Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-06-29
The Hfrth Murderers.

The Hfrth Murderers.
REQUEST TO REOPEN TIE CASE.
| In the case Of Bedford, Queenan and Pinn,
convicted and sentenced to be hung September
10th next, for the murder of Geo. Philip HIrth
/ In January last, the counsel for Bedford and
Queenan-Messrs. Wells, jr., and Coyle-have
| addressed
LETTER TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
| suggesting that the case OF Johnson be exam
ined by the grand jury. They say 1.-THE counsel
| for the defense are firmly convinced that these
| three unfortunate men are not the murderers
| OF Mr.. Hirth, and from our personal observation
nifty doubt, to say the least, as to their guilt.
! Their execution even, will not settle the cues
ton % long as this doubt remains. It is with a
view Of settling the question as to who We're
the actual murderers OF MI: Hirth that We ad-
| they call confession of Johnson; letter from
| 'To6e" Brown to Johnson, warning him against
eonlesslng; state that the murdereTs were wait
Ing for. not following the victim;and add We will
| Show. by several persons, that Ross and John
| son were at Hesther JohnsOn's house on 18th.
between and streets, about dark on the eve
! ming OF the murder and left about the same
/ time and that about O'Clock that evening two
men came running to that house, knocked and
were admitted, and that when the police came
IN at the front door OF HeSther JOhnson'S house
| that night and arrested all the inmates. fnclud-
| Ing Ross, johnson escaped out of the back door
| The deal and dumb woman, Emma Johnson
| can clearly prove the possession OF the watch
| and ring by Benjamin johnson on the day after
| the murder" They conclude by saying: "A
| grand jury, actuated by desire to ascertain
Tie truth, and with the powerful assistance OF
your Office and of the police force would we are
| sure, lind no difficulty In asceTtaining beyond
| reasonable doubt who the real murderers are. We
would ourselves further prosecute these fnypsfi-
| cations but for the embarrassment under Which
We LABOR, arising out OF the want OF means and
facilities 10 that end. This is most import iut
matter. Not only are the lives of three men de-
pendent upon the ascertainment of the truth
but what is perhaps more Important still. ir In
wolves the question of the escape of those who
are really guilty. IL you will, either through
your own Office, enter anew into the inveStiga-
tlon OF TINS case, we are at your service to assist
as far as lies in our power"
COL. CORKHILL IN HIS REPLY
to this "extraordinary proposition" recItes the
IactS ana circumstances OF the murder and
says AFTER all this, after over fifty citizens on
dl1erent Juries had heard all the testimony ana
lolnd your clients guilty beyond doubt after
all the legal questions have been passed upon
by the court OF last resort. what is ft YOU ask
ana propose? That on mere statement from
you, Without my ever having seen single scrap
OF testimony OF any kind, l shall ask the grand
jury just fmpanneled to commence another in.
Vestlgatfon with regard to the crime on the fol-
lowing grounds: First, that Johnson had made
statement that he and ROxey Ross had knock
co a man down on 18th street. You proved
InaI on the trial, so far as the statement OF
tDese same witnesses could prove it, and reiter-
atlng IL before another jury would not add any
force TO 1t now" AS to the confession OF Johnson
mace TO Bud Warner the District attorney says
That Warner swore falsely on his own trial and
no jury would believe him. After reviewing the
other points of the counsel the District attor-
ney concludes by saying MY official duty does
not require me any more to punish the guilty
than to protect the innocent. And | would
welcome any fact that would relieve these men
Oh Ihe 1atai charge against them. There is no
statements of criminals there was never a nour
derer convicted justly save on his own confa-
sion: The machinery of the administration
OIL justice may be detective, but 1t is the
Lest the wisdom OF the age has pro-
cuced, and its results must be accepted as
nearly correct and just as 1t Is possible to pro-
cure Why should you be proclaimng that Ross
and johnson and Brown did the deed? Your arcu-
ment on the trial was that Ross and johnson
had Killed the man; that Brown was party.
