National Republican., 1883-04-13
ANOTHER MURDER TRIAL.
Testimony in the Case Of Charles Hamilton,
Charged With Shooting George A. Hill.
Damages Claimed Against Railway
Company What the Record Shows.
TIE HAMILTON MrnnER TRIAL.


special criminal court before Judge Hagner
yesterday. The jury was completed by the
acceptance of Noble Harris, and is now COM
posed Of Dorsey Clagett w. r. Walker, George
II. Boston, r. O. Polkenhorn, +. j. Heibergor,
jr., William o. Douglass, Jonathan r. Contee,
John w. Chew, Charles A. Crummell, Isaac
Newton, ir., Charles +. Keys, and Noble
Harris Messrs. Harris, Crummell, Boston,
Contee, and Chew are colored. The two wit
uesses for the prosecution, rs to the actual
facts of the killing, displayed rocklessness of
swearing that was remarkable.
The women testified to moustrous improba-
bilitios and stuck to them with singular
tenacity.
MIR. Smith, attorney for the defense, called
Judge Hagners attention to the manner of
the district attorney toward witnesses for the
defense.
After the Jury had been selected Mr.. Tag
gart opened the case for the government and
Mr.. G. Maurice Smith for the prisoner.
Drs. Hartigan and l.. G. Newton and Coro-
ner Patterson testified TO the wound from
which Hill died Tho ball entered the left
nipple, passing through the body and lodg-
ing in the spine.
Jennie Thornton. cofree-colored woman
in bright red dress was the first witness
called by tho prosecution She testified that
nhe was sitting on the steps of her house on
sister, Hamilton was on the steps of Mrs
Whites house next door with two other
young men. Hill came around tho corner
and walking up to Hamilton said, 81 am u
man, am, and ! don't mean what l said"
Then Hamilton pulled his pistol and fred
Did not hear Hamilton say anything at all.
Mr.. Smith cross-examined the witness very
closely, and she cvinced an intention TO give
him Il lot of trouble. She said Hamilton and
his two friends had been on Mrs. Whites
porch an hour She knew the young men,
but there was no conversation between them.
Hill, when he was shot, was standing on the
pavement with his elbow on his knee and his
finger oh his check. She could not tell how
long he was in that position. Mr.. Smith
finally asked her if she believed he had con-
tinued in that position long enough for the
witness to have walked to tho capitol and
back.
~ don't know where the capitol is," was
the answer
After further cross.examination, in which
she contradicted herself several times, she
finished her testimony, and the court took q
recess.
After recess plat of the locality of the
homicide was put in evidence, and explained
to tho jury by Mr.. John NJ. Coyle, who
made it.
Eliza Tutt was the next witness called.
She is a light mulatto girl, apparently about
II years old. She testified that she lived on
Sampson street. Knew both Hamilton and
Hill. Had known the former about Il year
the latter six or seven years. Was mt an enter
tainmont with Hill on the night of Sept. 90,
1882. Saw Hamilton there. Did not say any
thing to him; neither did Hill. The enter
tainment broke up at - o'clock. Witness
testified to leaving the entertainment with
Hill and going down Fifth street. 1--WE went
down that way because Hill said that Charley
Hamilton had"--
I,,1, hAra tnta fnH wit
and asked Mr.. Taggart what he wished to
draw out.
Mr.. Taggart said he wished to discover
what induced them to 30 away from her
home Instead of toward it.
Judge Hagner said no statements Of tho
deceased could be put in evidence.
Mr.. Smith said the defense did not object
to the testimony.
Judge Hagncr said IL could be brought in
only on ross-eXamination.
The witness then continued We went
down to Fifth and N streets, where band
was playing; saw Hamilton and Tom Wash
ington and II young man named Ross, Hill
asked Hamilton something, and Hill said
whoever said that told Cd Id lie Hill
said, "That's all right Mr.. Hamilton" and
walked toward witness, and. Hamilton
snapped his pistol at him.
Hill then went home with witness, reach
ing there about 1880, He left Immediately.
Hamilton. lie was in the habit of visiting
witness at Maurice Snowdon's house. The
engagement was broken off, because Hamil-
tons mother said he was not old enough to
get married Witness had child. Hamil-
ton was the father of it,
Cross-cxamination Had known Hamilton
n year. When witness went to the enter
tainment did not know Hamilton was to be
there. Witncss's relations with Hamilton
ceased on the eleventh of January, 1882. The
baby was born May 80, 1882, Stopped speak
ing to Hamilton on the eleventh of January,
Hill began going with witness after Hamilton
had stopped visiting her. Never went out
with Hamilton or spoke to him after Jan
IL. Sent once TO Hamilton after money,
but did not get it, Witness was
surprised when she saw Hamilton at
the entertainments He was playing in the
band in the gallery. Did not say anything
to Hill about him. About 1880 saw Hill
standing near Hamilton. They were talking
The conversation was friendly, Did not hear
anything they said. Witness was talking
with other parties at the time. Hill was wit
ness beau at the time of the homicide. When
Hill and witness left the church they went tc
the corner of Fifth and n Hill said he
wanted TO go there TO see Charlie Hamilton.
Ho said he had heard that Hamilton had said
something about him. Did not talk about
Hamilton OH the way to Fifth and n streets
Witness, Hill, Tom Washington, and Levi,
Gilbert did not have any conversation about
Hamilton. Witness did not see any pistol in
Hills hand Mt Sixth and n streets. Witness
did not say TO Hin that if she had had d
pistol NJ the corner of Fifth and
y street she would have killed Hamilton
When Hill pushed his way through the crowd
to Hamilton the band stopped playing When
Hamilton snapped his pistol at Hill witness
was on the northeast corner of Sixth and y.
Hill was in the middle of the street and
Hamilton was on the corner of Fifth and
streets. Witness was II square away, but was
positive Hamilton snapped the pistol. Wit
ness heard it snap. Did not see the pistol
The cap popped but witness saw no flash
Witness saw the pistol pointed at Hill. Wit
ness did not say anything to Hill about the
pistol Hamilton pointed aud snapped ut him,
Hill then came M to witness and they went
up to Thirteenth street, and thence to wit
ness's house. Hill and witness did not speak
at all about Hamilton on the way home noI
of the occurrence. Told her mother and
sister about IL the next morning, Judge
Jiamcc asked the witness how old she wa:
when her child Was born.
sixteen going ON seventeen" answered
the witness.
Z" think" said Judge Hagner, that the
missionaries should begin work nearer home
Mr. Taggart asked witness il anything had
ever occurred between Hamilton and hersel
at Snowdens house,
"Ycs," said the witness quickly, "he shot
at me-"
Mr. Smith objected to the testimony being
admitted.
Judge Hagner thought il had no bearing OF