Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1890-10-23
BILLINGS WILL GOFREE.
THE SUPREME COURT SAYS
THE EVIDENCE WAS POOR.
Nothing TO show that Billings Was the
Murderer orKingsiey- The Court Thinks
the Young Lawyer Committed Suicide
Killings Case Reversed and demanded.
Mnillaa Hnrunl dlannkch

(Des Moines Iowa) dispatch.l
For the second time tho Supreme Court
has reversed the decision in the cele-
Drated case OF The State VS.. M. L. Bill
lings, the charge being that OF the MUIR
der of Willis Kingsley, County Attorney
of Bremen County. The opinion, which
was handed down by Justice Granger,
holds that the evidence tends to establish
suicide on the part of Kingsley, and
practically advises that the case be dis
missed by tho lower court, to which it is
Tcmanded. The case is one of the most
famous in the annals of Iowa criminal ju-
risprudencc. Billings is man past fifty
years OF age. He had lived In Waverly
since 1868, engaged all the time in the
practcs of law. Kingsley was n young
man, having been born OF most excel
lent family In that county, and having
boarded for some time at Billings house.
On the afternoon Of Dec. ~, 1887, be-
tween 4 AMI o'clock, Billings was seen
to go up the stairway leading to Kings
ley's oficc AMI into the door. The two
men were clio cted there for some time.
Their visit was stormy one, and occu-
pants OF Office rooms across the hall dis
tinct y heard the voices of both of the
men raised In angry d spute. Finally,
dDOibO " t.OSk, VI al Ntl bNO DlSbDi
shots were heard in rapid succession,
thero was heavy fall upon the floor,
and Billings came bounding down the
stairway to the sidewalk crying, "Im
shot! I'm shot," King sley was found on
tn, foor Of his Office lying just inside the
rear room, with his head against one of
tho folding doors.
Upon chair in the room lay Billings
coat with an empty revolver that had
not been fired in the rocket. Upon
Billings person were papers showing
that he had visited Kingsley for the pur-
pose of p occurring from him peeuniaiy
damages for alleged intimacy that had
existed between Kingsley and Mrs.
Billings. These papefs consisted of
written Confession of Mrs. Billings and
sundry promissory notes running to 1902.
Billings was finally Grraigncd for trial.
His counsel moved for change OF venue,
the affidavit as TO prejudice OF tho popu-
lace and court being amply fortified by
the names OF many responsible cltiz,ns.
The motion, however, was promptly
overruled. After a most exhaustive
hearing tho jury returned a verdict OF
guilty, fixing the penalty ut imprison-
ment for life. The Judge in passing
senteneo displayed his feeling by re-
marking that 1t was matter of regret
that the death penalty could not have
been Wis ted upon the defendant.
An appeal was taken, whit II resulted
In reversal by the Supreme Court, its
decision being based upon the error in
volvcd in the refusal of a change OF
considered by the court. Judge Ruddick
then sent 1t to Blackhawk County, whore
IL was tried by judge Ney A SC ,ond
verdict OF guilty resulted, and second
sentence of Imprisonment for life fol-
lowed. 1t was here that the most strik-
ing incident In the history of tho case
occurred. The court in OvcTrnling a
motion to set side the verdict remarked
that IL he had been upon the jury he
would have been compelled to vote for
an acuuittal, as there was absolutely no
evidence upon which to base conviction.
The Judge said: "If l were the jury
trying this ease / should render verdict
OF not guilty, from the evidence intro
duccd here. 1t is striking fact that
Kingsley's eyelashes and the side of his
nose nearly down to the end were burn
cd with powder. The evidence in
regard to the holes In the clothing, the
bullet on the suspender, the wound on
the back, certainly indicate that Bill
ings was shot in the back by Kingsley or
some other person.
"Blllngs pretended to have discovered
an intimacy DUtwCvH IStTFgsTo y-uuu DIR
ings' wife. He does not act the part Ct
an injured husband. He does not appear
indignant and furious, but like a shiny
viper gets up story-a confession
that shows the mind given over TO evil
intentions.
accompanying it in his pocket were
notes drawn for several years, amount
ing to something in the ne.ghborhood of
60, ,O00 and running for sixteen years, q
good share of Kingsley's lifetime. II
that confession was out of the case, l
would have set aside this verdict as
quickly as it was rendered; but in the
light of that confession, of course, smy
suspicion, as we'll as the suspicion of
every Juror that heard this case. must be
aroused against Billings. Now while
say, even in the light of that confe sion,
believing Billings to be the vile man that
confession shows him to be, IL i were u
juror would find verdict of not guilty
here"
Mr. Billings replied to these structures
Of tho court. He explained the reason
he had resorted to the method OF procur-
luk uduldHtS AiOh
Kingsley because he did not wish to
blacken his wife's name with publicity
by resorting to the courts. Then, con-
tinuing, he said: as that the vilcst
thing on earth? II IL be, then the jury
and your Honor propose sending me TO
the .pcnitentiary for doing thing L
doubt not your Honor, in the love OF n
life partner, would do IL IL became ncccs-
sary to protect her name. May be per-
mitted to ask your Honor what would
You have done in such case where that
loved partner"
by tho Court would have killed
him.
Billings-What?
by the Court would have killed
him.
Blllings-Well, / was going to say,
that would expose her. Has IL become
the unwritten law OF America in such
cases, which are so often settled In tho
D, ivatc Office, that we must go to Spain
for ideas of vindicatlon of ones So
called honor, adopt their customs, use
the stiletto, the dagger? Has IL become
the unwritten law of this age that a
man shall be sent to the penitentiary for
murder because he does not slay tho
man who has violated his home?
Items OF Interest.
A THIRTEEN-YEAR-oI.Dg girl Is tho or
ganist I'm Maine church.