The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-24
fTLLMON FAMILY TESTIFY.
Did Mrs. FfiIImon in 1882 Admit Her
Husband Was Alive?
.HREE CORONER'S JURY MEMBERS

Witnesses Say That the Body Was
Walters.
The testimony in the Hillmon case
continued as follows:
MIR, w. w. Nichols was called to the
stand by the defense, and testified as fol-
lows: That he was a brother -in-law of
John W. Hillmon; that he was hunting
buffalo with Hillmon in the 70's; that
his. family and the Hillmon family were
intimately acquainted; that his brother,
Geo, A.. Nichols married John W. Hill
mons sister; that Hillmon had either
lost front tooth or il was broken of
close to the gums; that once when hunt
ing buffalo with Hillmon, that Hillmon's
rife exploded and injured Hillmon's
hand, and that the wound left scar;
that the scar was visible; that he was &C.
quainted with Mrs. Hilllmon, and that Mrs.
Hillmon had asked him at the time of
the first trial of the case in Leavenworth
to introduce her to his relatives; that the
witness and Mrs. Hillmon then went to
a room in the Continental hotel in that
city, where his relatives were at the
time and that after being introduced Mrs.
HiIlmon stated she had come to ascertain
what would be their evidence in regard
to the description of her husband; that
there were present on that occasion the
witness brother, George a. Nichols
aud wife, his sister, Mrs. John
H. Nixon, and Mr., 8. b Nixon,
when witness and Mrs. Hillmon
arrived; that Mrs. Hillmon was told that
her husband had a missing tooth. and
that he had scar on his hand, and that
witness des cribed how he had received
it; that just before leaving the room,
Mrs. HilImon stated that if they were
going to testify against her in that man
ner, that she might just as we'll withdraw
her suit, and give her husband over to
the authorities; that during the same
trial of the case at Leavenworth, Mrs.
HilImon met witness one day on the
street and asked him not to testify as to
the fact of her husbands having a mis-
ing tooth; that witness told her he
could not do she wished,
and that he would testify as
to what he knew to be the truth. Wit
ness was then shown the defendants
small photo exhibit of HiIlmon and pro-
nounced it a good likeness; but on being
shown plaintiffs large photo exhibit,
stated that he did not recognize it as
being Hillmon; nor could the witness
recognize the two photographs of the
cadaver, shown him, as being Hkenesses
of Hillmon
Mr. Geo. A Nichols, of Valley Falls,
was next sworn, and testified that he had
known Benz. Hillmon, father of John
w. Hillmon, and all the Hillmon family;
that he first became acquainted with
John W. in 1865, and was married to
his sister in 1870; that Benjamin
Hillmon's sons consisted of Henry, Will
liam and John W. Hillmon; that he last
saw John W. in 1877; that John w. Hill
mon had one tooth out in 1877, and cavi-
ties in some of the others; that witness
had frequently noticed the condition of
Hillmon's teeth, and that Hillmon often
complained of having the toothache;
that Hillmon had a scar on the hand be-
tween the thumb and fOrefinger, and that
cid ~ Fkx
ceived; that he knew Mrs. Hillmon, hav-
ing met her but once, and that the occa.
sion was when he was at the Continental
hotel, Leavenworth, during the progress
of the first trial of this case;
that cat this time, there were
present in a room of this hotel, the wit
ness, his wife. Mrs. Geo. A. Nichols,
Nixon, when Mrs. Hillmon
and witness brother, WV. Nichols, en-
tered, his brother introducing Mrs. Hill
non to the rest of the party; that Mrs.
Hillmon stated that she had come to
learn what their testimony would be at
the trial, especially in regard to he hus-
bands descriptlon-and his personal ap-
pearance; that she was told that they
would testify that he had a missing
tooth, that he had light brown hair. and
q mustache and goatee of lighter color
than the hair, and that witness stated he
had a scar on the hand; that Mrs. Hillmon
stated that she remembered that he had
a scar; but that it had almost
disappeared, and that he had good teeth
SO far as she knew, bat he might have
had false teeth for all she knew; that
Mrs. Hillmon appeared greatly annoyed
at their description of her husband and
just before leaving the room, stated that
she was going to withdraw her suit and
turn her husband, John W. Hillmou,
h..
then identified the defendants small
photo exhibit of Hillmou as a very
good likeness of Hillmon. Witness
when shown plaintiffs large photo ex-
hibit of Hillmon, stated that while it had
q slight resemblance he did not recog-
nize it as being picture of Hillmon.
Witness was then shown the photo ex-
hibits of the cadaver, and stated that
they were not the pictures of Hillmon or
of any one he had ever known in life.
Mrs John 81. Nixon testified that her
family and the Hillmon family lived
close together, aud were very intimately
acquainted; that she first became &C
quainted with John w. Hilfmo q in 1865.
aud had known him since we'll that his
teeth we're discolored, and that some of
them were decayed; that she last saw
him in 1877 at her brothers., Geo. A.
Nichols when Hillmon was on a visit |
there; that she met Mrs Hillmon !
once, When she came to the |
Continental hotel at Leavenworth,
during the first trial of this |
case, at which time Mrs. Nixon was in
troduced to Mrs. Hillmon by w. w.
Nichols, who came in with her; that |
there were present on this occasion in the |
room at the hotel, Mr.. George A Nichols |
and wife, Mr.. S. D. Nixon, witness, W. |
W. Nichols and Mrs. Hillmon; that Mrs. |
Hillmon stated that she had come to |
learn of them what their testimony would |
be at the trial, especially regarding her
husbands appearances; that she was told, |
among other things, that John W. Hill |
mon had discolored teeth, and a number |