The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-16

,rr,vrO Ga. June ~ On the 3lst of last
,-.,ory. a, john Simmons wns taking drink
ne pcacltrcc street saloon, Il man. deadly
~. and very much excited. entered the room
iosted whether John simmons was there.
Some one answrrrd'
There stands Mr. Simmons now"
uhis statement the man walked hastily to
.sero Simmons WINS standing and drew his
,i.,ol As he lcvelicd it at Simmons. he said:
Al las, you ---- -
simmons turned hastily The ball from tho
,lstol went crashing through his brain. and he
staggered half across the room and fell just
as lie was falling he said:
He shot me for nothing"
Tie killed man was one Of the most popular
Young fellows about tho city and came OF a
powerful and impetuous family. The slayer
was sam Hill. lie said that he had been most
touIly gronged by the man he had killed. who
had sedurfd his wife,
To-day Hill was put upon trial for murder.
There have been conflicting stories Of the events
that led to the crime but the following seems to
be the most generally believed. Sam Hin in
1916 fell in love with Cora Spring. This girl.
the eldest daughter OF n well-to-do. highly re-
spected machinst and his wife, was exceeding
y beautiful. She was only Is years OF age
when Hill began to pay her his addresses. but
she was very popular among the young men Of
her class. being the undisputcd belle. She was
esteemed as n quiet. wel-bchaved. modest girl.
fond Of her Sunday school lessons and correct
in all her habits.
She consented to marry Hill and the wedding
took place in 1875 The young couple wero
said to be thoroughly devoted to each other and
Hill was clearly infatuated with his pretty girl
wife. They lived happily and quietly for some
Ia. .
length he lett home and went about the country
as postal agent. and scandal began to busy
itself with the doings of tho young wife. who,
under the assumed name OF Ene Etherdgc
was the gayest Of the gay. The entrance Of 80
famous beauty into those circles created n
sensation. None OF these reports came g. the
husbands ears. At length after his return TO
the city. he found his wife missing one night.
Very much excited he began to search for her.
After three days Of inquiry he found that she
was nt one Of the houses Of iil-iame IN the city.
H. tllS her 90 his home again About this
tone -hn wrote "A letter To- her husband. confess
inc flnt She had been untrue TO him. and say
n-tiit She Ind been led away hy n man who
presented himself 60 bee Il friend Of her hus-
lINU Another story j. TINT the husband first
discovered li- wiie's irhtclity 10y securing a
lIie fhnt had been written 20 her 10y simmons
il which Le begged her To quit that uule-
/ faced sroundrel" and come ana 1--we with him
j. l- % $50 said that Hin wrote simmons q note
/ BOO Whlrh he wurned him that II he ever inter-
fred with his wife again he would Kin him. Ii
i,a 'at worthy OF note that the two men had
never seen each otner until the moment of the
shooting, and that simmons had TO be pointed
out 20 HI before ne knew who TO shoot.
The friends ~ simmons claim that he did moi
sedure Mrs. Hill. but that she had a bad repuia.
ton before simmons ever knew her. and that
lis meeting with her was purely accidental
Their story is that one night two young fellows
had an engagement to meet two women OF the
town IN the private wine room Of restaurant
That when the two girls came 10 the rer ieZvous
they brought with them Mrs, Hill. VINO was
| passing as Efiie Etheridge. IL WAS proposed
that one of the gentlemen should 90 out and gel
a beau for her. that the marty might be snuu
and complete. He went out and found Simmons
in the front part OF the restaurant. HeInVited
him to walk back and join the crowd, paintin
IN glowing language the pretty cir that woult
fail 10 his share. simmons consented. walkeo
back. and was introduced 10 Mrs. Hill. tn,
young couple seem to have understood each
other pretty well. and the testimony Is that wher
the party broke up Mrs. Hill asked him 20 &c
home with her. simmons consented. and the
The defence make n strong case. and declare
that the wife WAS pure and loving and happy
until she was seduced 10y simmons They uc
knowledge that she had been seen nj vnriou;
places OF doubtful repute. but claim that II was
always under the persuasion or threats or de-
captions oi ; mmons. As 10 her presence nj thu
house Of ID fame they claim that was pure anl
simple abduction managed by simmons. 70 ge
her back into his power. she having Withdrawn
herself from him. AMI declared that she woult
not see him again. The main witnesses ar,
young women and men about the city who hap
pened 20 be caught in the network Of events
llN NAus- about tulS case. Inc court room j,
packed. The prison is surrounded by quite
group HIS wife. whose devotion 20 him since
TIE shooting has certainly been touching ant
profound, sits Immediately next 10 him. ant
BIS arm clasps her constantly. Occasionally h.
leans toward her and presses his lips 10 hel
face and whispers 10 her She Is heavf,
yelled. hut her pretty face shines through tn
lhlo and creates sensation throughout IN
room she j. quietly dressed. and seems 10 b
!, j. hard 10 say which side hai the alvantaE,
IN ihe first DAYS contest. The defence sue
grei.d IN showing that simmons did take Mrs
~. from Ter mouse 70 q house OF lA-lnne. bu
T." state showed that this was not seducto ~
Nt,. mn hud been seGuced before. one OF IN
L defence witnesses was asked whether he ha'
iNt been out with Mrs. Hlll on secret prone
hlde-. He said that he had taken her out q
liEut frequently: that he visited ter cOnstnntl'
To- leave ne house 30 hurriedy that he left som
Il OF us clothes.
Two witnesses declined TO answer polnte,
Questions on The ground that Il might 81 iminat
yourselves. Other witnesses testified 10 seeinI
9lts nm "a puces Of ill-repute. and 10 haviu.
s''u H'r ar sard IN tights al hnll. Hill Hp
('Afrl 10 be excited while these things wer
~lng sworn. Several Witnesses swore tina
my hhd warned Slumons against going VIII
L announcer man : VIE, but he always said Hi
wouldn't shoot, and Il be aid he would be road
Mr. /, D. Spring tlc hitler y Mrs. H!l tes
y Iu w H5e-4 ~ Iy dhngnirr was married ! wa
At home by br SpadnsgIe Hi Was bed I my r6n
| sem and mi wlle,s 10 marry our daughter.
I.'rI my bet 10 educate her and all my cEidre
never allowed her to attend any picnics OF tx
cursions whore could not 20 with her. Sh
Vas 10 yehr- - age when she was married
IAey lived with NE a little over thee year
ana then moved Nov 6, 1875. about 100 yard
lhls SIDE Of my old place. / do not think | eve
hAW Two peol" more devoted to eHch other. Ii
vas IN business. and afterwards carrying maj
i'r inc postal service H. was away from III
cry much ~ the time | remember the tim
Nlen his wife was taken from her homo. d
nol remember the day ol the month. but Il wa
saturday night waf living nrnr by. and III
alarm was given by hr. itl No one lived q
~ house except himself and hia wife. MI
IN came 10 the house and woke me up. an
we went over there to his hous" and s"arche
Tor her everywhere 10 ret some clue IA 10 he
i ThereabOuts. We could find no trace of hel
/ Hound some notes and letters. lie found
/ postal card on the door and brought il over
my house when he came; lie asked for n ligl
/ y read it by. We rend it together. lie said
Ny God Almighty. what does this mean 2
ana said did not know. At the house "
saw where his yaise hud been empt.rd IN tn
middle of the bed. Il was gone, and We con
Guided that she was gone. too. We hunted ~
crywhere. all oyer the city. whore We though
sle could be-. We searched all night long an
until daylight We went back. and l.it I'm
there. and continued the search all day SUNDAY
found Ghar4turuaI ina 40 "a t,t .