The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-20
Preacher Hull Forced tn Plead Guilty
Had Been Read i'm Court.
GIVEN SIX YEARS. In PRISON
FOR TRYING TO MURDER HIS WIFE
FOR $500 INSURANCE.
Evidence Introduced 10 show the Min-
lister WINS "WoIf I'm Sleeps Cloth
ing"-Other Crimes.

ST. PAUL, Mimi. Nov. 19.-The case
against the Rev. James c. Hull. accused OF
attempted wife poisoning, came to a sudden
and sensational end in TIE District Court
this afternoon. Hull had Seen on the wit
ness stand since yesterday afternoon, and
had entered categorical dSlial 10 the
States evidence in regard to the adminis-
tering by him of arsenic mixed with the
medicine his wife was taking. Then the
State sprung a surprise i'm the shape OF a
letter which Hull had written while In
Portland, Ore, last February. TO the Rev.
L. l.. Spence. 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 the re-
moval of the cancer. but that it had broken
out again. Spence and Hull had been old
friends and chunns. and when the former
heard of the charge against Hull he re-
membered the letter received last Feb
ruary. and. thinking its contents would ex-
culpate his friend, he inclosed il TO some
one in Minnesota The State in some way
got track of this letter, and to-day put IL
in evidence. Hull was at first inclined
TO deny that he had written such "A letter,
but upon being urged by his own attorney
finally admitted its authorship. The evil
dence of the States witnesses and Hulrs
own admissions i'm his previous testimony
showed that there had been no talk OF a
cancer for a year prior TO the date of the
letter. and that the surgical operation had
simply been the dressing of slight lacera-
ton. The State claimed that the letter
placed in evidence was written with the in
tention of preparing his friends for the
death of his wife and TO provide a plausible
cause therefor
At the opening of the afternoon session
Hulrs attorney arose. and. addressing the
court, stated that the last evidence pro-
duced Cthe 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 on the mercy
of the court. He further stated that he
now believed that Hulrs mind was unbai-
anced and asked the courts merciful con-
sideration of the plea. Hull then formally
withdrew his plea of not guilty and Judge
Eagen sentenced him TO six years In the
Saltwater penitentiary.
Hull had been pastor of the Clinton -av-
enue NJ. z. Church until about a year ago.
and at that time achieved considerable no.
toriety by charging that the trustees OF
his church were members OF the A. p. A.
and were seeking his removal I'm order TO
get minister who was i'm sympathy with
that organization. This resulted In charges
being brought against him in the State
Conference and ultimately in his suspension
from preaching for a 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 ad-
mnistration 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 a life-
insurance policy for s.. 800. which Hull had
prevailed on his wife to take out in his
favor 1t was also shown, and Hull admit
ted it on the witness stand. that he had
been criminally intimate with mis- wife's
niece, a girl of sixteen. who was living
with them. Mrs. Hull testhed that her
husband, upon being charged with this mis-
conduct, finally admitted 1t. Hull has
claimed all along that his wife has been
subject TO fits of insanity since childhood
and had treated him harshly. The couples
fourteen year-old daughter was an mpor-
tant witness for the State.
The scene in court to-day when Hull
changed his plea and was sentenced was
an extremely dramatic one and strung the
nerves of all present to a high tension.
Judge Eagen, in sentencing the prisoner.
expressed his opinion that he was not altos
gether of a sound mind and accordingly inn
posed a light sentence. the punishment pre-
scribed by law being from five 10 ten years.