The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1891-06-23
DR.. Mason's Slayer Convicted

j. b. Hilcr for the murder Of DR., {
L. Mason, that we take this method O
giving an answer to our many friends
The following letter is from Mr.. j. M
Metcalfc, a grandson of Gov. MetcalfC
and well-known to number of on
people. His brother married a siste
of Mr.. L. 4. Chilcs of this city. III
writes us as follows:
KINGSTON, n. NJ, juno Ii, 1891.
| EDITORS ADVOCATE:
Mt. Sterling, Ky.
Gentlemen:
The Grand Jury found an indict
ment against Ililcr for murder in tn,
first degree. lIilcr's trial came off OF
the 18th inst, and he was convicted o
murder in the second degree, which
means sentence for from five t
twenty-five years in the States prison
Some seem to think it means life
time sentence, at least one of the jury
men told me so. Hitler testified il
court that he killed Doctor Mason il
defense of his family's honor; then he
changed and said that he killed hin
in self defense. The court caught
him on this plea, and he said that
he killed him because another party
had told him that the Doctor had not
done right by his family. The party
happened to be in the court room and
was called to the stand he sWore
that IIilcr lied. 1t seems he had no
cause TO kill the Doctor at all. lliler
had no witnesses to amount to any,
thing. Hubbard, one Of the witnesses
at the inquest, killed himself during
court. lie (Hubbard) put the muzzle
of pistol in his mouth and blew
nearly the whole top of his head off.
Nine of the jury were for hanging,
and three for murder in the second
degree. The jury finally agreed to
find him him guilty of murder in the
second degree, as above stated. / will
write you further particulars when l
hear them. Yours truly,
j. NJ. METCALFE.
In a letter received from j. W.
Wagner, he says: "The case was be-
gun on Friday afternoon last and Mr..
Bantz, for the Commonwealth, did
noble work for his side of the case.
1t was argued and closed last evening,
and q verdict Of murder in the second
degree was rendered last night at IL
o'clock. In this county it is hard to
convict man of murder in the first
degree, as our juries are principally
Mexican. This is considered a good
verdict by a jury of this class, as they
usually acqnit or give a very light
verdict" From the Kingston Shaft
of June 18th, we get names of<.hc
jury as follows: IN. Duran, Felix
Trujillo, George Ross, David Stitzell,
Albino Carabajal, n. Grayson, Robert
Rcay, Bcnito Chavez, Henry Lyons, l.
V. Chaqcz, John w. Ellis. We failed
to learn the name of the other" The
case was tried at Hillsborough, twelve
miles from Kingston.
Silver City is the shipping point for
Kingston, twenty miles away, and the
Southwest Sentinel published there
says:
Judging from the statements made
by residents Of Sierra county who
have been here lately, gross injustice
has been done to Mrs. IIiler, the
charming little lady who is prOpric-
tress cf the Mountain Pride Hotel, at
by the telegram sent over
the country from IIillsborough re-
garding the shooting of Or. Mason by
lIiler. 1t seems that lIiler is a worth
less sort of fellow, who not only has
his family for the last three
years, done nothing for their support
during that time, and been under
bonds charged with horse stealing, but
he has spent every cent he could get
from his wife. Three years ago she
had some $4,000 in her name in the
bank. Every cent of this that he
could get from her, and more too, he
has spent, and she is ponniless to-day.
She has been applying for a divorce
from him for months past, Dr. Mason
and other friends were doing what
hey could to aid her and her little
children. Ililer himself has said that
nc did not believe his wife was guilty.
The feeling against him over the
shooting seems to be very strong"
The same paper commenting on
his and other similar cases says
Wonder if the people of Sierra county
will do any better at their present
ERIN of court than our people did at
he late term here? Out of fifteen |
murder cases, and some of them noto-
'ious assassinations, not one murderer
vas sentenced to be hanged here. The
people of New Mexico must see that
he law is -bloodedly carried out if
sw is to be obeyed among us. If law
loes not rule anarchy will. If men
With the instincts of assassins know
hat they can commit murder with
ut risking their necks, murdercrs
will increase. The fear Of term in
he peniientiary is not going TO deter
man who wants TO murder another.