Mohave County miner., 1888-04-07
ACQUITTED.
The Trial Of Kitty BlcngeF for the
Murder Of Charles Hi1i.


On Thursday last in the District Court
in this county the trial OF Kitty Blonger
for the murder OF Charles Hill at Peach
Springs on the 22nd OF February was
commenced. The circumstances attend
ing the killing OF Hill, together with the
threatened lynching Of his slayer and
"Kid" Fay, her paramour at the time, by
the citizens OF Peach Springs, and the
additional fact that ii was but the second
instance in the history Of the Territory
where woman had been placed on trial
for her life, has been the means Of attract
ing such general attention that the case
will long be- remembered AS one Of the
causes ceiebre in the annals Of Arizona
courts.
Owing to the difficulty in empanneling
q jury it was not until late Thursday
evening that the following named gentle
men were sworn as jurors to try the
case j. G. Potts, John 4. Ryan, Z.
Caffrey, J. ID. Bland, w. w. Clack, w.
III. Jennings, Parker Holloway, Richard
Taggart, John Burt, Thomas Steen, +.
Ellibee and A. II. Smith.
The testimony introduced on behalf OF
the Territory differed but little from that
given on the preliminary hearing Of the
defendant, being to the effect that Hill
had, short time previous TO his death,
born the relations Of favored friend of
Miss Blonger, 50 far as the friendship of
such women can be considered as favor
ing any special individual. On the day
OF the death, in company with a friend,
he entered Somsrset's saloon in Peach
Springs, and passing directly through the
saloon entered that portion OF the build
ing in which Miss Blonger roomed, and
in the short space OF Il minute or two
afterwards WAS killed by pistol shot
fred by the women whose pet he had
once been. Parties who were in the
saloon at the time, and who were the
first to reach Hill after his receiving the
fatal wound, testified to his having been
of a quiet and good-natured disposition
generally, but that he was slightly under
the influence of liquor at the time.
The testimony on the part OF the de-
tense claimed that the deceased had
kicked in the door Of Miss Blonger's room,
against her protestations, and seizing
"Kid" Fay, who was in bed with her at
the time, and who had been q former
lover Of the defendants in Prescott, was
struggling with him, when she stood up
in bed and fired downward, shooting
Hill through the head just above the left
ear. Both the defendant and Fay testi-
fed TO these last mentioned facts, the
last named giving his age as twenty-five,
and describing his profession az a gam
bier; while the defendant herself, in de-
liyering her testimony, did so with the
most remarkable self-possession for a
woman in her trying position. The case
was ably argued at length by District
Attorney Williams and Harris Baldwin,
in behalf Of the Territory, and 4. NJ.
Sanford, Esq, and ]. J. Hyde, ESQ.,,
for the defendant. On Friday alter
noon, after an exhaustive charge ss
10 the law applicable to the case by the
Court, the jury retired, and after being
out for nearly three hours returned into
court with verdict Of acquittaI. For
the first time during the entire trial Miss
Blonger, on hearing the verdict, dis
played the slightest emotion. The stoical
indifference that throughout the trial en-
abled her TO bear the most damaging
testimony and the most scathing argu-
ments Of the prosecuting attorneys with
out moving a muscle or even changing
color, gave way, and despite her strongest
effort to retain her self-control her eyes
filed with tears, which slowly but silently
coursed down her cheeks. On being dis
charged from the custody Of the Sheriff,
Immediately after the recording Of the
verdict, her self-control entirely gave
way, and she was led from the room
sobbing uncontrollably.
II is stated that she will at once return
TO her home in one Of the Eastern States,
where her parents are highly respected,
and will endeavor by life Of future rscti-
tude 10 redeem the past.