The New York herald., 1878-09-20
Increasing Public Interest in the Saratoga
County Murder Mystery.
SICKENING DOMESTIC DISSENSIONS
Jennie Billings Terrible Testimony
Against Her Father.
PROGRESS OF THE CASE IN COURT.
BALLsros, Sept 10, ]

The trial Of Jesse Billings, Jr, Tor the murder of
his wife, is gradually attracting such public attention
as has seldom been given to o murder trial since the
great legal contest over tho Burdell tragedy about
twenty -one years ago. The trial Is now expected TO
last another fortnight Spectators are assembling
at Bals,on from all the neighboriug counties; sum-
mer visitors from distant cities proongng their
soourn watch the issue, and the increasing num-
bers OF newspaper reporters at the court attest
an almos, countrywide interest in tho proceedings
All the circumstances connected with this mys-
pery-or II ystery in spite Of the terrible array
VI circumstansial evidence against tho prisoner
sonspre enhance this interest as the trial goes on
Away up in the town OF Northumberland, Saratoga
rouuty--a region touched by railway the people
of whIcn were isolated in some degree from tho
active American world around them-two families
held. some twenty years ago. kind of social sway
DR.. Jesse Bilings, who lived in the north part OF
she town. a professional man Of the first local
srp nepce, who had accumulated q fortune estimated
from $50 600 $40 0o0 His son. Jesse Billings, Jr
inow undergoing triaD, was the apple Of his eye.
Destined 10 inherit the ather's wealih and display.
ing a business knack Of common ORDER he
looked upon the most promising young man IN tho
community.
The other was the family OF Harris long planted In
Northumberland and fourishing then in the third
generation. It's head was a thrifty business
and merchant, who had four children, and whose
wealth set dewn about equal to that Of tho
elder Billings. He owned Ano water power on the
Saratoga side OF tho Fort Miller dam, whore the
family ran saw mill, plaster mill and one or tive
other factories and had set up prosporng store
Thus the two families were the same footing in
respect TO worldly possessions. Both were what ia
vailed bore 'wcllto-do," and. although Billings wasa
professional man and Harris . trader, both enjoyed
about the same degree OF social consideration.
marriage between the younger Billings and Miss Har.
rs thought 10 be In all respects suitable when It
occurred except few shrewd neighbors appear
ting to tako into the account the Individual traits Of
tho parties and their known in1rmitiss OF temper.
The Harrises were reputed to be q headstrong race
ana young Jesse Billings had early developed an obsti
nate. not to say cruel, disposition.
HOME OF MARRIED LTRR
After the marriage the bridegroom and bis wife
moved away 10 n home which he had bought about
two half milos from his old homestead, on tho
baak OF the HUDSON River II somewhat men,
prable property formerly owned by the brothers Met
sai;e consisting OF house and q small farm, and was
II that time rather lonely Even now, after the lapse
pf yenrs, the neghborhood has not grown
10 tho dimensions OF village. Along
straggling street overlooking the river iew
houses are scattered, containing some twenty or
thirty families In very short time. though,
Billings demonstrated, evon in such an unpromisng
locality, his capacity as money making man. His
tather's capital appears 10 have been generously
placed at his sesvce One OF his principal enterprises
consisted In the building Of canal boats and selling
Cnampiain Canal Payments for the boats wore
necessarily slow, but the profits In the end were
large. Within q few years Billings estnblisbed q
s,orc and finally bank Residents began to cluster
around him, and he did the largest business In the
w o. o hs rc,unsn as
Hr Is popularity supposed TO be worth" $lO0Oo0 or
even more But some who have watched his bust.
sny this is exaggerated supposion, and that
ihe greacr part of his capital is locked up 10 canal
boats not paid for. At any rate his greed for money
getting long been notorious In bis native town,
and some among his ne ghbors. VINO are apparently
lhc most intelligent and the best informed, believe
Snat his family troubles all originated in that passion
CAUSE OF THK BIcKERIsGs.
