The sun., 1878-06-08
N0RTHUMBERLAND'Sl HORROR
Y0U ARE MY FATHER. AND YOU THE
MAN WHO DID THIS DEED !'
Further Details OF tho Mysterious KiIIina Of
Mrs. Biiiinrs near saratoga-Iier husband
Accused OF ths Crime by Their Daughter.

from he Agsmv Argn.
At 81 o'clock on the evening OF the ith
Inst. in the little hamlet OF Fort Miller Bridge.
Saratoga county. at the point where the Cham
plain canal crosses the Hudson river the sharp
report OF a rifle. or heavy navy revolver, was
followed quickly 10y tho appearance of Miss
Jennie Billings only daughter ofJcsso Billings.
Jr.. on the street. in front Of her fathers man.
sion. crying "Murdcrl" and Mother has hecn
murdered" Charles Cramer and J. c. Sher-
man clerks in MIR. Billngs's store. at once ran
TO the house, and were followed by Constable
W. II. Durkee and others. On entering the
house with Miss Billings. who was too much
alarmed to give them coherent account OF
what had happened. they found Mrs. Billings
sitting in an arm chair in the family sitting
room about three feet from the window. on the
south side Of the room. with her hcad dropping
upon her left shoulder and dead. The ball had
been fred by an assassin who had stolen into
the yard. and. seeing his victim sitting 10y tho
window. had taken deadly aim by resting his
weapon on the upright Of n clothes reel. Tho
bullet cut n clear hoe through the window
without shutiering tho pane. and passing
through the lobe of Mrs. Billings's Lett car sank
deep into hor head at the base Of the brain.
Death was quick and painless.
From the daughter and the scrvRiA Maggie
Malou"y. 1t was useertniud that as They and
Mrs. Billings wer" sitting 'tnd convcrSiug ABOUT
the recent marriage of the lutter'- brother. Mr..
John C.. Harris, they heard the report ~ tue
gun and saw the mother ',ink dead IA the chair
Miss Billings sat hy nnou ,rr window facing her
mother and the servant ON "A sofa at the right
Miss Billings from thr'ais that she know hcr
father had made, at onc' OWNED the cause ~
the tragedy end ran ,hr eking from the front
door. wnil Miss Mhluncr ran from the rear ani
gave an alarm. Neither of them siw any per-
son in tho yard hut the f,rmnr Thought She saw
mun pbs behind q pile Of lumber on the river
bank opli isi,c the house.
Tho little hamlot consists ~ about twenty
uNl fht4l d, -
yard OF Mr.. Bil ings. vi o is the mrg"st boat
owner and builder on tho Chamuain "ana
having an interest I'm over seventy bolis that nc
has built and sold on tim'. Knots ~ villagers
were gathered ut the hour about the two stores
other il the Northumberland Uuion store"
Inquiries were 60 be made as iothe whereabouts
OF Mr. Billings. One negnhnr said that ne saw
MN over on the back OF ms iHrn at o'clock
sailing his stock, and THAI he had horse and
Justice George Washburuc. who dwens about
fourth OF milo north Of Mr. Blng,~.
walked home. md on his arrival found a horse
and buggy hitrhsd 10y his house. Going IN. ho
said @ his wife that she hHd better gO down t.
pr. Billings,s for his wiic had been fenrfully
hurt Alr. Billings. who was In an adjoining
room talking with Isaac Wa,hburne. stepurd To-
the door and asked; What has happened aid
been Shot" wRoGt sSyar Sno,hcT y1T T'v wdrI n'S
Billings turned and went out Isaac Wa-hburno
followed him. aud together they eot Into Bill
lings's buggy and drove to his house, Billings
rushed into the room. spread uut his arms. and
CRYING. on dcarl What does this meauy'
His daughter answered; ." You are nv fnfler.
and yon are Me man irho did ihis desd This IS
the third time ROp hare h'iei 10 10 IT,"
Billings cowed under this accusation. and
Fising from the floor quiyeret like an aspen.
Dr. Frank Cow of SchuylerNiile (whO Is also
one OF the Coroners Of Saratoga county, was
summoned at on"'. H. was accompanied by
Billings unie surveillance.
This wa- the situation II affairs on Wedncs.
day morning; u strict Attorney Ormsby had
driven from Waterford To- take charg. of the
lnvestigntlon before the Coroner and Mrs.
bert
Coroner Cow impanelled jury. and the in
quest was adjourned until the afternoon to
await the result o. post morten.
The detectives soon found n startling clue.
Footsteps we're found l-ading across IA newly
Iloughed garden to the spot from whore the
deadly bullet was fired. from the direction Of
the field IN which MIR. Billings had been seen.
They We're tracks made ste,uthiy Rnd on tip
toe. Over IN the field traces were found whore
horse had been hi'hcd Ia len'e and clos,
by were the muddy prints Of a boot. having
been srraped to relieve IT Of its load of clay.
From there tracks were seen in the fresh mud
made by the tell-talc rain storm OF Tuesday
afternoon, where q horse ana buggy had been
driven through a lane leading from Billlngs's
farm across that Of \. l.. Fune. and leading
in front OF Mr. Washburne's house
Mrs. Eliza Billings the murdered wife. was
Il wealthy resident # Northumla,riand. In which
town Fort Miller bridge is saat"I. sne "'t,i MA!
born Sept; 10. 1882, and WIS married young 10
Jesse Billings. Jr., the son of phyS ian ~
one source OF trouble lay in s2O.puO from Ter
fathers estate. one daughter only Mss Jeu-
several years Of late Mrs. Biiin.s has accused
her husb9nd of marital pnfaithlulness.
Jesse Billings, Jr, who is accused of wife
murdcr' Is one "I thr most prominent business
men and iJrWNrd"rs Dn th" line of the thulu-
ers Srp @a rod Sr SS r. Tf to S% SSn%Yip irR r. iHn H. 8
years o.. ag'. lie has an lras lhle temper.
6roGGser' 6Gs HGsh ''' cinialy. s9 6a "n sa S wb, Is
hunting. ana about twelve yrars ago he mHd.