The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-26


Hiilmon having been pointed out to him.
and that he knew him well by sight;
that in 1879 he was working in the "Rob-
iason" lode, two miles from Leaovtlle,
Colorado, and that in the month OF July,
1879, on coming up out of the shaft ne
was astonished to see John w. Hillmon;
that he knew it was claimed Hillmon
had been shot; that the same night, or
next day he wrote to Major Wiseman,
telling him he had seen Hillmou, and
that on the same day he saw Hlllmon he
communicated the fact to his associates,
Frank Brooks and MIR. Jones; that Hill
mons height was about feet inches,
though witness had never measured him.
The witness then was asked if he recog-
nized in the photo (smalD exhibit of the
defendants, to any person whom he had
ever seen, and stated that it was that OF
Hillmen, and a good likeness.
Mr.. Geo. ]. Barker, one of the attor-
news for the defendants, then took the
stand for the purpose of testifying IN
regard to three certain notes and chat
tel mortgage given by Hillmon and
Brown, and note given by Hlllmon to
Mr.. Keller, also one given by Hillmon to
the Douglas County bank. The court
ruled these out. Mr.. Barker stated tn
all these were placed in his hands for
collection, and that nothing had ever been
paid on them.
The de position of Julius Graves was then
read. This testimony was to the effect
that in 1873 9, witness was in Wichita a
portion of the time, and staid at the
Globe hotel; that he met John W. Hill
mon there on the goth of January, 1879,
and John II. Brown was with him; that
they and others got into a long argument
in regard to their respective heights and
that six of the parties present we're meas
ured, consisting of John II. Brown, who
measured feet 81 inches: Hillmon, who
measured 3 feet, 8 inches; Nichols who
measured nearly 6 feet; witness, who
measured feet 8 inches; and a Mr..
Bowman, who was smallest of the num-
Der whose height the witness had for
gotten.
Mr.. C. E. Tillinghast, of Cleveland,
Ohio was then called upon to testify for
the defense. MIR. Tillinghast testified
that in 1883 he resided in Leavenworth,
and was general agent of the N. \. Life
Insurance company; that he had not been
connected with that company since 1881,
and had never been connected with either
of the other two companies to this &C
ton; that on the S6th or 81 of March,
1879, he called at Mrs. Judson's house in
Lawrence, where Mrs. Hillmon was liv-
ing, and asked to see Mrs. Hillmon; tn at
he was accompanied by his local agent,
MIR. Selig, on that occasion; that at
Mrs Hillmon not to see the body of her
husband, as Mrs. Hillmon has testified
that he did; that he went with Major
Wiseman aud Col. Walker to Medicine
Lodge via Hutchinson, to see the body
claimed to be that of Hillmon, and that
on arriving at Medicine Lodge, he saw
John H Brown, but did not see the two
Baldwins until they arrived at the ceme-
terry, where they again met Brown, also
ha Rald wi VII
near the grave some lumber to fence in
the grave; that the grave was opened, the
coffin taken up, and that upon the cloth
being removed from the face of the
corpse Alva Baldwin. who was standing
close by the coffin. exclaimed, using
some prefix which witness could not now
remember, That's not HillmonP' that
witness noticed Col. Walker place his
hand in the mouth of the corpse to
examine the teeth; that he remembered
of a doctor ripping the sleeve of the
coat so to see the vaccination marks
on the arm; that the body was after
wards taken to Lawrence, where wit
ness, Major Wiseman, and Col. Walker
also went; that a coroners inquest was
held at Lawrence, and witness was
present most of the time; that
he remained in Lawrence until
the inquest closed; that Mrs. Hillmon at
tended the inquest, and was there exam
ined as witness; that she stated, as to
the condition of her husbands teeth,
that she did not know; that on being
again asked as to his height, she said
she did not know, that she had never
measured him. Witness further testi-
fed that he was in FIT. Madison in the
summer of 1880, and saw the Walters
family; that he left Leavenworth in the
summer of 1879, going to Chicago, and
frem there to Cleveland, Ohio.
The defendants then continued the
Introduction of the Fit. Madison deposit
lions as follows;
Chas. w. Schott testified that he had
lived in Fort Madison for % years; that
he was very intimately acquainted with
f. A. Walters; that in height, Walters
was 8 feet II inches, and that witness
had seen him measured; that he had a
roman nose, high cheek bones, dark
curly hair, thin mustache, lighter in col
or than hair; long hands and feet; wore
a No 8 shoe; had large mole on right
shoulder blade. which had been seen by
witness in 1878; that the photo exhibits
of the defendant were the pictures OF the
dead body of F, A. Walters.
MIR. Conrad Lesch testified that he
WAS a resident of Fort Madison; was
shoemaker, and had made shoes for
young Walters, and that Walters wore
a No. boot, and that his feet
measured 4O12 lncheS; that w alters was
a large man, we'll built; and that the
photographs of the dead body shown to
him were the pictures of T. A. Walters
The testimony of Miss Alvina HASTEN,
was TO the effect that she had known F.
a. Walters since they were children;
that they were engaged to be married for
two years before he left for the west:
that she received letters from him every
week or two after his departure in March
1878 aat hv1b or
was from Wichita, Kansas, ard dated at
that place the 2nd of BIarch 1879; that she
received this letter on the Sd or
4th of the Same month; that in this let
ter Walters had stated he was going fur
Their west with a man named Hillmou.