Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-05
IRE MURDER TRIAL.
Exciting Great Interest at New Martins
Siile-An Outline of Yesterdays xvi

Special Correspondence Of TIE REGISTER.
New MARTISSVILLE, w. VA, Feb
= ruary 4.-lnterest in the Higgins MUIR
! der trial continues undated. Frank
r Reynolds testified that he was going
/ home from Littleton the evening of the
22d OF October last; saw the prisoners
on the Gillingham ridge near the scene
, OF the murder between and & o'clock
p. IN. They were some little distance
ahead OF him. and on reaching the
forks OF the road the prisoners turned
down another road a short distance,
where they remained until he passed.
George Gillingham testified that he
saw the prisoners passing his house
about 500 o'clock p. m, October 22d
last. The murder took place not far
from Gillingham'S house.
Dr. VIM. Curtis testified that he met,
on his way 10 Littleton, the prisoners
aud Benton Higgins between and 6
o'clock p. m, October 22d last, near the
place where the body was found. The
prisoners were some little distance
ahead Of higgins when he met them.
Hezekiah Kimble, who makes his
home with his cousin, Willis Kimble,
and lives adjoining Gillingham's and
Albaugh'S, testified that he and Willis
kimble'S wife were standing in the
yard little after o'clock p. NJ, Octo-
Der 22d last, when two men dressed
In dark clothing, one better than the
other, passed through one corner OF
Kimble'S field and through Gillingham'S
orchard, going very fast in the direction
Of the piece OF woods where Higgins
body was found. They passed within one
hundred and twenty-five yards OF where
he and VIM. Kimble we're standing.
The prisoners answered the descrip-
tion of the two men, but could not posi-
lively identify as the same: he thought,
however, they were. Kimble was talk
ing with William Main the next day at
the place where the body was found,
Main told him that he hoped the sons
Of BIS who killed Higgins would
be discovered and strung up to
the first tree. Said that he
Mann was playing cards with Huggins
the day before and that Higgins was a
good gambler. Main also spoke about
Higgins having fine gold watch. This
gold watch is probably destined to play
an important part in the trial.
Miss Mary Kimblc, the lady who was
present with Hezekiah Kimble when
two men passed through the corner OF
their field and through the orchard OF
Mr.. Dillingham;, testified corroborating
substantially HeZekiah Kimble'S testi-
mOny, but could not recognize the prS-
OnerS as being the same men she saw
October 25th last. This testimony is all |
cOrrObOrative OF that of the little girl, |
Blanche Albaugh, aud tends 10 |
establish the fact that the prison |
ers were in the Immediate vicin- |
ity at the time the murder was |
supposed To have been committed. John !
Bucet, who lives about two miles from |
Littleton, testified that he, Benton |
HuggiuS, James McMaSters and William
Main. between and o'clock p. III. on |
October last were playing poker FOR
money up run about One-half mile |
from Littleton. Higgins won some
thing over 50 of OF McMaSterS and |
something over 81 from Main. He saw
In Higgins possession about = la Sill
yer and some paper money; did not
know how much paper money he had.
but saw one dollar bill and a five dol
lar bill. Huggins also had in his
possession a fine gold watch. McMas-
tiers and Main both stated when they
cult playing that neither had any
money left
James Little. who lived down Fish
creek about five miles from Llttleton,
testified that he was present at the
poker game, October 22d last. near Lit
tlcton. out took no hand in the game
himself Higgins won 81 from Main and |
over G. from McMaSterS. The game /
stopped because McMaSterS said he had |
no more money. IL was about o'clock |
p. m. when they quit playing by liig- |
gins watch. He thought that Higgins |
watch was Open-faced one. Main and |
McMasters left first in the direction Of
Littlcton. after which he and Buck |
started home together, and Higgins
started in the direction Of Littleton.
Jesse l.. Newman, who lives near Lit |
Teton, testified that he was present at |
the place when the body was found,
October ODD last. He was acquainted |
with HugginS aud Main. He and Har-
ney Kimble together saw the tracks OF
two persons passing through MIR. Gill |
| lingham'S field, and tracked them into !
the woods where the body was found. |
He measured the tracks and compared |
one measurement with the foot OF Main.
The measurement was shade longer |
than Mr.. Mains foot, but he accounted |
| for the difference from the fact that the |
ground was wet and soft, II having |
rained very hard the night previous.
Miss Nellie Blake lives in Littleton.
At the time the murder occurred she |
was living with Mrs Raymond, above |
| Littleton, near the tunnel hill. She |
met William Main and James McMartin |
crossing the railroad bridge, near Tun-
mel hill, about o'clock in the after
noon on October 22d, last. They were
going in the direction OF the tunnel. |
| About half an hour afterwards she saw
them on top of the tunnel hill. Hug
gins passed along, going in the direc-
ton OF tunnel hill at the same time.
She saw Main and McMartin on top Of
the tunnel hill. She recognized the
prisoners as being the same parties She
met crossing the bridge and saw on top
the tunnel hill.
Miss Raymond lives within sight OF
the tunnel hill near Littleton. The
evening OF October 22d last saw two men
standing on top the tunnel hlll; one vi
the men looked to be taller than the
other: could not recognize the prisoners
as the same persons. She saw another
man come along few minutes after
wards: was told it was Benton Hug
gins: the two men standing on top the
hill then disappeared.
Joseph Estcp, boy about II years
lold. lives on the Dillingham; ridge,
mile from Littleton, saw VIM. Main and
McMasters going up the tunnel hill from
Littleton the evening OF the 29d OF Oc-
ltober last: saw Benton Higgins going
mn a few minutes afterwards in the same
direction.
VIM. Albaugh lives two miles from
Littleton: was at the place where the
murder was committed the 23d OF Octo'
her last; Main was there; Main said that
he could not have the heart to Kill
man like that, and acted very strangely.
MARTINS FERRY.
The Laughlin Nail Company are having
some trouble with the men employed as
fremen. because OF the boilers throwing
the heaters OIL part OF the day yesterday.
The above mentioned company arc also