Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-10-27
THE HILL MURDER CASE.
Nine Negro Suspects on Trial at
ChestertoWn, Md.

SneStefEOWn, WIG.
Precautions Taken to Prevent Any As.
sauIt Upon tho Prisoners Testimony
Connecting tho Accused With the Awful
Crime.
GnEsrERTnwN, Oct. 2j.-~l,ong before the
hour for the convenng of court this morn
ing citizens from all sections of the county
began TO arrive, and by the time Bailiff
Greenwood called court to order the room
was densey packed by crowd intensely
interested in the trial of the negroes now
in Jail charged with the murder Of DR..
Hill on April 23d last Ne trial has at
tracted such widespread interest as this in
this county since the murder of the Costlcn
family, which was more than 30 years ago.
The grand jury is still in session, and il
is generally of the opinion that there are
others, whose names have not as yet APP
pcarcd in connection with the case, who
Will be drawn into it..
Court was called on time, with Il full
bench present, Judges John q. Robinson,
Joseph A. Wickes and Frederick stump.
After calling the witnesses, nearly 7Oin
all, the court directed Sheriff Plummer to
bring in the prisoners charged with the
murder Of Dr. James IL. Hill, warning the
sheriff to use every precnution and have
sufficient guards to protect the prisoners
and save all trouble that might arise, The
prisoners were promptly brought ill., No
difficulty was experienced in bringing the
nurderers from the Jail into the court
room, and everybody showed auispnsitinn
to avoid all trouble and that the prisoners
should have fair and speedy trial, As
soon as they were seated DIR. Samuel u.
Fisher, clerk, read the indictments against
Joshua liaynard, Louis Benson Henry
HURT, Moses Brown, Frisby ComcsYs,
Charles Brooks Fletcher Williams, Charles
). Emery and John Potts.
n N &c hnr hnN "a a.
| guilty or not, they all replied mot guilty"
and elected to be tried by the court.
States Attorney William NJ. Stay stated
TO the court that owing to the weak and
feeble condition of Mrs. Dr. Hill he had a
| PAPER written by her setting forth all that
| she knew about the matter and as the de-
| fence had consented that the paper should
| be read instead Of calling Mrs. Hill into
| court, he asked permission that 1t be read,
! which was granted.
Mrs. Hill stated that the doctor left home
\ about 10 o'clock on Saturday night. She
| first heard the noise Of the dog cart return
/ ing about 3 O'Clock in the morning and. a5
he did not come into the house, she donncd
= wrapper and started in search of HIM
| and found him i'll the bottom of the cart
| She was unable to get him ont and called
for assistance from ncighbors.
| Much testimony was then heard relative
| e the finding Of the body after the mar
| der.
Professor William +. Tonry, chemist Of
| the MarSland University, stated that he
| had received the shirt taken from Fletcher
| Williams by the warden of Baltimore city
! lall. Found some spots of blood on he
| SHIRT, two spots Oh elbow of left Sleeve
blood on right sleeve and five small spota
| on right wriStband Williams pants we're
also shown, and bloud-slains were OH both
pockets, The stains in the lctt-hund pOuket
he thought We're from 4 rag or handler.
chief, The coat of Charles Brooks had no
evidence Of blood upon it. The knife oG
Fletcher Williams had blood stains both
On the handle and blades.
Harrison w Wicker testified to getting
the clothing from Williams and delivering
ittn Professor Tonry.
liailil Kelly, of Ghestertown, testified to
getting the knife from Fletcher Williams
Thomas j. +. Smith testified that he
lived ia Wilmington and went out to find
tue shoe Of DIR. Hills; asked colorcd boy
along the road ii he had found Il shoe and
was told he had not, but told him where /.
shoe was which had been found the night
before,
,Iohn Reese the hoy who went for DR..
Hill the saturday night Of the murder 10
visit Mr. James Shaw's sick child was
called, but did not remember seeing any
thing Of the men charged with the murder
on the road
". e EnIph swore that Joshua Baynard
and Charles Brooks lived with him, ana
that brooks stayed at his house saturday
night, Williams came downstairs with
Brooks sunday morning, and shortly
atterward ffisby CamegyS alSp PASSED
through his place. Williams gave him a
hat Sunday morning and told him he
thought it was I0e Coburns'. and witness
sent Williams with the hat 10 Coburns,
but he soon returned and told witness that
y was not tUbnrns, but that it was DR.,
Hill s. who had been out that way last
night drunk and had lost his HAT, MIR
Rnlph showed Il torn cuff found in TIL,
room where Williams, Bro As and Bay.
nard slept saturday night, which Williams
Claimed he found saturday night. II wa,
on Thursday morning while on the way
} to Milllngtln that ltIEnard first shuwer
evidence OF breathing down, and latel
made q full confession
Augustine llenIlrirkSun, the next wit
ness, said that Charlie En- cry lived with
HIM ut the time Of the murder, but moth
ing new was gained.
Henry 5. Cook said Brooks, Brown, Bay
nard, HURT, Conegys and Emery were il
, his store on saturday night and left abull
the same time.
William Darrell testified that he saw DIR
J Hill leave Mtllingt0a on Saturday nigh
! and he soon followed at ccWard ON his wa,
home. At lOrd's Gate lie saw Il crowd d
ColurGd people who called to him
7 Carroll Carroll was ut a Cleveland meet
I; ing held at squire Johnsans office am
saw John Potts on his way toward nr
Hills office. Howard King, who lives ii
: Millingtun passed 4 crowd Of CuOrct
people on his way home saturday night
: Heard one Of them say III get tins j.
) on the - I'll fix HIM = II
1 recognized Williams as one of the crowd
Court here adjourned until Tomorrow
Y morning.