The sun., 1901-03-15
JURY PROBING
A MURDER
Coroner Of Sussex County Begins
the Inquest.
BENDING STILL In CUSTODY
Witnesses Testify That Hearn Car
ried Much Money-Was Shot and
Then Struck with a Blunt
Instrument.
Special to The Sun.

Spcelal u lHe oul.
Harrington, March 14.-The murder of
George Hearn is still the topic of CON
versation here. Today the inquest on
The body Of the dead blacksmith was
begun.
Bending accounts for his ability to
pay the $75 note of which mention was
made yesterday by saying that he got
the money from his mother, who lives i'll
Harrington. Bending asserts that he
eft with Mrs. Bending various sums at
various times until it amounted to $l0O.
When DIR. Il. l.. Lewis, who was one Of
he endorsers. insisted upon his paying
The note he went to her and obtained
he $1OO. "'rhe $25 you found on me is
what was left after paying the note,"
ie declares. In explaining his where
ibouts on Tuesday between the time
ie is known to have last seen the muir
Tered man and the time latter's body was
| 'ound, Bending says that about O'Clock
II the morning he left Hearn sitting by
| he stove in the kitchen of the Bending
house. Il went over to Miss Hickman's s
70 get rub of snuff the accused man
stated, '.and when / came back Hearn
was gone. Then l went over to the
spoke factory and from there to the log
yard to get some red oak bark to make
| IN ooze for my sore nose. l brought the
Dark back to the house and then went
| around the front way to the sawmlll,
| where l was when / heard that Hearn's
| Jody had been found"
| raI int N "
mill, declares that Daniel Bending was
,een following Hearn with an AK over
| lis shoulder Tuesday morning. Asked
| % account for the blood stains on his
| hoes, Bending denied that there Were
| my. When told that his denial did not
liter the facts he stubbornly insisted
that il any stains We're on the shoes
omebody had put them there. II never
lad an AK, either" he declared. There
is no disputing the evidence to the
ontrary, however.
| Bending's mother supports her son in
his declaration that he procured 500
rom her Tuesday. There is marked
difference in their statements though.
when l heard that MIR. HcaIli hat
i,er, found dend. u Mrs B.nding. says
Il sent for Daniel and told llm ne has
oetter take his money.
The inquest was begun today by the
Jury which had been empaneled by
Coroner Baynard and which is composed
# the following; The Rev. w. 5. Phillips
f.. S. Minner, ID. Il. Sawtelle, j. w
Cam, w. L. Collins, J. Il. Horney, L
lJ Smith, G.. l.. Baird, John Sheldrake
William Simpson, James Porter and G
:. Harrington.
Mr.. Phillips was chosen foreman
The first witnses called was Miss Fannie
Hickman, who discovered the body o
iIearn. She testified to the finding o
he body on her way from school AM
.an and informed workmen ut Elem
ng's mill.
DIR. II. G. Riley testified to his beini
summoned to the mill to care for Hearn
md found him dead. having been so 70
me or two hours. He left the body il
.harge of an undertaken.
J. A. Harrington, Il workman at Elem
ng's mill, testified to seeing the body
shortly after being notified he found
,5-cent piece near the body. He sa,
Daniel Bending as he came i'll the mil
inst us the 10 o'clock whistle blew
tending afterward helped carry in TIL
,ody.
DIR. b. l.. Lewis, who with Drs. Rile
md Money made an autopsy, testified
nding IL bullet wound on the left sid
: If the neck, which struck the lower pal
pf the jawbone, passing through tn
cetl, and coming out on the opposit
, side. Death would not necessarily hav
ieen caused by Il bullet alone, as bot
laws We're broken, which indicated tha
+. leath had resulted from being struc
with IL blunt instrument, such as an Ak
q | II bar. His brain and heart We're foun
IN Il normal condition. The evidence
. he other physicians was similar to tn,
If DIR. Lewis.
The testimony was not concluded, thel
: pcing several witnesses to hear when ii
= Jury took recess. The investigation
/, ! he jury will be continued this mornin