The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-16
THE CORONER TEsTIFIEs.


ON the Body Claimed to be- Hillmon.
Yesterday was rather a dull day in the
Hillmon trial as far as the routine of ey-
idence was concerned
The first witness on the stand was
Alexander Carr, who brought his ledger
showing the date March II, 1879. on
which he loaned Levi Baldwin some
money, when Baldwin told him, that he
and Hillmon were in a great scheme to
make money.
The defense then offered in evidence
Hillmon's enlistment in the United
States army. This paper is certified to
by the war department at Washington,
and states that Hillmon's height was
five feet eight inches. Plaintiffs coun-
sci objected to the Introduction of this
paper, claiming that it could not be used
in evidence, but the court Immediately
overruled their objection.
The evidence given by Colonel Walker.
deputy sheriff, at a previous trial, was
then read, over the objection of plaintiffs
counsel. Colonel Walkers evidence was
to the effect that he had lived in Law
renee from 1856. He knew Hillmon. and
that he noticed Hillmon had a missing
tooth, from the fact that he was lying on
the lounge in his room and Hillmon
stood over him to hang up his coat, wit
ness could see directly into his mouth
part of March, or beginning of April.
1879, that he went to Medicine Lodge
with Messrs. Wiseman and Tillinghast
for the purpose of bringing to Lawrence,
for Identification, the body purporting to
be that of John W. Hillmon. That on ar
irving at Medicine Lodge the parties
found there the Baldwins and John H.
Brown. At the request of the represen-
tatives of the insurance companies the
u
ion the body was not that of John W.
Hillmon. That he remembered Hillmon
had lost a tooth, and put his finger into
the mouth of the body and found the
teeth were perfect, none being missing.
That they then examined the arms for
vaccination marks, and found two there
on. That the body, with a trunk and
pair of No. 10 or II shoes was put in the
wagon and driven to Hutchinson on the
line of the Santa Fe, and that on their
arrival there the shoes were missing
The body and trunk were put on a train
and taken from there to Lawrence. That
at the coroner's inquest, or shortly after
wards, John Il. Brown was under arrest
by Sheriff Clark. Witness also identi-
fed the small photo exhibit of Hillmon,
being DEFENDANTS.
DR.. Richard Morris was the next wit
ness. He testified he had lived in Law
y
. county in 1879, and for several years
previous thereto. Being suspicious
regarding the body brought to Law
renee, which was claimed to be that of
Hillmon by some, and by others not to
be uillmon, that he impaneled coroner's
jury. That the jurors were picked out by
himself in the usual manner, and that it
began its session in the beginning of
April, 1879, lasting five days. that he,
! fAA nv E,,it 70
sent him. and made the necessary medi-
! cal examination. A large number of
witnesses were called and examined in
| the usual manner; that at such inquest
Mr.. Borgalthaus took part and appeared
to be representing plaintiff, Mrs Hill
mon, and examined witnesses. At the
| inquest when Mrs. Hillmon was asked in
regard to the height of John w. Hill
mon, and replied that she did not know,
and when asked regarding the condition
of his teeth, also replied she did not
know. The jury brought in d verdict
and that on such verdict being found
that he, as coroner, caused a warrant to
be issued for the arrest of John H Brown
for murder, and that this warrant was
| given to Sheriff Clark to execute, but
! that Brown was never arrested.
! Dr. Morris contradicted Mrs. Hillmon's
| statement, by saying that he had never
told Mrs Hillmon that there had been no
verdict rendered by the coroner's jury,
and that the matter had been dropped.
He admitted on cross examination that
the insurance companies had paid him
for holding the inquest
Mr.. E Summerfelt of Valley Falls, was
! the next witness. and testified that he
had lived in Valley Falls since 1853 and
that in that year he first became ac-
quainted with John w. Hillmon, and had
known him from that time up to 1878
In the year 1865, when there was a trav-
cling dentist at the Cataract house in
Valley Falls, he and Hillmon visited this
dentist and had teeth fixed. That one of
Hillmon's upper front teeth had COM
menced to decay and that he had it
filled by this dentist The witness be-
can't somewhat confused as to which
tooth was filed, when he was cross
examined.
DR.. Mott, the high government author
ity, pronounce5 DIR. Prices Baking Pow
| der absolutely Duro