Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-10
COMMITTED TO JAIL
BENJAMIN HIIf ACCUSED OF
TWO ATTEMPTS AT MURDER.
Fired Revolver at His Wife and Step
daughter-Admits He Tried
to Kill the Former.

Two charges oS- attempted murder were
filed in the Police Court today against Ben
jamin G. Hill, fifty-eight years old, and
Judge Kimball committed him to jail to
await the result of three pistol wounds his
wife received at his hands about $50 O clock
Saturday afternoon. In the second case 1t
is alleged that he fired a shot at Bertha
Marsden, his stepdaughter. The tragedy
occurred at 315 Missouri avenue northwest,
where the man under arrest and his wife
and stepchild lived. The wife and child
were at the dinner table in the boarding
house when Hill entered and said: Good
evening, ladies and gentlemen" Passing
to where his wife was seated he drew his
revolver and fired
Three shots were fired in rapid success
sion, and his wife; who had received the
bullets, was unable to leave the table.
others who were there attempted to leave,
moved there would be more trouble. The
Infatuated man, it is charged, then fired one
shot at his stepdaughter.
Hill denies this part of the allegation, al
though he admits the charge that he tried
to kill his wife, and expressed sorrow be-
cause he had not succeeded.
One bullet lodged in the fleShy part of the
woman's neck, while the others entered
near the region of the heart and inflicted
dangerous wounds Two of the bullets
were extracted by the surgeons at the Cas-
ualty Hospital, but the third bullet could
not be located. Hill, who was once an in
mate of the Hampton Soldiers Home was
a city guide and was we'll known about the
city. He married Mrs. Marsden, widow,
and 1t was only few weeks after the mar
rage ceremony was performed that they
had trouble.
Addicted to Use Of Liquor.
Hill, it is stated, was addicted to the use
of liquor to an unlimited extent, although
N1nr yxyha h
used his revolver Saturday. He had only
taken two drinks during the entire day, ne
stated after he was locked up
I'm sorry 1 didn't make better job Of
It," the prisoner said to Precinct Detective
O'Dea after he had been placed behind the
bars.
That's what you get for buying a cheap
thing" he added, pointing to himself. :!
tried to kill myself, but the weapon would
not explode the cartridge"
when did you get the pistol?' the pris-
oner was asked.
"Wednesday" he responded.
He explained that he did not shoot his
wife before Saturday for the reason that
she had not been at the boarding house
when he was there.
II did not try to shoot Bertha" he said,
"for I thought as much of her as 1 could
have thought of my own child
Wife Was Serving as Nurse.
Mrs. Hill was away from home several
days recently nursing the sick She fire.
quently went out to nurse sick people, and
in this way was able to support her daugh-
ter independent of her husband. Saturday
afternoon, after Mrs Hill had been shot,
she was cared for at the house Of a neigh
Dor. Her husband followed her to the
house, and when he found he was unable to
get in the house he returned to the front OF
315, and was there when Policeman Bean
appeared and placed him under arrest.
This morning Attorney r. Golden Donald
SON appeared in the Police Court as counsel
for HILL and was prepared to give bond for
his appearance, but bond would not be ac-
cepted, and the prisoner was committed.
This afternoon at the hospital is was stated
that Mrs. Hill was still in a critical con-
dition, although che was apparently in no
immediate danger9 Eas -.