Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-07
THE STATE RESTS
IN TEE HUGGlNS MURDER TRIAL At NEW
MARrINSYlLLR.
The Written csl!sssIoa Of Nam Identified By Prom
nent Men-Ths Defense Commence Their Tes-
tinOny-Ths Silver Watch Plays an
Important Part in the Trial.
,psetal 7slsaram 70 ne R.qt.ter

Special Itts0rdDs 10 me Rsgtstsr
New MARTINsvILIE, February c.
The court house Was again crowded to
day during the Higgins murder trial
Many ladies graced the occasion b!
their presence.
Dennis K. Meighen was placed on th,
witness stand and identified the watcl
found in the woods by McMasterS and
himself.
Jesse Watkins at present lives in
Wetzel county; lived in Pennsboro last
August; had Il iewelry story at Penns-
boro at that time. Benson Higgins got
watch at my store last August. He
was shown the watch, and identified IL
as being the same watch or one exactly
like it.
Robt. II. Hanes lives in Wetzel coun-
ty. He married Huggins' sister; Hug
gins owned gold-filed watch; have
seen the watch at different times. He
was shown the watch and recognized 1t
as the same or one exactly like it.; be-
lieved it was the same.
John Higgins was brother OF Ben
son HugginS. His brother Benson own
ed god-iilled watch; examined the
watch at different times; it was gold
filled open-faced watch, Elgin move
ment. He was shown the watch and
said il looked exactly like his brothers;
il is either the same or one exactly
like 1t.
Jesse L. Newman identified the writ
ten confession OF William Main. 1t was
written and signed in his presence. He
was one of the attending witnesses.
w. Ii. Kimble identified the written
confession Of William Main. lie was
one OF the attending witnesses. Main
touched the pen while Justice Con-
nelly made the mark.
David Morse saw James McMartn
on the 23d Of October last at Jacob
Stealey's in Pennsylvania. Gave him
change fora five dollar bill. McMartin
said he got the bill from man in Cam
erOn.
Justice Connolly identified the watch
as being the same watch he saw in the
possession of d. K. Meighen, at Little
ton, the 23d of October last.
DIR. VIM. Curtis said he was Of the
opinion that Benson Huggins was lying
down when he received the blow that
killed him, judging from the position in
which the body was lying when found.
At this point the State rested its case.
The first witness examined for the de-
fense was Mrs. Annie Gary, who lives
i'm Pennsylvania. She gave James Nc
Masters, the morning of the 23d Of Octo-
Der last, five dollar bill and sent him
on an errand to Jacob Stealey's: he
brought back two dollar bill, two one
dollar bills and silver dollar.
Miss Mary Brown has been roOming
with Ella Blake at Point House, in New
Martinsville. She said that some man
came TO their room door about IL o'clock
at night, called Ella Blake out; he said
to her that he would not begrudge ten
dollars If Belle Blake, her sister, was
down here and would swear what he
had told her to.
James Gary lives in Pennsylvania.
lie said that Dennis Meighan denied to
him that he had found the watch or
that James McMaStcrs had made any
statement TO him in regard to the muir
der of higgins.
Alfred Crow lives in Littleton. He
stated that Dennis Meighen had denied
to him that James McMasters had made
any statement in regard to the murder
OF Huggins.
DR.. Rinehart heard Beatty talking to
Main, urging him to confess; that If he
would not confess first that McMasters
would and get the benefit OF it. He
thought Huggins was standing up when
the blow was struck.