Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-06-15
The Isirth Murder Case.


WHAT THE PRISONERS sAY-THE LOST WATCH
The statement has been made that BENJAMIN
JohnSon,th cOlored witness who turned states
evidence against babe" Bedford, Edward
Queenan and Sandy Pinn convicted Of the
murder Of George Philip Hirth. had been paid
ms ms ices as witness, and that ROxey Ross, on
nearing 1t, had become greatly eDraoad
and asserted that ii he did not re.
ceive half. that he would "blow.-
johnson, on being shown the statement TODAY
nrst that he had heard of it. He asserted that
he knows nothing Of any statement that Roxey
proposes to blow" and he was hardly we'll
crime, and that he only met him few times at
hester Johnson's. where they all got arrested
on me 1lrst Tuesday after New Years. He stu
s pinh 10 ms original statement. Sandy
affects to incline to the belief that Roxey knows
more or the murder than he does. Bedford also
asserts nus innocence, and Queenan says IL they
1ahS hlm Ii viii be for another mans crime
ROSS denies having made the statements at
LIiDuted 10 him. and 1ntimateS that, although
Ee mas a bad Character, he Will make some
one pay 1or charging him with being a MUIR
eeIef. Recently Bud" Warner, who is in
jan awaiting transportation to Albany un-
ger a seven years sentence for burglary,
expresses regret that he could not help him as
WltIess,f for his evidence would not be takel-
ne navLg served term In the penitentiary,
the murder he met Howard Cookly ana Others
ana johnson proposed to treat; thai Knowing
Johnson had no money the evening before he
asked him where he got it, and the reply was
tnat "Roxey and made swap last night on
I4ln street, that johnson proposed to swap
watches, giving him 81 boot, and when he
ask where the watch was Johnson
MIS- Queenan, the mother OF Ned, having OBJ
talntd Information that the remains OF a burnt
Watch had come into the possession OF a colored
women IL the northern part of the City, with
one OF tbs counsel went yesterday to fnveStfpate
/. The woman Ia question stated to them ina
ler son had found the remains OF a watch 10 an
ash neap lear the house of Hester Johnson aud
pr duted t ItSet remains to be identififd.
The prisoners will be brought up to-morroy
10 &c r2Sentenced but the counsel are to-day
buSily Engaged In looking over the case with
Is possible.
It may be stated that Johnson has not been
heio as a Witness but was held as a principal
ara USED as witness during the trial He
VII, Will therefore, not be entitled to compensa-
ALLEGED DAMAGING ADMISSIONS OF THE PRIs-
ONERS.
As TO the innocence of the prisoners there
are number OF circumstances which go TO
show that they are not iRnocent, outside the
1acts deFeiGrred on the trial 1t Is stated that
Sueenan said TO party that at certain time
i LIE would tel how he got into 1t. Penn recently
toiu IelloW-pris0ner that IL Bedford had acted
square his n'ipn's) life would be saved Oueenan
At HDolAeI liIUe said that IF Bedford lad not
made id fool OF himself and struck such q
blow there would have been no killing" Bed
ford In his sleep has been haunted by the MUIR
dered man, and his cries on sunday night Wee
caused, it IS said by reported visitation Of the
splris OF ycuiss Hirth. The statement as to the
fndjEg OF the watch, IL I. assert.
cd, is gotten up Tor the occasion By the
friends OF The prisoners, and Notwithstanding
Bud warner has given Queenan letter, as
above stated it is said that Warner has the full
statements OF all the parties acknowledging
their guilt II Is asserted that Bedford, after
the sleepless night OF sunday. would have givea
the full details on Monday had he not been in
formed by one OF his counsel that everything
was favorable In regard TO the Case