The New York herald., 1878-10-11
THR BILLINGS MURDER TRIAL.
oouNsEx yoa rHz PROSECUTION.
IBY TELB0RAPH TO THE HEaALD1


tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HEEALD.]
BALLsroS. N. X, Oct. TO- 1878.
Tho counsel hare now consumed an entire week In
summing up tho Billings murder trial The nrh
week Of the case will be completed before the verdict
Is rendered. Tomorrow afternoon Judge Landon will
deliver his charge 70 the jury. Mr. Aoak. IN con-
tinung his argument ior the prosecution, referred
TO the evidence as foliows:-
don't know exactly how Jessie Billings got cut Of
that flower bed According to Bllings story ne tell
down several times 10 broad daylight cont believe
such story Before fantng at his wiio's feet Jennie
had, by implication, accused him Of the murder
Gilbert told Billings he suspected. Billings re-
Piled thai he would have the river searched for
the weapon. Soon afssr the murder Billings read
from the bank steps, to gaping crowd. sensational
account OF his wiis's murder. He has to do some
thing TO occupy his mind There is always something
In every murder which inevitably points to the mur-
dsrer.
Mr. MoaK referred TO the rearrsss Of the Rev. Mr.
Hayden for the murder Of Mary Stannard, near
Madison. Conn. 10 the proof that Hayden had pur-
chased arsenic; the dsin.erring Of the remains and
the finding Of sixty grains OF arsenic in her
stomach, as illustrations that Providence SO dis
poses matters as to point to the guilty. Look
at the measures he took to find out who killed bis
wife When asked II he would pay Tor detective
he replied. "No, but l will contribute Here is
wealthy man who is willing to share the expense
ferreting out the murderer with his poorer neigh
bors He knew who was the murderer and feared de-
tect,on Billings declined 10 contribute for divcr
when asked Billings feared detection and wanted
time 10 make his plans There is another strange
thing. Billings said the fence might fall down, and
he wanted TO tx It that the cattle should
damage crops; but according to his story no
lett the gate Of the field epon. That the act
OF prudent farmer. Why did he not shut III II
was because be was driving At brsaknsck speed TO
Washburnss, and wanted to get thero soon pos
sibIs. The Washburns House was 10 Jesse Brlngs
what the city OF refuge to the pursued who II ho
arrived before his pursuers caught him granted
immunity. Billings fixing up his alibL Billings
says that Washburns did not tell him his wife had
been shot. rhs idea OF man who It is admitted
full OF excitsmont and Tspidation winding his watch
DO not believe II
MANUFACTURERS AN ALIBL
Billings was manufacturing evidence In advance,
and made that statement TO maze old Washburne be-
hove he had seen him winding the watch. The Idea
Of an slibi from the Washhurns family was IN Bill
ings' mind when he left the Harris house. Billings
gave his testimony on Wednesday, and on the follow
Ing morning, before eight O'CLOCK, Billings II the
wasnburns house and tho aiibi nxod. He did not
know. according to his own statement, whether his
wife had been shot by accident design, and the
lovely Ike says Btlings exclaimed 'Oh deari lear
this s conspiracy" Billings admits he did not
know she dead and did not suppose
she was dead: ana yet this man says he
whore thai shot was intended 10 hit; he knew what
nobody else knew, and thon he tears there 10 con-
spiracy Alter recovering from his ainting d. jesse
was saying Poor Jennie, poor Jennie Poor father,
poor fatherl" There was NO mention OF his wife.
tDat name; it Drought too many msmoriss II he
had accused sherman be coatd have cleared himself
conspiracy against mel" said Biliings His actions
show what was running In his mind Il was simply
bors and claim they killed her." You remsmbsr that
he ieli down Q faint when accused by Jennie ana
what was his nrss thought returning TO conscious
nesss He asked some ono take Jennie oas 81 the
room ho heard tho accusation ana did not dare TO
Ho says !: sser%aD u hear you have
turned traitor to me. hear you are in love with my
daughter. Mr. sherman, unless you siand ~. me,
forever" ae would bArisr hts daughter
and sherman. happiness I, ',.. for story that M
nnds that Sherman BIDS dsnancs Finally, finding
tvsnly-iour hours later that sherman could not DO
third shos Ths nrst went into Mrs. Billings hssd.
the second nrsd At sherman through Jsnniss
ing his discharge. Sherman failed him Ho goes
TO The Wasnburasa Biiilnss said, II think we had
TT W SLIGHT cLxws Uxooysnxa GUILE
Mr.. Moak cited cases In which suspicion had been
You rsmsmbsr tDsi Billings asked for that qua on
the sunday preeedng the murder That gun got out
Monday or Tuesday, or oven no, un,il Friday. Bill
ings could sasily have into tbs wool 10
ana seem ss ;a1 ws: esr % how vas sSs
looking for tracks, ana while doing 80 Prosssr stated
shsrs Vas an old well near oy They went 20 the WE'LL
thoushi the boards had been disturbed. but
Prosssr didn't. The gun Is found The defence say
sherman had access 20 the gun; he could easily
sneak up there and drop II I'M Billings would be
eussd and convicted; sherman would marry Jennie
and 70 The estate What cock and bul story.
Snsrman was dumbioundsd when he the evidence
ogaiust his aflancsd athsr-in Law. To release this
wretch the defence but brana Jeanne as Tullia and
Sherman a. . murderer Whether Jesse Billings is
hanged or not hanged think u very IN.
Billings has = mind Of his own. and no will vii, h:
property that Jennie will nos have enough to buy
Wedding bonnet Biiiiugs .wors h,s vile f. was killed
u Was gunsnot woundY Il Was simply another slip
IRON his guilty lips You remember the peculiar
psrts said was . keyhols shot You have keyhole
shot In tns window, a keyhoe snet II Mrs. Billings
head, ksyhole shot In tho boards. how did tho
empty cartridge shell get In that gunf It had been
recently discharged. The condition Of the hammer
discharged tho cartrIdgss II the gun was not dis
charged on the night oi the murder when was II
al The corousson a. 10 how mat shell came ,hsrs and
Who discharged that gun.
EXPERT EvTDRxCE
After Tho soon Mr. Moak resumed, with
long disoussiAn 81 the expert testimony, throwing
discrsdm upon that produced for the dsisncs. He
Now. II that kind Of expert evidence will go to
prove that Billings d,d not murder the woman he
hated and II that will prove that the gun with which
he killed 81 found where he put u, then tho
defence have got sure thing and 20 mistake II
pellets Of powder could not be showed
into that window With pencil points, then l
error. Tho sash was there undisturoed
tor Two months before Hagan took powder from It
ana exploded II WHAT reason was there to hinder
these people from lampering with the Window
None whatever; and believe tho defence to have
done even worse things than that. man must have
a nerve harder than any murderer sver heard Of
burned beside Mrs Bings tnat night anu
take such debsrats aim ~ TO have killed nor
with . revolver. Small weapons are TOO snaky Tor
murdersrs, and they generally use rincs Carbiues
will shoot better aud nrmer than rsvovers, ana that
may account Tor the iAct that after Mrs. Billings
death the gun owned by the husband who hated her
vas ound In an unused we'll, WITH cartridge shell
IN IT, but bullet in the sholi Where that bui-
lett II not this u that va nave here IN court and
which, whom IL stopped alter leaving tho Billings gun,
esased is wfui course At the very instant whom lie
ceased with the murdered woman