Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-16
ON TRIAL FOR LIFE.
TEE MURDER OF GEO. p. HIRTH.
Trial of RctifOrd. Ilueenan and Pinn.

Inc Hal VI tHt lIItc COlUtcd hCh-uOSSph
Neverson alias Joseph or "Babe' Bedford, Ed
ward Queenan and Sandy Pinn-indicted for
the murder OF George Philip Hrth on street
on the evening Of January Tth last, was con-
tinued in the Criminal Court, Judge Hagner,
to-day-District Attorney Corkhill and Assist
ant District Attorney Perry for the government;
Messrs T. F. Miller, C. Maurice Smith and John
F. Riley for Pinn; ii. II. Wells, jr.. r. Coyle and
j. A. Hayward for the other prisoners
The court convened promptly at 10 O'clock
at which time the jurors We're in their seats
They were looking fresh and hale after having
passed quiet Sunday in their rooms at the
National Hotel The day was spent by them in
social conversation and letter-wrtting to their
friends lat home" which letters after having
passed the supervision of the bailifTs, were
mailed About 11:30 O'Clock a. N. portion of
the.jury were driven around the city (the other
portion remaining in their rooms under charge
OF OF: bailih IN one OF the coaches connected
with the hotel and under the charge Of Bailiff
Dorsey, and returned greatly refreshed and
pleased with their trip.
Mr. Hayward asked il the witnesses Thos.
charged. and Mr.. Perry answered that the for
mer had been, but the latter was still held.
TESTIMONY OF DETECTIVE voss.
defective A. ii. FoSs Identified the shoes of
murder; was around the night of the murder;
saw Messrs Sinclair and Whalen about the drug
store; went to the scene of the murder the
morning afterwards about day light; saw foot
prints about the spot, which he traced over to
the path northeast of the spot (pointed out the
direction) noticed that the left foot had the heel
turned down, so much so that portion of the
upper left its impression in the clay, and the
shape was rather peculiar; the tracks CORE
sponded with the shoes exhibited and they
were taken from Ben johnson. Was present
when Queenan was arrested; having had infor-
nation that party had received dollar with
blood on it the night before, went to the party
and got from him description which CORE
Sponded with Queenan, and about l O'Clock
Queenan came along and was arrested, on Sam
son street, near 14th street. Witness Identified
dark blue coat taken from Bedford on the
Identified Bedford'S hat, an old black SLOUGH
hat, rather high in the crown, as also Bedford's
shoes A shirt "a blue-stripped one) was iden-
black coat. white shirt and a pair of shoes
gaiters) were identified as Pinn's. Those were
all taken from the prisoners on Sunday morn
ing. Was present when Pinn and McDevitt
had conversation, in which Pinn said the
pants he then had on "a pair Of iight-slate COL
ored oneS were not those he had on the night
OF the murder.
MIR. Perry asked what time the first reference
was made in THE STAR as to the party having
asked the time OF man they met.
Mr.. Coyle said that he had no objection to
The STAR being referred to, to show that certain
statements were made.
The court said that the paper could be referred
to for the purpose OF showing whether or not
certain statements made by witness were there
in referred to-
Cross examined by Mr.. Coyle for Bedford
Q.-HoW long have you known johnson. Mr..
PerTy-Ne have asked nothing as to johnson.
MI. Smith-You have testified as to his shoes
and pants, and its getting pretty close. Re
direct:-Johnson TESTIFIED before Duehay at the
coroner's inquest and was kept up stairs. Cross
examination resumed-There were other foot
prints around which could be tracked little
way on the lot and back again. The lines he
had tracked he lost about 100 feet distant There
were other foot prints near the parking, indicat-
ing that parties had come towards the place and
gone back. Witness was first informed of the
silver dollar by Mr.. T. L. Hume, the grocer who
gave it to him, and said he got it from VIM
Lee, on c street, opposite the Il. & o. depot
Witness went to Lee and got information, and
from there went to Johnson barber, and re-
ceiyed Information from him that he had cut a
mans hair and shaved him, and from the de-
scription given Queenan was arrested. Did not
see Bedford the night of the murder.
DETECTIVE M'DEvITT's TESTIMONY.
James A. McDevitt (detective) testified that
he heard OF the murder next morning. and visit
ed the scene; went out with Officer Voss, and
ent when Queenan was arrested somewhere
about noon; saw Bedford the same day at the
second precinct station. Witness was shown a
thought was the one taken from Pinn; took the
shoes exhibited from P1nn; there was a spot on
one which he thought made it important for
spot, small one on the outer edge of the right
shoe, to the court and the jury. Identified
pair OF striped pants as those he got from Pinn'S
house Sunday after the occurrence There were
no inducements or threats made by him. Pinn
said the pants he had on were not those he wore
on the night of the murder. and those were at
his house. He went there and got them and he
found on the lining at the bottom of the legs
blood spots, and he pointed out two spots, and
some OF the lining appeared to have been cut
away. Witness Identified the shoes exhibited
as Bedf0rd'S, Which were taken from him be-
cause there was aSpot on one Of them which ap-
peared TO be blood. Identified Bedford's hat on
which there had been spot which appeared to
be blood, and there was a hole in the place to-
day; identified the blue coat taken from Bed
ford and pointed out spots on the
sleeves which resembled blood stains.
sleeves. ,Queenans blue striped shirt was
Identified and witness pointed out on the
sleeves what appeared to be blood spots. On
binding and lining Of the skirt supposed to be
blood. Witness had conversation with
Queenan on Monday or Tuesday; was present at
amined before Duehay. Had had conversa-
ton with two Of the defendants bedford and
Queenan) as to their whereabouts. This was
the second Sunday after the murder, and
Queenan said that he was in COX'S shoe shop on
Samson street that afternoon up to 6k O'Clock,
and Bedford came in there about O'Clock; he (Q.)
went out and Bedford followed him out; that they
went to the corner of Samson and 18th streets
and remained about ten minutes which brought
the time to $780, there he met man named Ellis
and went to house on street to meet girl,
and he there met her and went home with her.
remaining until about 10 o'clock that night
Witness sent for Bedford, who was brought out
IN the same room, and had QueeHan report his
conversation, and Bedford said that it was not
so late when they were together; that he re-
NAMED on the corner but few minutes, and he
went home and got his overcoat and went to
Mrs. Halls on 7 street. and remained there till
about O'Clock.
lit was noted while the detectives were giving
their testimony as to the clothing and eSpe-
cialy when Mr.. McDevitt was pointing out
what were thought to be blood spots, that the
prisoners all wore look Of anxiety, even Quee-
nan at times struggling his shoulders, and Bed
ford showing his anxiety by vigorously chew
ing tObacco.-Rep]
Cross-examined by Mr. Miller for Pinn--
Pinn's pants chose he had ON when witness
saw him) were light in color and texture Wit
ness heard of Johnson's arrest on Sunday
morning. and talked with him twenty-five min
utes before he testified.
Redirect-Witness did not instruct johnson
as to what to testify 10. OBJECTED to by de-
tense and exception nOted.)
MesSrs. McElfreSh and VoSs and himself hav-
ing found the woman who saw johnson In his
flight, took the woman (Lee) into the room
where johnson was and johnson said that he
thought this was the woman who crossed his
path.
Re-croSs- examination was the woman
Sarah Lee. Q.-What else did you say? Wit
nesS-What else did you expect me to say?
Why don't you put your words together and ask
your questions properly, and not cast your re-
Elections on the detective corps.
Mr.. Miller here said he did not wish any i'm
peTtinence, and Mr.. McDevitt replied that he
would be so as long as the counsel was impertf-