National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-01-13
COMMITTED TO JAIL.
Ben Johnson Tells His Story to the
Coroner's Jury.
to Sec the Murderers--The Pro-
ceedings at the Inquest-what Bed
ford, Queenan aud Pinn Say About
Johnson's Statement-Oth
witnesses who were
Examined, &C., sc,
The Murder OF MIR. Hirth.

a
Police headquarters where II was known that
Bedford, Pinn and Queenan were confined. 1t
had been announced that the prisoners would
be taken 10 the inquest at the Fourth pre-
cnct station in the afternoon, but the crowd
began to gather about 10 o'clock IN the morn
ing. detail of mounted men reported for
duty about IL o'clock. and were of course piled
with all sorts of questions by the expectant
throng of curiosity seekers About 10 o'clock
u hack containing Lieutenant johnson, Ser
geant Saffcll and Ben johnson, the coored
boy who has turned States evidence, drove up
in front of headquarters and were of course
subjected to a rigid scrutiny. johnson was
Immediately taken before the three prisoners
and for the first time they were informed of
his confession. The trio assumed an air of
bravado and regarded their accuser with
scornful looks. Ho repeated his story of the
crime in their presence, but they wero
unmoyed. After short talk among
the officers il was decided to have
tho pictures Of the prisoners taken. They
were accordingly escorted to Bells gallery by
q private entrance, and in a few minutes the
operation was completed. They were then
taken back to Headquarters, and preparations
for the trip to the inquest got under way. By
noon all the arrangements were completed,
and the police ambulance was called ntorequi-
sition. Anticipating trouble, the detail of
mounted police were ordered to surround the
ambulance and allow no ono to come near it..
Shortly after Doon Bedford, Pinn and Qucc-
nan were brought out of Headquarters Sc
curely handcuiied, in the custody OF Detectives
McEllresh, McDovitt, Voss and Acton, and
placed in the ambulance. johnson followed
in few minutes in charge of Lieutenant Eek.
loft and Sergeant Saiiell, but was placed in the
hack The drivers Of both vehicles were or.
dered to whip up their horses and not stop
until they reached the Fourth precinct station
house. The route lay up the avenue, and the
unusual sight attracted large crowds of
spectators. No violence was attempted,
and in about quarter of an hour
after leaving Headquarters the party
reached the station. Here large crowd had
gathered, X street from Twentieth to Twenty
first being one mass of human beings. Every
thing that would tend to give view Of the
prisoners was eagerly availed of, and lamp
posts, tree-boxes, beer.kegs, boxes and porches
were quickly utilized. The crowd made pas
sage for the police and the ambulance and
hack drew up in front of the door No demon
stration occurred hore and the prisoners were
| quickly hurried into the station, taken back
to the cells and locked up until the jury ar
rived. The crowd i'm the vicinity of the sta.
| tiOn-house at this time was estimated at from
| 5000 to 10000, the former estimate being a
| very moderate one. Every device was rcsorted
to by individuals wishing to get good look
at the men, but no one was admitted to the
station-houso except those having business.
Punctually at l o'clock Coroner Patterson
called the names of the jury, and finding them
all present, ordered the three prisoners and
Ben Johnson to be brought into the ROOM"
Bedford, Pnn and Queenan were soon In at
| tendance and seated in front of the jury. They
betrayed no nervousness, and during tho Gu
tire examination maintained an indifference
to what was going on. johnson was brought
up in front of them and asked to tell what
he knew of the matter. After he had been
sworn he betrayed considerable nervousness,
but soon settled down and told the following
story in his own way:
The way came to be with the boys, live
on Twelfth street. 2127 northwest; about $50
o'clock Wednesday evening l met Babe Bed
! ford, Edward Quecnan and Sandy Pinn corner
of Twelfth and T streets; they said to me they
! were going singing to a concert and would | go
along with them; they said they were going
| to have n nice time and good lot of fun; /
told them yes l would go along; went up
| Twelfth street to S, along S to Thirteenth;
then we went through vacant lot between
Thirteenth aud Fourteenth streets; then we
went OH street to Fourteenth, down Four
| toenth street to Samson street; then Babe Bed
| ford asked q man what time it was; the man
said it was twenty-five minutes past Z;
then we went around on p street, walking
| pretty slow; at first went west; Babe
said, "if you don't walk faster we will be
too late for the concert" then we commenced
walking little faster; while we were walking
faster Babe stopped down and picked up a
rock; he didn't say what he was going to do
with tho rock; then this man was about
as fur as from here to the pavement
about forty feet the man was going
the same way we were; we walked until we
overlook the man; Babe up with the rock and
struck the man back of the head and knocked
him down; did not know the man; the man
said, For Gods sake Babe, don't kill me-"
Babe said you s. of a b., I've got you
now, and am going to fix YOGI" then Queenan
ran up and caught the man by the side Of his
coat (he was on the grOund) and kicked him
under his arm; then Pinn ran up and struck
him while he was down; then / said, For
! Gods sake, don't you fellows kill this man
here" then ran away; the stone Babe picked
up was larger than my fist; when ran away
the three were still beating he'man; the man
made no resistance; there was nothing said as
we went along about robbing the man-all the
talk was about the concert; l ran across the
lott no attempt was made to rob the man be.
fore left; have not seen these parties till this
morning; my road homo lay past the Miner
school building and baseball grounds did not
stop anywhere on my way home; didn't come
out any more that night; on my way home |
met q COlOred woman coming across the field
in an opposite direction; this was about half q
SQUARE from the place where this thing oc'
Cured; / said something TO her; don't recol'
lect what il was she made no reply; l was
running, and didn't stop to talk with her;
didn't see them take anything from the man;
that's all | know about the case.
Sarah Lee sworn Said she was In service
on Fifteenth street, but lived Mt l7l6 Il street,
between Seventeenth and Eighteenth streets
left my service place about ten minutes past
o'clock last Wednesday night; / came out by
the P-street circle and turned up toward the
Miner school building; | heard somebody going
oh Oh ! and, instead of going across the field
turned across the path; saw u crowd on the
pavement; man ran past me, and said,
"Where are you going oW lie was going
pretty fast johnson here put on his hat, and
the woman said she was pretty sure that he
was the man she saw running away knew
all tho prisoners; had seen them up at the
Seventh Baptist church; after heard the man
grooming ! was confused, and had to ask q
policeman to show me the way to L street
didn't know how many men were in the
, crowd.
A wooden scarf was here exhibited, which
Johnson stated was the one worn by Bedford
the night of the murder.
William Duehay examined Lived at 1915
Vermont avenue; the night of the occurrence
: | was coming down Fourteenth street; at the
corner of Foul teenth and Samson streets saw
a crowd Of young men standing there, aud one
of them asked me the time / said 1t was
IL twenty-five minutes past T. aud passed on down
the street; they were colored, all of them
p there were eight or ten in the party, somo OF
! them SMALL Babe was the one that asked me