Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-20
PENALTY OF MURDER
BENZ. G. Hill to Expiate
Crime on Gallows.
TO BE HANGED MAY Is
SENTENCE PRONOUNCED TODAY
IN CRIMINAL COURT.
Was Convicted of Killing His Wife
Makes a Statement Touch
s4 ing His Crime.
TO BE HANGED MAY Is

Justice Anderson, In Criminal Court NO.
I. this afternoon sentenced Benjamin G..
Hill. convicted Of the murder Of his wife,
Carrie Theoda Hill. by shooting her No.
vennber last, while in a boarding house
conducted by Mrs. HILL at 315 Missouri
avenue. to be hanged at: the District jail
Friday, May Is. next, between the hours
of II o'clock noon and 2 o'clock pm. Coun-
sci for the defendant noted an appeal 10
the Court of Appeals.
The scene in the court room about the
time sentence was pronounced was an i'm
pressive one. Hill made the first statement
he has uttered regarding the details of the
shooting since the happening of the trag-
edy. When asked by Justice Anderson If
he had anything to say before sentence was
pronounced, the convicted man replied in
the affirmative. Carefully adjusting his
eyeglass,' he began to speak, his voice
wavering with emotion.
Hill remarked that with the sad and
awful sentence of death about to be pro-
nounced upon him, he, Of course, would
speak nothing but the truth. He Is now
more than sixty years of age. he said. and
never before had he, or any member of his
family, been charged with any offense
against the law. He was a native of Vir
had lived a good life. When quite young
he had married, and was the father of six
children. His first wife died few years
ago. He had expected to live happily with
his second wife, because he loved her.
Served in Union Army.
According to the defendant. he served
through the civil war with honor and credit
to himself. and for time was an inmate of
the Soldiers Home at Hampton. Va, and
also served as superintendent of the Sol
diers Home on c street, In this city. Later
he served as city guide and, with his
pension, managed to make a comfortable
income. which he divided with his second
wife.
His trouble with his wife, the prisoner
explained, resulted from her undue famil-
iarity with other men, particularly one,
who, he said. had proved to be lone Of the
swiftest witnesses" at the trial. The con-
victed man said he asked his wife to make
the person referred to leave the boarding
house. but she refused to do so.
Hill said he then left home and returned
to Hampton, coming back to this city last
Decoration day, but he declared his wife's
conduct was so fragrant that they quarrel
ed. and he again left home. After the
lapse Of several days he went back and
tried to make up with his wife, but she re-
pulsed his advances.
He'll felt so lonely, he went on to say, that
he purchased a revolver, with which he
INTENDED 10 emu his lie. lie walked the
streets seeking place where he could end
everything, but his love for his wife over
came him and he again went to her. AS he
entered the dining room Hill says he saw
the man referred to sitting at Hills place
at the table with cOntemptuouS Sneer on
his face. Mrs Hill said to her husband,
Get out; you old duffer!'
An lawful Demon"
Some awful demon took possession of me,
with the terribleresult known to everybody"
added the prisoner. II always had the most
tender and kindest regard for dear little
Bertha, and would not have harmed her
for anything They say shot at her also.
did not realize what I was doing. rushed
into the back yard for the purpose Of kill
ing myself but the pistol snapped and the
policemen were upon me, before I could dis
charge the weapon. don't recollect what
words 1 used to the officers. / had been
drinking whisky and was intoxicated
There never was murder In my heart.
Let these my words be q warning to eE-
erybody Of the dreadful consequences Of
drinking whisky and aSsociating with I'M
faithful women. I never contemplated
murder when I entered that dining room,
and 1 had no thought of injuring anybody.
II thank the court for the opportunity of
saying this, the first statement have made
of the affair. I was unable to give my
lawyers an Ineligible account Of the shoot
Ing 1t was only last Tuesday, as sat here
in this court room, that my mind of
sudden cleared and all the details were
imposition of sentence be postponed SO that
T nnII1d q ct a