The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-11-20
A POIS0NDR CONVICTED.
Sensational Ending of the Case
Against Rev. James G. Hull.
SENT TO PRISON FOR SIX YEARS

The Prisoner, n Regularly Ordained Min
lister of the Gospel, Had Administered
Arsenic to His Wife with the Hope of
Securing the Insurance on Her Life.
ST. PAUL, Nov. 2O.-The case against
Rev. James C. Hull, accused Of attempted
wife poisoning, came to a sudden and
sensational end in the district court yes
terday afternoon. Hull had been on the
witness stand since Wednesday afternoon,
and had entered d categorical denial to all
the stats's evidence in regards to the adj
minlstering by him of arsenic mixed with
the medicine his wife was taking.
Then the state sprunga surprise In the
shape OF letter which Hull had written
while in Portland, Ore, last February to
the Rev. |. l.. Spence, an intimate friend,
who was then in Fernando Cal, In this
letter Hull stated that his wife was very
sick, that she was suffering from cancer,
and that he expected to be called home at
any time, and that he thought she would
not live through the year. He also stated
that an operation had been performed for
tho removal Of tho cancer, but 1t had
broken out again.
Spence and Hull had been old friends
and chums, and when the former heard of
the charge against Hull he remembered
the letter received last February, and,
thinking its contents would extricate his
friend he enclosed it to some one in Min
nesOta. The state in some way became
aware of this letter, and yesterday put it
in as evidence. Hull was at first inclined
to deny that he had written such letter,
but upon being urged by his own attorney
finally admitted its authorship. The evil
dence Of the states witnesses and Hulls
own admissions in his previous testimony
showed that there had been no talk of
cancer for II year prior to the date Of the
letter, and that the surgical operation had
simply been the dressing of a slight LAGER
alton. The state claimed that the letter
was written with the intention Of prepar-
ing his friends for the death of his wife,
and to provide II plausible cause.
At the opening of the afternoon session
Hull attorney arose and addressing the
court stated that the last evidence pro-
duced (the letter. was of such character
as to remove all further doubt 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 beliey ed that Hull mind was I'M
balanced and asked the courts merciful
consideration of the plea. Hull then for
mally withdrew his plea of not guilty and
Judge Pagan sentenced him to six years
in the saltwater penitentiary.
Hull had been pastor OF the Clinton
Avenue NJ. Il. church until about year
ago. and at that time achieved consider
able notoricty by charging that the trus-
tees of his church were members of the
A. p. A. and were seeking his removal in
order to get man who was in sympathy
with that organization. This resulted in
charges being brought up against him by
the state conference and suspension from
preaching for year
Last August he was arrested on COM
plant of his wife, who charged that for
year or more he had been slowly poisoning
her by tho administration of arsenic
mixed with her medicines and with ar
ticles of food. The motive, as shown by
the evidence of the state in the trial Just
ended, was life insurance policy for
s., 800 which Hull had prevailed upon his
wife to take out in his favor. 1t was also
shown, and Hull admitted it on the wit
ness stand, that he had been criminally in |
innate with his wife's niece, girl of IS, |
who was living with them. Mrs. Hull |
testified that her husband upon being
charged with this misconduct finally adj
mitted it,
Hull has claimed all along that his wife
has been subject to fits of insanity since
childhood and had treated him harshly
The couples l4-year-old daughter was an
important witness for the state
The scene in court when Hull changed
his plea and was sentenced was an e1-
tremely dramatic one, and strung the
nerves of all present to a high tension.
Judge Eagan, in sentencing the prisoner,
expressed his opinion that he was not
altogether of sound mind, and accord
ingly imposed light sentence, the punish
ment prescribed by law being from five to
ten years.