and that RoXey Ross had fled in fear. i sent
for Ross and had him brought into court and
yet you declined TO examine him. He fully aud
completely accounts for himself the night OF
Inc murder, and was not even witness In the
case L cannot think that this clamOrouS as
Sault should be made against these men with
out some proof. 1t can do your clients no good
and can only harm unprotected and helpless
citizens. have seen liz the papers statements
1 suppose founded on information derived from
you, that you were in possession of certain
Iacts and evidence. | Shall be happy at any
time to receive and consider whatever new evil
dence you may have touching this murder, and
| assure you that II you can prove to me any
fact tending to explain the positive and over
T,aelmlng testimony OF the guilt of the con-
V1cted persons no one will be more ready to
give 1t prompt attention in the interest Of pub
lie as well as personal Justice
BUD WARMERS STATEMENT
dpg loo% w P Is inc material point OF the
the jail on the 18th of June: Il have run wiJn
Ben johnson for two years and went to Pitts
6urg with him. On the day Of Hirth's murder
Twas with Ben Johnson and parted with him
at the corner OF 10th and streets at 5b pm.
Thursday (next mOrning) / saw Ben Johnson
on on street, between 10 and II O'Clock. Howard
- =, aSley and some girls were there. The girls
pon B sas,, Ian you stand treat?'
f 9a that ! said, Where did you get H.
Oh l41h street and made little swag." He call
ed NE one side and said. "Let NE see Your
Natcn.' had a watch which looked like gold.
He said. II will swap with you Tor % to bo1t.'
said. LET me see your watch" and Ben sali.
ut IS silver one, and is buried over
there, pointing toward the commonsj
Fr,c m1i mo s aHH pom 1t oI to you tomorrow"
by Pap jackson. l borrowed THE STAR aid
read the account of the arrest of the boys. /
9ea sv IL aloud Id. to Ben and Pap: Ben walked
He said: Nothing" West had been In to pap
Jacksons before we were there. When he went
III we watched on the other side of the street.
and after he got On his horse and rode away
Ben said go over and see what West wants OF
Pap" went and asked Pap "What West was
a ad,el ne said: Where Is Ben Johnson?" 1
mad better get away; West is after him." After
wards Ben and me were together and l said:
ben. you know all about that murder: you
done It" Ben said 81 don't know anything
about 1t; hOre Christ may Kill me If / did It,"
said: "Nell, then, RoXey done it." Ben said:
II don't know about ROXey. did not do it"
saturday we came from the market together
Before shutdown we were talking about "rOn
Williams" who had been arrested. And Ben
sald- Every damn one OF them boys is inuo-
cent" L said, ''How do you know" Ben said.
~ Know tney are" He referred to Bedford
flnn, Queenan ana Williams. After dark Sat
uIday night Ben said, Come, let's 60 and give
ourselves up" 'IIavs you got any heart. Bid"
Yes, said |, Il have got heart for anythinr
L am hot going TO give myself up. The police
are paid for catching me-" Ben went Ia :nr
station house and gave himself up. h~-
''He got the watch and norc- III said,
man fhfF Ea6ekrs, --uy ne had from
did ~ uvwn near 18th street. lie
- nnOw II IL was Htrth or no."
In addition, he gives long list Of his adycn-
lures as fellow burglar with johnson, namlag
localities, what they got, &C.
JOHNSON DENIES.
Johnson, who was released some days since.
denies every item In the statement, except about
going TO Pittsburg, and says that Warner was
SO idle that they both lost their places.
THE REWARD.
Mr.. +. II. FALL as counsel for johnson, to-day
filed claim to the reward OF 800 offered by the
Commissioners for inIol. ation leading to the
arrest OF the guilty parties, and 1t was referred
to Major Brock. IL is not unlikely that al
though Johnson's statements led TO the other
parfipS being held and his Testimony n q con.