The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1878-02-20
TiIE MARION Dill CASE.

TnE MARION Dill CASE.
rhc state witnesses Reius"d 10 resiiiy
ANA are Jailed History ~ rho case.
The case OF the state Of Texas w
Marian Dlll and Elijah Rice, charged
with murder, Ia an old one, having
been on the docket since 1874, The
facts Of the case, IN elected upon u
former trial. are IN substance NJ fol-
lows! In the year 1874 William Dill,
brother Of the accused, together with
two other men named Shackelford
aud Longley, were indicted, charged
with tho theft Of wheat from one Harry
Taylor. Reuben Johnson, negro
man living on Dills place, was the
only witness for the state In the case,
and Marian Dill tried to get him TO
swear that on the night the theft was
said to have taken place, that William
Dill was at HIS house, thereby proving
an aiibi. This the negro refused to do,
and subsequently Dill was Indicted for
the subornation of witness. To get
the negro out Of tho way, II was dies
termined o XIII him, and on the night
Of December 30 1874, Marian Dill,
Elijah Rice, and IA man named Bell
went to his house, some ten miles from
the city, on Mountain creek, and hung
him to n tree.
| When found he was hanging with
his throat cut from ear 10 ear. bell,
who was at the time arrested and III
dcted " It'll the parties above named,
turned state's evidence during the trial,
several years ago, and stated In sub
stance that Din and Rice did tho
hanging. After the hanging, when
they were about TO Withdraw, Dill re-
marked no might yet be alive and
that he would make sure work oft, at
the same time drawing a knife across
the victims throat. The case was
taken from this to the supreme court
where, after hearing, 1t was remand-
ed back. BELL has since left thecoun-
try and cannot be found.
In the district court, yesterday
morning, during tho trial OF the case,
there was "A scene In court, accustomed
by the refusal of Elijah Rice, who had
been Jointly indicted with Dill, but
whose case, as before stated In The
HERALD, had been aoHe prosQWed,
refusing to answer the quotations put
to him by the prosecution.
Colonel Hurt, who was assisting In
the prosecution, asked him the follow
ing questions "What Is your nameT"
After hesltating for some time. he
answered, "Rice." what Is your CIV
en- name?p After long pa,ise--"Lli-
jah.n The question was then put
"Where did you live in the year 1874 p
This question the witness refused to
answer, when the prosecuting attorney
asked the court to order him to all
} swer, which 1t did, but the wit
ness was dumb, refusing 10
speak. The court ordered him re-
|, handed to Jail for refusing to
answer and for contempt OF court. by
: this time the court room was In high
state OF excitement, and when Rice's
wife was called to the stand, IL was
3 heightened, while the attorneys that
l tbronged the bar and spectators BEN
!, forward, eager to hear her answers Il
!, the questions that were about to b'
!, nut to her. She had answered severa
0 ouestions of form and of minor i'm
y portance, when Colonel Hart aske'
/ her: ado you know Mr.. Aldridge
y the county attorney ?' 81 do.
y "Did you not have u converse
ton with Mr.. Aldridge, aud di
n you not at that time, in that conversa
}. ton, make statement different iron
d what you are now making2" Tn
J witness declined to answer, and whel
"a commanded by the court 10 do so sti
d refused to answer that and all othe
!. questions. She was committed to jail
= The case was then postponed until thI
a morning, when the judge will decid
,e whether or not he has a right nnd'
n the law to infllct upon them great
AZ punishment than imprisonment.
10 RosToN, February l9.-Mr. I. He
e. bert Chase has been found gu lty
az poisonous adulteration of candy, al
,e has appealed.
as The requiem masses for the repo
IN of the soul of the late Pho Mono we
ne celebrated In st. Mary's, Francalsi
~ - GO patrioH Reclamation church