Very soon alter their marriage Is said, Billings
wanted his iather-in.lsw Harris, to settle on his
daughter Mrs Billings, before his death her share Of
tho Harris estate. Harris declined TO do this, alleging
the injustice that It might work TO the otncr children
he refusai appears to have aggrieved Billings deeply
mud 10 have mpeed him to series OF complaints 10
his vie, who was not SO constituted as 70 patiently
bickerfnga which in Iaier years aggravated By
other causes moro serious, corresponding with those
which have often broken up the peace of families
In country II has been shown In the evidence
ihat for tno last eight MI and Mrs. Billings had
period there Is little doubt that the life they did live
was miscraby quarresome one. Tho vile - dis
covered to be shre~; the husband q rSssniiui nnd
even revengeful man, ana not Joseph Few ~ were
tho women who might have beon disposed TO cousole
husband under sucn circumstances. there was ono
MIRA Curts-te whom Billings seems 70 have been
greatly attached aud who did not hesitate 10 receive
him rs n frequent visitor Her husband was an M.
enterprisiDg fellow; she occupied rooms In Bill,ngs
bank building. next door TO Billings house, where
Mrs Billings coud her; and the latter at least be-
lie we'd that between Billings and Mrs. Gurus thers
was reg ular criminal intimacy Two or three Wit
have tostned that Mrs Billings would 90 out on
the piazza OF her own residence when nrs Curtis
was In sight at the bank building and hirt her skirts
at her in token OF hatred and derison The servants
nj Billines' house describe repulsve scenes at the
table. where, on one OCCASION Mrs. Billings disposed
Of crockery with force than discretion, and,
WHERE frequently, as Billings rose IRON his meal she
wouid say TO him taiiuding TO Mrs. CursIsl:-
Now you'd better 10 over and see your little
posoy pot"
spoke OF bis vile as "a ns subject tor a Iunatic
asylum" Again, ailer one OF MRS BulinRs' exhib-
tons OF temper, he turned TO his clerk Jchn sher.
nan, and said :-'Jonn, you want wiie. I'll give
you thousand dollars and horse, and you can take
nincp
MISS JExsiE BrILIsGa
The only child OF this lamontabls union was Jennie
Billings, girl OF eighteen Years. who has already
appeared witness a. The trial. but has not nnishsd
bor testimony sne rs tall slender pleasing in man.
ber aud utsiiigen Ono Of the worst features OF the
case against Billings s her testimony agai nst him In
cgzrd not only eveats which occurred The night
Of the murder, but also to circumstances which pre-
esded that event during many yoars THIS daughter
live TO Biines tyrsnnca behavior at home, and also
In regard TO previous attempts which Billings In said
70 this latter effect. however, all based upon
hra Billirgs asscverations, neither jennie nor any
other member OF the household bc1nR so AZ
present developments show. TO swear 70 their own
positive knowledge OF such attempts.
.often," says Billings' clerk, "i heard Mrs.
Billings ie her busban how mad twice attempted
her lie before. She said he bad tried TO her.
Bilrss usually laughed at her when she was 10 these
moods, though sometimes no wopld say, wenriiy -
V vile, what folly u is TO tsik thai way You
know 10 Is not true.'h
Jennle Billings, rccting the tale OF her experience
since ahe a little grl, tells how she away 70
sebooi in 1873 and s,syed away or about ssht months
In every year thereafter until 1877 how Whenever she
returned heard OF her fathers aud mothers
quarrei and now ono day about three years ago be
ina talked about his having Attempted her lie by
saturattng the carpets and bedding with kerosene.
"You wanted TO burn me upi" Jennie says her
mot her then exclaimed to her father. Then. turniug
10 her, her mother sa,d:-"What would you have
lhsught II you had come homo aud found your mother
burned 10 deathV'
Again the girl tells Of quarrel during which her
mother accused ber father OF having once attempted
her life BY administering cnloroiorm ''5be said that
one night (so Jennie repeats from her motner) .sns