The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-05-08
TWO MEN
PARD0NED

Dover Del. May AFTER consideri Dg
the evidence presented for u month, the
State Board Of Pardons to-day gra nted
pardons to George Henry Hntt and james
johnson. who were convicted OF tho mur-
der of Noah Benson IN 1852. and refused
pardon to Daniel Miller. who was convict
ed of the same crime.
The cases OF Jeremiah Harrigau , who
| has been in jail for nearly twenty years
| for the killing o, Dennis Shea IN HOckus.
sin and John ID. Hawkins, iorlLcr secre.
| Iary Of state, con victcd OF misappiyihg
funds were continued until June. Haw-
/ kins seeks a pardon on the. ground OF bad
| health.
| The pardon of Hutt and Johnson was u
victo.y for David j. RGlnhardt. their
counss who has bsen seeking their par
don for two years. At tho time OF the trial
! the men were defended fy Peter IL.
| Cooper, .Ir., who con lin uod AS their coun-
sel and worked for their release until ho
became ono Of tho prosecuting olhcersSot
the ate, when Mr.. ReiIhardt became
| conn sci for ths men and gave his time
! and attention to the case.
| On December 20 1891, the hoadless body
OF Noah Benson was lUnnd IL ating IN the
| Chesapeake aud Delaware caual at Dcla.
ware City. For some time it was impos-
-ible TO iccogn:zo tho body. but 1t was
| finally identified to the satisfaction OF the
people in Delaware City. An Investigation
was then made and George Henry Hutt
and jaime. johnson wore arrested on tho
charge of murder. This was on January 2
i lst!, and on January ) they wore held for
court and sunt to jail The strongest
evidence against them was that some
F., bloody rags had boen found ih their pes.
scssidn aud a CONVEX sation which they
had in the iOck'up at Delaware CITY.
which appeared ID connect tham with Inc
affair.
At this time Miller was away from Del
aware Guy. He finally returnei 10 VII.
Mug on and wa, arr sted Oh March i?
The men wore tried and on .sune ., Is =
were c,uvict.d OF murder in this se'.
ond DEGREES and Sentenced to linprison.
mcnt for life. Tho case attrac ed more
than u.Gal attention for tho roaNon
that the principal evidence hsunst tho
men WAS the ,timnny OF DR.. Henry Il.
Formud, tho famous expert on blood. He
testified that the blood found on the rags
In til pos4ssion vi HUT and John,on was
human blood.
Mr.. Cooper conducted brilliant cross
examinations and won the distinction or
being thu oaly lawyer able t'make the
expert angry aud rattle him.
Mr.. Cooper's cross ss-explninatlon brought
out u wonderful Knowledge of blood
strains both on tho part OF Dr, Formnd,
and the attorney who had been studying
tho subject under the direction of ano her
export Mr. Cooper also nindo tho expert
admit that ho never Onco testified in favor
of II prisoner.
Dr.. Qnillon e. Dtvs. another blood
cXvort, gave testimony fox the deIense.
Dr. Formal died shortly after tho ca
was urioil, aud il WAS the last in which he
testified. Miller accounted for his ah-
scenco from Delaware City on tho grouna
that he hal stabbed Il man and ran away
to avoid being arrested. 1t was stated ~
tho time OF the conviction that the verdict
bad tcon found wholly upOn tho tssti-
monv Of Dr.. Fogmad,
Mr.. R,inhnrdt secured let ers giving Il
good reputation to the accuieh, aud ne
also secured u comics ion from man up
posed to implicated in the murder whiCi
no said that johnson and HUT had MOTH
ing to do with tho crime.
After considering the app icalion for
month the pardon was granted. Tho de.
rislon of tie pardon board was not unani
nous.
: The head of Nolh BAuson was nsver
found and was opposed TO have bt"n
taken cut Into no river IN boat and dror
pod overbuard Hurt and johnson Will he
released some time This week ms s0on as
the otlicai papers arrive. The action ul
the board is expected to moct with gene
al approval IN Wilmington and .Delawnr'
CITY. whore the ma joIiiv nf poopio .DIlleVe
that the men are inn ocent.