The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-23
HILLMON CASE WITNESSES.
Testimony Offered to Show That Hill
mon Himself
WAS FIVE FEET AND NINE INCHES

The testimony of witnesses for the de-
PENDANTS in the Hillmon case tends to
show a discrepancy in the Identification
of Hillmon's body.
A. L. Selig, present mayor of Law
renee, Kansas, testified for the defend
| ants: BIr. Selig's testimony was IS fol-
| lows: That in 1889 he was local agent
1 for the Connecticut Mutual Life Insur-
ance COMPANY, and occasionally did bust
| ness for the New York Life Insurance
| Co.; that on October l, 1873, Mr.. Levi
Baldwin and John W. Hillmon came to
his Office, the latter making application
| for life insurance in the Connecticut Mu-
! tual for 100000; that on Decem Der 4th
following, Hillmon came again and made
another application for insurance to-
the amount of 100000 in the
| 100000 in the New York Life; that
he also made application for 100000
accident insurance, in the Travellers In
surnnce company; that on December Gath
he came again and made application for
further insurance in the Connecticut
Mutual to the extent of So, 900; that when
the Travellers Accident policy arrived,
Mr.. Hillmon aud Levi Baldwin objected
to it's conditions, and took the policy up
stairs to a lawyers office to have his
opinion upon such, and that, acting upon
his advice, Mr.. Hillmon refused to
cept the policy. The witness further
testified that when he delivered the
5000 policy in the Connecticut Mu-
tual to Mrs. Hillmon, that she did not
refuse to take the policy, and did not de-
maud her premium back az she testified
to having done; that he gave her the
policy without any comment, and that
she accepted the same; that on March 10,
1879, ne wrote a letter in Mrs HilImon's
name to.the Mutual Life of New 7 ork, ask
ing as to what replies Hillmon had made
to the vaccination question. Mr.. Selig
further testified that he was with DR..
Stewart when Mr.. Hillmon was ex-
amined in his, Selig's Office, and
was present when DR.. Stewart ex-
amined Mr.. Hillmon on February 25th;
that at such time Hillmon stated that
DR.. Miller had measured him and found
that his height was 8 it. 8 in., and not
#. II in; witness further testified that
he first learned of the shooting March
25th, 1879, and that he called with Mr..
Tillinghast upon Mrs. Hillmon shortly
after, at Mrs. Judson's, and asked Mrs.
Hillmon if the body was being brought
back, and that she informed them that
she had sent her cousins, Levi and Alva
Baldwin, for the body; that neither wit
ness nor Mr.. Tillinghast advised Mrs.
Hillmon not to send for the body, and
not TO see it when it reached Lawrence;
that she. herself, said that she preferred
uOb " S00 SA0 WOQIQ TdEnSE
remember him as he was
when in life. The witness
further said that he saw Mrs. Hillmon in
the afternoon of the same day that he
and Mr.. Tillinghast called upon her, this
second time being at witness Office; and
subsequently saw her at Mr.. Gritfith's
Office, at which interview, which was in
the directors room of the Merchants
bank, Lawrence, Mr. Griffith was pres
ent; that they asked her for a descrip-
ton of her husband. especially as to his
height, the color of his hair, and condi-
ton of his teeth; to which she replied
that she did not know. The witness was
as she has testified doing, that she
told them her husband was
feet II inches tall, and that he
had perfect set of teeth and otherwise
gave a minute description of him, to
which the witness replied that she did
not, but instead stated that she could not
give any definite description in regard to
the points inquired about. Witness testi-
fed that he saw the body at Bailey s.
Smiths on the morning after its arrival
at Lawrence; that there were present at
the time MIR. Smith, the undertaken, Drs.
Stewart and Miller, Major Wiseman, Mr.,
c, E. Tillinghast and Others and that the
body of John W. Hillmon; that
witness was present at the disin-
terment at the cemetery, where
the hands were examined with
a microscope for scars, and none were
found; that the body was there photo
graphed by Photographer W. H. Lamon,
at witness request Witness was here
shown photographs of the dead body,
and identified the same, and also ldenti-
fed photograph of Hillmon, taken in
life. Mr.. Selig denied that he took
Mrs. Hillmon to Lawyer Borgalthaus, or
advised her to get an order for the deliv-
cry of the body at Medicine Lodge, both
of which facts were testified by Mrs.
Mr. c. W. Smith of Lawrence then took
the stand and testified as follows: That
he was an undertaken at Lawrence, Kan
sas, in the years 1889, being a member
of the firm of Bailey s. Smith; that he
received telegram from Mr.. Levi Bald
win from Hutchinson, to the effect that
the body of John w. Hillmon would ar
rive on the next morning at Lawrence,
and to have a grave dug Immediately,
and notify Mrs. Hillmon; that on his way
to Mrs. Hillmon's he met MIR. Selig, and
gave him copy of the telegram; that he
then saw Mrs. Hillmon, and that she in
structed him to meet the body, and follow
whatever directions Mr.. Levi Baldwin
gave him: that he met the body on its
arrival by the early morning train, about
$3.50. and took the body, as Instructed
by Mr.. Levi Baldwin, to his undertaking
establishment; that Levi and Alva Bald
win aud Col. Walker accompanied him;
that when the coffin was opened, there !
were present Levi and Alva Baldwin, |
Col Walker, and others; that the body
was well preserved; that wit |
ness measured body twice, and
found the height to be 5 feet, II 70 inches;
that there were several hundred people
coming and going to view the body; that
it was subsequently photographed at the
cemetery at Lawrence; that no one I
handled the body until the coroner came
in early in the morning and told witness
hot he fax ina