The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-20
REM. HUNTERS FRIENDS.
.u,, ,DrIpHTi BUSINESS MEy TEsTI-
ylTNG ~ ms BEHALF.
that he Could Not hive been Guilty
=, wandering Armstrong-The Defence At
,.,Ltua Graham Tmma Bether- story
m. daughter of the Accused TestifyinR.


,r. nnuvhter Of the Accused Testifying.
CApprN. Juno 19.-The counsel OF Benla-
,in Hunter say that they cnn prove by Satur-
dsv noon that Hunter did not murder John W.
ARMSTRONG in Camden on the 23d OF last Janu-
sry. Within that timc they expect TO break
lawn the testimony Of the State. which. as it
now stands it is admitted. will send Hunter to
he laHows. The State claim to have proved
mat Hunter for years II wcll-known. wealthy,
eud a.tyc iron merchant in Philadelphia. de-
prm,ncl 10 murder John NJ. Armstrong. in
whose business Of music typographcr Hunter
NILS specially Interested t. tho eNtcnt Of $4,000.
Having determined to do this he hired young
man Thomas Graham whom he knew to be Il
weak minded person. who had lost whit little
Conscience he ever had through drink. to Kill
Armstrong. Knowing that Armstrong had had
trouble with one 4. W. Davis Camden mer-
chant, Hunters plot nrlud'dthc throwing oithc
su-picion Of the murder upon Davis Therefore
hcgave Graham q hammer marked with Davis's
initials and then. 10y dccoy letters aud by per-
sonal solicitation. induced Armstrong to 20 to
CAMDEN. and when near Dnvis's house. in AL
uuir,guruied street, gave the signal that had
moon agreed upon To- Graham. who was stealth
uy allowing Then Graham struck Armstrong
niiow with the hammer that crushed in the left
,ompie AMI Hunter. bending over his PROSTATE
,ia,in. struck him three other blows with
Ratchet The motive that Hunter hnd for this.
bisai.cgcd crime. wns that he wished to realize
Me amount. for which Armstrong; life WIS
Insured irhis Huntersl benefit. In fact ne
eorling Co. the testimony that the state offered.
hewh0r llot had been maturcd in Hunters
mind before the policies were written on Arm
sfrone- .l'e. and the inauring Of the life was
pTa. trnof of ali this Is based on tho confess
sion of th accomplce Graham. corrohoratnd in
yr n camden in Armstrong; company and
aN,rWard with Graham.
Thrd.frncc admit TINT the chain Of evidence
mat fhH State has linked together Is stong one
h.i fnry expect TO break il. Hunter himself in
t-t- upuu t,stilying athing that criminal law
MornutA'y convinced oi th"ir Innocence. Then
an attempt H. to hn made 10 show that there were
pertain MON who had greater interest ia \ rm-
rronS, death than Hunter could hayc had,
and 100 addition the drieure assert that they will
prove an lhl. Bot their grcnt reliance evil
nr aliy years borne ia lhiladelphla.
III. court room was thron.ed this morning
long before the hour of trial, and IN the witness
rnm there were many gentlemen from Phia-
irphA vino have known Hunter for years.
Tle.a mon say outs de that they cannot believe
ro--itlt that Hunter committed this crime.
4 --. wholly unlike what thny have always be-
iHyr.. lI. u o. Toe. 50 uurncst were many OF these
0nn-.u. Aln- business men when they were tees
ntln-f Hnt ihoy could not keep within the legal
.u..- al 20, lanee. aud simply say what Hun
IRIS Reputation was Tor praur. quiet honesty,
Ui AIn .u .-. bat tried IT, branch on into their
yWn estimates OF his character. OF course
.hny w'r' stopped 10y the Court lis soon NJ pos
sAe.}Ut u this way inu % was sind thu, tho
ury ]. .rt tlut was favorable TO Hunter. and
which, hy iic riEid rules 81 testimony. they had
1O right % boar. One portly man. with a smooth
lace nni go" manner 81 prosperous man OF
busln' p, u maker ui railway sales, said that he
never hu'w a kinder or more tender hearted
miu fNaa Hunter. Another said that il WAS nui
possible for Hunter to do any one a wrong: nm
Is fIr ltffft Df 81
most lfA"uble men thUt l'ved IN Philadelphia
They bad ID business to say this. but they did
sW d. w'luui meaning to DO wrong. EX-Sec.
