Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-13
ON TRIAL FOR WIFE MURDER.
The Story of the Crime Of BENJAMIN
Hawkins Retold In Court.

In the Criminal Court, Judge Bradley, the
case Of Benjamin Hawkins, indicted for the
murder of his wife, Cora Hawkins, by stabbing
her in the breast on the 14th of March last, was
called to-day-Mr. Lipscomb prosecuting and
Messrs. W. Meyer Levin and C. A. Elliot for
the defendant. The homicide took place in an
alley opening on Virginia avenue, between Sd
and AZ streets. 1t is alleged that the parties
had not been living peacefully together, and
the deceased on the night mentioned left her
home to attend parlor social and that the &C
cused, finding her at the social, also became
jealous, and meeting her in the alley. inflicted
the fatal wound.
The attempt to secure jury from the regu-
lar panel was unsuccessful and a recess was
taken till 1:30 o'clock, and twenty names were
drawn OF persons to be summoned for that
hour.
THE JURY COMPLETE.
At 100 o'clock number of the talesmen re-
ported and the jury was completed as follows
W. G.. Fearing, Robert H. Mitchell, Louis @.
Kengla, Marian H. Keys, NJ. G. Lepley,- James
h. Forrest, Weston b. Turner, James L. Car
bury, Alex. Campbell, Louis NJ. X. Turner,
Austin Tickling and Robert E. Joyce.
THE TESTIMONY.
After brief opening by the counsel, VIM.
Chunn, colored, testified that deceased was re-
lated to nina sister by my mother" She was
married to defendant five or six years ago
and separated from him till April OF
last year, and then moved to his house.
The defendant called there several times,
and on the night of the murder
said 81 left your sister and regret it, adding
that it would all come right in day or two.
He asked where Cora was, and witness told
him she had gone to Kate's Con Virginia ave-
nue., between Sd and AZ streets).
On cross-examination witness said that de-
ceased had no home but his house OK street
between Delaware avenue and LIST street) after
she came; but she went out nearly every day.
Hawkins that night appeared to be sober.
Catherine Wells, sister of the deceased, test.
fed that the parties had been married abou,
four years, and they separated in April, 1888.
The deceased came to her house about 7:3O
o'clock and went away again; there was parlor
social in progress to which deceased was in
vited, but defendant was not. When defendant
came the deceased was out. He did not take
part in the dancing, and when Cora
| came in and saw him she walked
over to him. 1t was somewhere nea,
10 o'clock when she returned. After they
| talked awhile they went out, and about hall
hour afterward the news came that she was
dead.
On cross-examination witness said she did moi
know where her sister was when defendant
called. He (defendanD was not intoxicated
and showed no anger, and they left the house
together. Chas. Walker was there at the time
did not know that his sister and Chas. Walker
were intimate. Walker stayed at the house al
| night.
Redirect-Walker had room at the house.
Observation-Disclosures came to thu
house about IL or o'clock and asked deceased
why she had not met him, and said he would
be there that night and asked her if she would
be there. She replied she would be there OF
| at home
DR.. c. Winters testified that the wound was
| stab over the heart, cutting the aorta, causing
death in probably three minutes.
| Howard Hall testified that he attended the
social, and after waltz he went out with hi,
partner to take walk, when he saw the bod!
of the woman lying in the alley. On cross-ex.
animation witness said that Hawkins came Il
the door and called his wife. He did not come
| in.