The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-23
The billings Case.

special telegram to THE Sun from Ball
ston informs our readers Of the close of an
interesting trial which has Just taken place
there. A man named JONES wae tried for
perjury. To the surprise of every one, as 1t
seems, he was convicted.
This man JONES II was whose testimony
went materially to acquit JESSE BILLINGS,
Jr., when he was tried at Ballston ON an in
dictment for the murder of his wife.
Mrs. BILLINGS was sitting in the parlor OF
her house ono evening, between and 3
o'clock, when she was killed by charge Of
shot fired through the window. Her
husband was man In independent
circumstances, canal boat owner,
trader and banker, welding q considerable
influence in his neighborhoOd. He had not
been on the best OF terms with his wife for
some time The evidence on the trial won't
to show that she was something OF n vixen
IL he was not wholly saint. His only
daughter was one OF the most hostile wit
ncsses against him.
After a protracted trial OF JESSE Bill
LINds, Jr., the jury failed TO agree on a
verdict.
On this trial the testimony Of JONES was
material, II not decisive, in establishing an
alibi for the prisoner. JONES sworo that he
was In boat at a certain place at certain
point OF time, and saw BILLINGS pass. II
this was true--if BILLINGS was where JONES
swore he saw him, at the time JONES swore
he saw him there--then BILLINGS could not
possibly have committed the murder
Hence II is easy to see the supreme i'm
portance Of JoSEss testimony.
Now JONES has been convicted Of perjury.
to the surprise OF everybody.
Why 10 the surprise of everybody
We can readily understand why, because,
while large number OF witnesses swore
that the boat JONES said he was in when he
saw BILLINGS was on the stocks, high and
dry out Of water, at that very time, n
correspondingly largo number swore just
as positively that at or about that time
they saw this identical boat in the water.
Amid such conflict Of credible testimony
though one side or the other must have
been in crror-it seems To have been per
| fectly reasonable TO have looked for the
acquittal Of the prisoner
1t is asserted now that a new trial Of
BILLINGS will follow.
| Perhaps SO ; but not necessarily. So much
doubt attaches TO the propriete OF JONES'
conviction that BILLINGS may still escape q
| re-tral.
Some circumstances were strong against
Mr.. BILLINGS ON his former trial. Private
counsel were employed To prosecute him
ton. There was afterward proceeding o.
very questionable character undertaken
against him--an attempt 10 transfer his
trial TO another county. To tho honor Of
the Judge before whom it was argued, this
motion failed
Yet 1t is within the range OF human pos.
sibility that owing TO the non-ooncurrcncc
OF one juror in the verdict-the jury ON the
former trial stood eleven for acquittal 70
one for conviction Mr. BILLINGS may yet
be tried again, convicted and executed; a
thought at which many will shudder.
Mr. BILLINGS recently visited this city
and called, as is his custom when here,
to pay his respects to the young gen
tleman in this Office who reported his trial
at Ballston Spa for this paper. He is rather
an amiable looking man, OF whom it would
be difficult to believe that he could commit
| such cline