The daily gazette., 1879-01-11

throws light on the mystery Of the hat
which he bought TO conceal his face. He
says that after he went back to tn. store
TO get his silk hat he threw away the felt
one which he had bought. He threw it
into the gutter In Passyunk avenue, and
he congratulated himself with evident
satisfaction on its having never been
found.
MURDERER's FEARS.
The truth is that Hunter was so an.
xious to prevent suspicion attaching to
himself that he overdid the matter. He
began forcing himself on the dying Arm.
strong's family before any one dreamed
OF accusing .he man who had been Arm.
strongs old aud intimate friend aud busi-
ness partner.
1t appears that early on January "a.
the day after the murder, Hunter went
to Hpp's shop and asked him to come
with him to Tx a boiler. While walking
along the street Hunter mentioned, in an
incidental way, that Epp must do him a
favor. 81 was over in Camden LAST
night" said he, "and q man I was with
got hurt. Now / want you to go with
me and just say that l was at your place
At that time. Hunter reminded Epp that
his wife would be angry ifshe thought he
had been out In brawl, and explained
that IL would bring him into discredit In
N''' ~"N'Nh. A<PPJ 'VhpNihk bhAt buc
matter was an uuimportant one, and that
he would be obiiging IA wealthy customer
by what he thought was IA little harmless
deception, conse nted to do what he was
desired, and accompanied Hunter to the
house where Armstrong was lying
brea' hing his last.
Hunter never spoke of the manner OF
his arrest without furious gleam of his
eyes. he never forgave the clever ruse
hy "a tsh IA..fS. I..I. A
Daubman enticed him into jersey He
says that he wouli have fought the of
ficers before allowing them to put him
IN cell If his son had not been with
him.
UNAvAILING PRECAUTIONS.
After his arrest he tried to get word to
Graham to keep out of the way. "I
tired to send his messages by members
OF my FAM ly after | was put here, but
never could do itsafely. But l did not
fear his arrest very much, for / did not
dream that he would be damned fool
enough to give himself away and me
too"
HUNTER LIES TO HIS COUNSEL.
From the time of the arrest of Graham
and his confession Hunte y manner un-
derwent change. A very remarkable
thing about Hunters case is that up TO
this time he had persistently, and with
vlrtuous indignation, solemniy declared
his Innocence. even to his lawyers. They
repeatedly assured him that to defend
him properly they must know the truth,
but suchwas his confidence inthe cunning
of hts "deep laid plot" that he foolishly
imagine that he could safely deceive
even them. From my knowlenge of this
case and of the character ofsome of Hun
ters lawyers and the secret schemes
which tbev had afnot fa..l satiaf "A al bo
had not Hunters insane vanity led him
to lie to his advisers, Thomas Graham
would have been put where he would not
have been arrested and Benjamin Hunt
er would never have been convicted of
murder. Thus has this man contributed
to his own destruction. "whom the
gods would destroy thev first make IN mad."
Even AZ late as the afternoon OF
the evening when Graham was cap ured
Hunter laughingly assured his counsel
that the whole story of his having an ac-
complication the story had then been
published in the Herad-was a. much .
lie as that he himself had done the mur-
der.
GRAHAM's ARREST.
But his dream was shattered when he
was told of Grahams arrest and confet.
sion. He had aparoxysm of angor which
is described as frightful to see. He ours
al his accomplice with blasphemous and
filthy oaths, and when he was put into
the murderer's cage and Graham given
Hunters former cell Hunters first words
were, "God damn him; he ought to bt
choked with his own--for going bach
on a friend" Then it was that for the
first time the doomed man confessed hi
guilt TO his lawyer, whom he had success
fully deceived. Hunter wrote a letter Il
Graham Immediately after the latter's ar
T, st, but was induced by his counsel Il
tear up this evidence of his indiscretion
He admits in his statement that he offer
ed 800 to Monk, tho prisoner who car
ried the food, to poison Graham. He
gloated ovre this, ard was only persuad
ed to give up the idea by his counsel whei
they showed him that M onk would take
his moDey and expose him to the authori
ties.
REGRETS NOT KILLING GRAHAM.
Hunter hated Graham with a devilisl
ferocity, and at one time regretted tha
he had not followed an iuclnai IN he ha,
on the night of the murder. After tn,
bloody crime was done, and when cross
ing the ferry with Graham, he had though
of pushing him overheard rs "A measure
of safety. He cursed himself for not hav
ing followed this impulse. In anothe
place Hunter confesseS that one OF hi
reasons for hoping for release or bail wa
80 that he might kill Graham
Hunter has never expressed any re-
morse for his crime, and regretted moth
ing but that IT was not successful ant
that he had not killed Graham.