rr.ty hy.'s.h krlt putting men VINO are SUD
~ b. thee M 0-t reputable business men ln Phila
RAPIDLY a- was possible FOR thrrc hours. They
OIL -w'r". Nlth great pr-itiyoncss, That Hunter
rtuai y was unoNccled IN Peilairiphia
S,mrN tr.ni had had business /, laiions witt
hln; Ind shown him for years, in business AN,
50" % life. The evidence on this p1int II re
gari'si It's con lusive. Hunter has certninly ha
T.. Ill., '' ''e ''''''''''" III "'''''''"'" ~
pr-',u;or Jenkins ill not trouble these W t
n i- ~ hS 30 admit iNut Hunf't stood II -
lls n'rrHlli. D" Hg 'ncI"- looks. and this. Boa
,tys. is the standard hy winch business mo-
measure" mans character. But on. qIeeu"
tt he let drop shows tni' lo has Mat hc IT,
eari- AS proof that while Hunter WAS apla
rem = 'norahle. ne was in reality not honor
hIr VI asked one witness question ahou
Hln.rr'- ilegtiuNte son. and when the tim
.Dile- 90 rehu this evidence II can be- shown.
BE- ts.t"I. that Hunter hus surl q son.
So 'hs deionce changed their linz q light
U- They attacked Graham. A -insular-lool
~. nDn who admitted that he was Gallo
"lY..- hut Whose reGl Hamo In Benz. Lyle
si f.u Graham told him one day IN the Ja
v.. Iwu neck hy sending Hunter up. Nj
LY.re tlu' b" hnd nut una tile Job OF d
own 10 catch Graham in Just this trap. Tn
sl-rN Lad employed him to do chores abou
t" l4.. uld while bee WIS taxing food 70 Gra
aam. l' cgnuinS and d'pi@'P, "a T. ge got a.,
afI4 stsff ffIr afrff fI.
D. tHuN d. Prosecutor jenkins had ha
him ln hand for half an hour on cross
iQr Tue defence II Graham really sai
.ls 90 him, or said IL. meaning tbs
Hunter was innocent. ittendcd strongly to d.
lrNl. hi- 'uui"s-ion. Therefore. the Proseeu
Nrd i.rmlned To show to the Jury who % Rocks
wa-. The witness admitted that he was yer
frequently drunk; IN fact, he could not den
dit NOT mink he war. lie admitted that he too
an oatA r"'rntly not 10 drink again, and wH
drums iu So than week. He also admltte
!.ai j." hal been hanging around the oiiire {
t'A N'o'"l. one ~ Hunters counsel, ever SIN,
s'os". had been retained by Hunter. and thu
v lrt N'uN"l7 oNlcc 10 20 10 the house
Moore, N" witness who swore he snw Huntt
~ On" l-rry'"at on the night Of the murde
Prosecutor jenkins also tested KOeks's men
ory, nuI found that while very clear on a
points connected with GrHhams statement.
Nas Nry oudyon almost everything else. !
Wran.. and the defence at once 81.
That save Hunter. witnesses whose chararu
uN lNI lc - 'kel To pieces must DE use
butlry irlt obliged to call Emma Bethel Il
woman wuo was recently tried for murder
ha' 'aur court room, md who Is now und'
s~W"h"" ia Philadelphia for larceny from
u7'r l"IIj house. she had n cell near Graham
thi D." Was allowed t. talk with her. she ~
Mai HratHn tniI her that the sheriff had ma,
aA ariti-"mrAt 90 allow the keeper To leit'
Ar d'Ir H' the jail open rs soon as Hunter vi
n'i'l. i' 10 and That Graham was % be allow
nlshi". Graham also told her that he won
pot b" hanged BE had friend who wou
.Yt ain in that respect H. had stru'
him-in ug twp blows, he told the witness, M
n.A'"r Nn- Do. wtA him at the time, and ia
..i- d. Wfh Vie murder.
W '4t-" WIS 's'lmony, especially in regal
H. Hl' ''' "l". caused some excitement an
hIA'"r listened - the witness with lar mo
,''l "l t4tu he has shown at any time duril
Iuint.
Hunters dau-h,er, an Intelligent your
.'n, ,NNlr tuHt her father had been hon
A'I "fi''n "a "a" evening of tho murde
4iN Was a- Iui.t and uurN'itad ns he ever wa
l"-h'ff'N soma II tAe features II the col
'NIN} a-Anst Hunters life, AZ the deieu
""u ID" r.flse oi murder 10 be, are Ia be la
'siVr t4r Iuiy
Where Mr.. Henneu IL Missed.