Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-02
The HirtI, Murder.

with having on the It'll Of January murdered
George Philip Hirth on street, near 18th. they
concluded to at once terminate the examination,
ard therefore on Saturday afternoon sent pre-
sentiment to the District attorney charging the
prisoners with murder. An indictment was at
once prepared. based on the presentment, and
on the grand jury meeting at II O'Clock to-day
it was at once signed by the foreman and re-
ported TO the court.
This action was anticipated by the court Of
ticers, and directly after the prisoners whose
trials were set for to-day were brought up, the
van was sent back TO the jail Tor the accused,
and they Were brought into court at II 4 O'Clock.
It soon became known that they were to be
brought into court. and in little time there
was quite crowd in the court room. On the
Indictment being reported TO the court, District
Attorney Corkhill asked their immediate ar
raigDment, and Judge Hagner suspended the
trial In progress for that purpose.
They were placed at the bar, and Mr.. Spar
row, the clerk, read
TIE INDICTMENT
charging Joseph Neverson, alias Joseph Bed
ford or Babe Bedford. Sandy Pinn and Edward
Queenan in six counts with the murder by max
ing an assault with stones on the person OF
George Philip Iiirth on the head Of said Hirth.
causing his death,
THE FOLLOWING WITNESSES
are endorsed on the back of the Indictment:
benjamin +. Johnson, Phillip Hungerford, DR..
+. NJ: Schaeffer, w. II. West, M. p; Chas, II.
Saffell, NJ. p; Sarah Lee, D. NJ. Lighter, VIM.
Katie Dickson, Fred Vaux, James T. Lacy,
VIM. Duepay, James Freeman, James A.
McDeVitt, W. BraXton, Edward Lane, W. Myers,
James II. Sibley, James c. Little, Winfield Tay
lor, y. II. FoSs. Thomas Williams, Bernard Til
ley, DR.. J. F. Hartigan, Elmira Bailey, w. p
Bagley, Mary V. Wynn, E. d. Owen, and Han
nah Street.
PLEAS OF mot GUILTY."
Pinn and Bedford each answered the question
firmly as to their guilt Not guilty." and
Queenan the same in a lew tone. In answer to
Judge Hagner, Pinn stated that Mr.. Miller was
his lawyer, and Bedford and Queenan that Mr..
Hayward was theirs. The District Attorn Y
asked that they,be sent for in order that an
early day should be set for the trial
At 12:40 Mr.. Miller, counsel Tor Pinn, said that
the prisoners were entitled to time to prepare
for trial Mr.Smith and himself had been spoken
TO in regard TO the case, but could not say that
they had been formally retained.
District Attorney Corkhill said that he was
not anxious to press the case any further than
the public interests demanded il, and he would
suggest that it be set down for Thursday morn
ing.
Mr.. Miller remarked that public clamor was
what was meant.
Mr. Perry said the fact of the indictment
having Just been found was matter OF little
moment, for motion had been made in the
case nearly three weeks since
MI. Hayward here appeared and stated to the
court that he appeared for all the accused, and
he suggested that he could be ready by Monday
next
THE CASE SET DOWN FOR NEXT MONDAY.
The CouTt-Tne case will be set down for
Monday next.
MIR Hayward asked that the Court assign
counsel to assist him. He asked to note an eX-
ception to the action of the Court in arratgning
the prisoners before furnishing copies OF the inz
dictment.
The Court suggested that the law contem-
plated furnishing copies OF the Indictment two
days before trial and not before aTraignment.
Mr.. Hayward said that Mr.. Miller was re-
tained with himself to defend Pinn.
The Court remarked that he would appoint
Mr.. Miller to assist Mr.. Hayward, and he regret
ted that he could not assure them OF fee.
SKETCHES OF THE ACCUSED.
Bedford who is the largest OF the three, is
quite black. about five feet ten inches in
heghth. weighs about $50 pounds, is very
strongly built, and about % years old. His
right narne is Joseph NeyerSon, a native OF
montgomery county, Nd, his parents having
been slaves on farm in the vicinity OF Rock
vile. His father enlisted during the war, ana
Bedford, from whom the accused took the name
AS has been stated, Bedford, before this charge
against him. has not been regarded as very
bad fellow. but it has been the remark or lis
former friends that he had become, within the
past few months, quite reckless in his behavior,
frequently proving around at night For
many years past he has resided in Samson
street.
Edward QueenaD is the best known of the
party TO the police, having spent much OF his
time in the worhhouse and Jail for petty offences.
lie is about q years of age, 5 feet inches,
rather stout built, and his mother, very re-
spectacle colored woman, resides in Shepherds
alley, between 9th, 10th, l. and NJ streets; but
during several years, up to within few months
past, resided in Samson street. Queenan does
having a bold, defiant look ana swagger. ana
evidently is the least concerned rs TO the result
OF the t.ial. He is very black, short, thick-set
man, weighing about 40 or 1850.
PiEH'S people came from FauQuier county
Va, and it is believed that he has Indian blood
in his veins. He is about twenty years OF age
I'VE feet ten inches high, but sltghter built than
Bedford, weighing 100 pounds He is a bright
nulatto, With blaGH hair devoid of kink or curl
He bears much better character than either
OF The others, this being his first visit to Jail,
and he appears to have got into this crowd as a
singer and member of club He resides
with his people on the north side of Samson
street and the rest OF the family are regarded
as people Of very fair character, and there are
many who believe that this is his first offence,
and that il was more OF accident that he got
into the difficulty than otherwise.
TIE TRIAL
will, from what is known about the courthouse.
be or peculiar dramatic interest, mainly on ac-
count OF the great moral worth OF the victim
and the atr0ciousneSS OF the crime, but on ac-
count OF the manner in which the facts became
known. Doubtless it Will occupy two or three
weeks when it is once commenced. 1t is very
probable that an attack viii be made upon the
OF johnson, who gave the first direct
information as to the parties he having been
win them when they made the assault, and ran
away: but il is sufficient to say that to the sat
Slacton OF the District Attorney and the grand
jury
JOHNSONS STATEMENTS
as TO where he met the party the route taken
by them and his action subsequent when he ran
away have been fully confirmed. one day last
week his statement as to a certain point
threats made by Bedford ''to fix man who he
had laid Tor long enOugh"-were confirmed in a
rather novel but AT the same time indisputable
manner, and SO as TO leave no doubt of its
truthtuln6SS.
FACTS CLAIMED BY TIE PROSECUTION.
Briefly, the facts OF the case as will be claimed
by the government are about as follOwS:-That
Bedford had been in the employ OF young Hirth
md was discharged because OF suspicious
against him as TO theft, and naturally felt sore:
hat he determined TO have revenge and at the |
same time rob his victim; that the four were in
he habit Of singing together, and meeting az !
he corner OF 18th and 7 streets they Went |
over to 18th street, and about the time that |
'oung HiTth started to see his aliianced bride |
hey started atter him, and certain parties saw |
hem on ? street, and saw them approach TIE. !
victim. who was assaulted with fatal result.
hat after the crime had been committed Red
lord came down 10 see whether Or not the VIC
in was dead, Tor, had he lived. it ,yould have
been necessary Tor tucm to leave the civ at
once; ana, phlhs 6I.fe he was dead, be went to
D@d, ana IN Others, surprising that suspicion
would not be attracted 10 them, remained in the
city.
OrTR AGE0Cs ASSAULT on A LITTLE CHILD
VIM. Jones, a white man about forty years old.
was before The Police Court, Judge Shell this
morning. charged With an outrageous assault