The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-02
SAY 1T WAS NOT HILLMON.

Witnesses Say the Body Brought TO Law
renee Was Not That of Hi1lnnon-
The testimony of A. L. Selig was con-
tinued yesterday in the Hillmon case.
He testified that Hillmon was five feet
nine inches tall He had seen him meas
ured by DR.. Stewart in February, 1879
Hillmon had made mistake, he said. IN
giving his height in his application. He
had stood up beside Hillmon to see
which was the taller, and found that he
was taller than Hillmon, and his height
is nearly five feet eleven inches.
The clause in the accident insurance
policy for $4,000 to which Hillmon OBJ
jected, prohibited the carrying of fire
arms and racing, and as the company
would not waive the conditions, Hillmon
refused to take the policy.
On March %, 1879, Levi Baldwin had
asked witness about the proceedings
necessary to prove the death of Hill mon,
and witness told him the body should be
brought to Lawrence for Identification.
He had recommended the employment
of Mr.. Borglethaus as an attorney and
went with Baldwin to his Office.
C. W. Smith, one of the firm of under
takers who had charge of the body. was
then called. He said that he met the
train and took the body to his establish
meIt in response to a telegram from
Levi Baldwin.
Mr.. Smith did not see Mr.. Covey twist
the body around in order to look under it,
as he had testified, and it did not have
| the appearance of having been disturbed
at any time. He did not think Mr.. Covey
ever had an opportunity to turn the body
over to examine it while 1t was at his
place.
He said Mrs. Hillmon had paid him
! for the burial of the body, but he was
paid by the insurance companies for his
services in exhuming the body, so it
could be photographed. The post mortem
was like others he had attended The
| doctors had first weighed and measured
the body. The clothes on the body were
too small, the sleeves were two inches too
short and the trousers were too short.
He had measured the body and found it
to be five feet eleven and half inches
in length.
J. W. Adams of Lawrence was the
next witness In 1878 and 1879 he kept
a grocery store in Lawrence, and became
! acquainted with Hillmon in January or
February, 1879, when he had traded with
him. He remembered the body being
brought to Lawrence and was one of the
jurors at the coroner's inquest, which
lasted five or six days Mrs. Hillmon at
that time was asked about the height of
her husband and the condition of his
teeth, and she had replied that she did
not know. He did not remember that
she had said he was five feet eleven
inches in height She had showed no
exhibition of grief at the time of the in
quest The body he saw was not that of
John W. Hillmon.
Frank l. " oodruff was the next wit
ness called. He first met Hillmon in De-
Der, 1878. He had seen him often in
the store in which the witness was clerk
ing Just before he left on his last trip
he had sold him some goods and had
taken drink with him at a saloon. He
saw the body which was brought to Law
renee and it was not the body of Hill
mon. The witness admitted that he had
been convicted of larceny of the mails,
but his conviction was set aside
]. B. Bebant a wood hauler who work
ed for Levi Baldwin, next testified He
knew Hillmon we'll and had worked
with him. Hillmon had an upper tooth
out on the left side of the jaw. Hillmon
wore No. boots.
Claud Holiday, farmer in Leaven-
worth county, was the next witness. He
knew Hillmon we'll, and had herded cat
tie with him. He had seen the body al
Lawrence, and it was not the body OF
Hillmon
James f. Cameron was next called. de
lived in jefferson county, and knew Hill
mons father and the family. He knew
Hillmon had front tooth out and haG
joked him about it.
The court here adjourned till II a. m
on Tuesday.