latter
was AFRAID OF her life, aud during that tiue she
had slept continus'ly with the dsuxhter-tbe only
father, whose life depends her evidence 10 would
seem, sostbipg cxromciy unnatural aud unusual.
six JURORS SWORN.
al the close OF to-dsys proceedings In the court
there were SIX Jurors secured and unchallcnesd by
the counsel, slthough niteen sthers rejected
atsr takips their ssste. About thirty wereexsmined