The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-20
HILLMON DEFENSE OPENED
Oh, That Amt FIilImon," Said AIva
Baldwin.
MAJOR THEO. WISBMAE, OF OMAHA,

The Most Important Witness, Tess1-
hes-Osher Witnesses for the De-
Tense.
The defense in the HillmoR trial
opened their case with one of their most
important witnesses, Major Theodore
Wiseman, who at present lives at Omaha,
but who in 1878 and 1879, and for ten
years previous had been the special
agent of the New York Life Insurance
company, of New York. Major Wiseman
testified AS follows: That he arrived
in Lawrence on December 3, 1878, and
distributed circulars of his company in
the town; that on December 9Th he was
sitting III the directors room of the
Merchants National bank in that city, of
which Mr. &. w. e. Griffith was manager,
Mr.. Griffith also acting as local agent
for the Mutual Life of New York, and
while sitting there Mr.. Levi Baldwin
and John w. Hillmon entered the room
with Mr. Griffith, Mr.. Griffith introduce
ing witness; whereupon Mr.. Baldwin
stated that Mr.. Hillmon desired to insure
his life, and asked witness if he was the
party who bad distributed circulars; that
the result of this interview was, MIR.
Hillmon's life was insured for $l0,-
900 in the Mutual Life Insurance
company Oh NOW 1CTh5 tudL WlIn6SS anu
Hillmon then proceeded to the Office of
DR.. Miller, where HiIImon was examined
Witness further stated that he had seen
HiilmOn shortly after that; that when the
reported shooting at Crooked Greek was
made public at Lawrence, witness, with
Colonel Walker and Mr.. Tillinghast,
went to Medicine Lodge, as they were
somewhat suspicious as to the identity of
the party shot; that on arriving at Medi-
din
being made to fence the grave where the
body lad been buried; that witness in
sisted, against the objections of Levi
Baldwin, to have the body brought
to Lawrence for Identification, and
that the body was disinterred
in the presence of the two
Baldwins. Brown, Col Walker. c. E. Til
was standing quite close to witness when
the lid of the coffin was removed and the
face exposed to view, and Baldwin i'm
mediateIy exclaimed, Hell! That isn't
Hillmon" Witness stated that the body
exhumed was not that of John w. Hill
mon; that he and DR.. Miller had meas
ured Hillmon and that his height was
feet inches; that there was no ques-
ton in regard to-this measurements: that
witness had noticed that Hillmon
had missing tooth in front; wit
ness stated that after the inquest
he was engaged in trying
to ascertain who the body of the man
was who was shot at Crooked Creek and
brought to Lawrence, and as a result of
such search, was handed by DR.. Morris,
the coroner at Lawrence two letters; one
being from a Mr.. Walker, a banker of
Wichita, enclosing one from Fort Madi-
son, Iowa, asking the Whereabouts of one
Frederick Adolph Walters, and that he
correspondent with the Walters family
and sent them photogra phs of the dead
body. aud that the family identified such
as being that of their son and brother,
Frederick Adolph Walters.
DR.. ]. II. Stewart of Minneapolis,
formerly a resident of Lawrence testified
next, as follows: DR.. Stewart stated that
he first met Hjllmon at the Office
OF Insurance Agent Selig, and that
he went there to examine Mr.. Hillmon
for life insurance in the New York Life,
October 81, 1878; that he again saw Hill.
mon when he examined him for another
$4,000 policy in the New York Life, on
December 4, 1878; that he saw him
again about December Gath when he
again examined him, this time for a
$1,000 policy in the Connecticut Mutual;
that he next saw him again some time in
February. at his Office; saw him repeat
eddy in February, having vaccinated
him, and also examined him for another
titled New York Life application and
medical examiners report dated Oc-
tober 81, 1878, for $4,000; the
New York Life application and medi-
cal examiners report dated December l.
1878 for $4,000 90; Connecticut Mutual
application and medical examiners re-
port dated December "a, 1878, for So
10000; Connecticut Mutual application
and medical examiners report dated
February 30. 1879, for $5,OOa0O; that in
this last application he had written the
height i've feet nine inches, and that
it had subsequently, been changed to five
feet eleven inches; that on examining
him for the first three applications, he
had asked HillmOn what mis- height aud
weight were, and wrote the same down as
they were given to him, Hlllmon stating
that his height was five feet eleven inch
&c; that either before or at the time of
examining him the last time he measur-
ed Hillmon, and found him only . feet
nine inches in his boots, and that this ex-
aminati was done in witness Office, in
the presence of A. l. Selig Witness
further stated that he saw the body
brought to Lawrence on the 3rd day of
April, 1879; that Drs. Miller, Fuller
Morris, Motram and himself, besides
others, were present when the body was
examined; that they examined the face,
hair, hands, clothing, and that the body
was not that of Hillmon; that the coat
sleeve and pants legs were too short
much too short. Witness also stated that
there were too vaccination sores found
upon one of the arms of the corpse; that
he removed one of these aud half of the
other for the purpose of future examina-
ton and Identification; that they were
kept preserved in a jar lying in his
office; that said body, when measured,
was feet IL s inches long, and weighed
146 pounds; was in good state of pre-
servaUion; had almost black hair; that
the hair was three or four inches long.
and curly; short, stubby mustache, and
lighter in color than hair; teeth very