Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-08-22
DR.. and Mrs. Hearne Indicted.
MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE
CHARGED FOR THE KILLING
OF AMOS j. STILLWEL
Occupy Separate Cells in the Palmyra
Jail and Will Be Treated
the Same as Other
Prisoners.

HANNIBAL, Mo-, August 17.-At the
| May term of the Hannibal Court of
Common Pleas the following Grand
Jury was impaneled: Samuel With
ers, Robert Kerrick, s. F. Roderick,
Henry Elsea, Elijah Hawkins, Thomas
Robinson, George w. Dulany, John
H. Davis, Fl. C. Nerlich, W. B. Petit
bone, A. G. Hamilton and Fred Bas-
sen. After examining into current
matters brought before them, this
jury, composed of II as reputable cit
liens as Missouri affords, entered
upon an investigation of the murder
of Amos j. Stillwell, the wealthy pork
packer, which occurred on the night
of December IS, 1883.
On that night Mr.. and Mrs. Stillwell
attended a card party at the home of
ex-Mayor Munger and returned to
their home between II and II O'Clock.
An hour afterwards the old gentle
man was Drained with an ak while
asleep in his bed. At the time it was
generally supposed that the object of
murder was robbery, but subsequent
developments have pointed to his
wife and DIR. j. c. Hearne as the
authors of the terrible deed.
Mr.. Stillwell was an aged gentle
man and was living with his second
wife, a young and very beautiful
woman. Less thar a year after the
murder DIR. Hearne and the widow
married. Three years ago they moved
to San Diego, Cal, where ~dissensions
soon developed in the household and
Mrs. Hearne applied for and secured
a divorce, but they married in a week
or two afterwards.
THE SUIT FOR LIBEL.
An article commenting on the di-
vorce and remarriage and connecting
their names with the murder of Amos
J. Stillwell was published in the San
Francisco Chronicle. DIR. Hearne took
exceptions to the publication and
brought suit against the paper for
500, 900 damages.
To defend himself against this suit
Mr.. DeYoung, proprietor of the
Chronicle, came to Hannibal in search
of evidence. About two weeks were
occupied in taking dispositions here,
which was published in full in the
Republic. The dispositions were taken
under the skillful supervision of At
torney George A. Mahan, who brought
out a chain of circumstantial evidence
against DR.. Hearne and wife that was
surprising.
Immediately after the taking of
dispositions was concluded, the Grand
Jury met and took up the cas- with
renewed vigor. A number of new
witnesses were introduced; in fact,
the investigation was as searching as
it was possible to make it.
Yesterday the jury held a short ses-
sion and convened again this morn
ing at IL o'clock. At the same time
the Court of Common Pleas convened
with Judge Roy OF the bench. Just
before ~ O'Clock Foreman of the Jury
Hawkins entered the courtroom and
had a short conversation with the
Judge, almost Immediately after which
court adjourned until 1870. Shortly
after reconvening, the jury filed into
the courtroom and handed the Judge
a white envelope containing their re-
port, which was transferred to the
keeping of Clerk Hagan.
DR.. n MRS. HEARNE ARRESTED.
Other business was then proceeded
with and the public was kept in sus-
pense as to the report until A O'Clock,
at which time Sheriff Pratt, armed
with a warrant, proceeded to the
home of w. T. Perkins and placed
DR.. and Mrs. Hearne under arrest.
DIR. Hearne was on the street at the
time, talking to the Republic repre-
sentative. He took the matter very
coolly, and accompanied the Sheriff
into the house to introduce the officer
to his wife. The warrant was then
read to Mrs. Hearne, who met her fate
bravely.
The arrest was the first intimation
the public had that an Indictment had
been returned. When the fact became
known business in the city was al
most suspended, and groups were
everywhere discussing the murder
and probability of a conviction.
DR.. H~earne, while claiming that he
and his wife would be able to estab-
lish their innocence, said that he
would have gladly given up every
dollar he had to have escaped an
indictment in the interest of his chill
dren, two girls just budding into
womanhood. They have retained Col
onel r. f. Anderson, of this city, and
Colonel Nat G. Dryden as counsel.
Colonel Dryden has been telegraphed
for, and will arrive here Monday.
WILL OCCUPY SEPARATE CELLS.
The prisoners were taken to Pal
myra tonight by private conveyance
in charge of Sheriff Pratt and Deputy
Wachendorfer, where they will be
placed in jail. They took a supply of
bed clothing along. The Sheriff said
they would be treated as all other
prisoners, and would not be shown
any Partially. They will be placed in
separate cells and kept separated I'M
til the trial is concluded. They will
probably be tried at the September
term of court if a change of N is
not asked for. Colonel Anderson said
tonight that he would favor trying
the ase here, believing that the de-
PENDANTS would receive perfectly fair
treatment at the hands of a Marion
County jury.
1t was expected that when the time
arrived for them to leave for Palmyra
to enter prison cells Mrs. Hearne
would break down, but instead she
tripped to the carriage a.. spryly as a
girl of 16 going Out to al evening en-
tertainment, and has evidently made
up her mind to make the best Of her
fate. The doctor was also in good