The herald., 1896-11-20
A FIENDISH DELIBERATION
Shown in the Preparation Of Plausible
Defense
Which Ia the End Resulted IN Causing His
Conviction
The Murder Effected by Slow Admin
istration Of Arsenic in Order to Col
lect q Little Life Insurance
Policy

Associated Press Special Wire
ST. PAUL, Nov. 19.-The case against
the Rev. James c. Hull. accused OF at
tempted wife poisoning, came to a sud
den and sensational end in the district
court this afternoon. Hull had been on
the witness stand since yesterday after
noon and had entered a categorical de-
NAL to all the states evidence in regard
to the administering by him of arsenic
mixed with medicine his wife was TAX
ing.
The state sprung a surprise in the
shape of a letter which Hull had written
while in Portland, Ore, last February,
to the Rev. I. L. Spence. an intimate
friend, who was then in San Fernando,
Cal, In this letter he stated that his
wife was very sick; that she was suf-
fering from a cancer and that he ex-
pected she would not live through the
year. He also stated that an operation
had been performed for the removal
of the cancer, but that it had broken out
again. Spence and Hull had been old
friends and chums, and when the for
mer heard Of the charge against Hull
he remembered the letter received last
February and thinking its contents
would exculpate his friend, he enclosed
1t to some one in Minnesota The states
attorney got track Of this letter and
today put 1t in evidence. Hull was at
first inclined to deny that he had written
such letter, but on being urged by
his attorney, finally admitted its au-
thorship. The evidence of the states
witnesses and Hull's own admissions
in his previous testimony showed that
there had been no talk of a cancer for
a year previous to the date of the letter
and that the surgical operation had SIM
ply been a dressing of a slight lacera-
ton. The state claimed that the letter
placed in evidence was written with the
Intention of preparing his friends for
the death of his wife and to provide
plausible cause therefor.
At the opening of the afternoon ses-
sion Hulls attorney rose and, address,
ing the court, stated that the last evil
dence produced Che letter. was of such
a character as to remove all further
doubts as to his clients guilt. and that
upon his advice Hull had agreed to
withdraw his plea of not guilty and to
throw himself upon the mercy of the
court. He further stated that he now
believed that Hull's mind was unbal-
anced and asked the courts merciful
consideration Of the plea. Hull then
formally withdrew his plea Of not guilty
and Judge Egan sentenced him to six
years inS the saltwater penitentiary.
Hull had been pastor of the Clinton
avenue Methodist Episcopal church un-
til about a year ago, and at that time
achieved considerable notoriety by
charging that the trustees of his church
were members of the A. P. A. and were
seeking his removal in order to get
minister who was in sympathy with that
organization. This resulted in charges
being brought against him in the state
conference, and ultimately In his sus-
pension from preaching for year.
Last August he was arrested on
complaint of his wife, who charged that
for year or more he had been slowly
poisoning her by the administration of
arsenic mixed with her medicines and
with articles of food. The motive, as
shown by the evidence of the state in the
trial Just ended, was life insurance
policy for s2500, which Hull had pre-
vailed upon his wife to take out In his
favor. 1t was also shown and Hull ad-
mitted 1t on the witness stand that he
had been criminally intimate with his
wife's niece, a girl of sixteen. who was
living with them. Mrs. Hull testified
that her husband, upon being charged
with his misconduct, finally admitted
It. Hull has claimed all along that his
wife had been subject to fits OF insan-
ity since childhood and had treated him
harshly. The couples 14-year-old
daughter was an important witness for
the state. The scene In court today
fenced was an extremely dramatic one.
Judge Egan, in sentencing the pris
oner, expressed the opinion that he was
not altogether of sound mind. accord
ingly imposed light sentence, the pun
ishment prescribed by law being from