The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1911-02-01
Charged With Murder of
Henry Thompson.
NO SENSATIONAL TESTIMONY
AS Was Expected, and Very
Little Damaging Evil
dence AdduCed.
BENJAMIN WAS DISMISSED

Dixon, KY, Jan. 25.-Unless the
Commonwealth produces testimony
more damaging than that offered to-
day at the trial of Kerney Benjamin,
the young man charged with the
murder of Henry T. Thompson, at
Providence. on December 90, the de-
PENDANT will be released from GUS
tody tomorrow.
That Detective Sensing, of Nash
Vile, Tenn, who swore out the war
rant against Benjamin, is a fake"
or the witnesses for the prosecution
have been fixed" is the general
opinion in Olson tonight.
The most Sensational" bit of tes-
timony given to-day was that of a
negro coal miner. He testified that
on the day of the murder of Thomp-
son, about noon, he saw a woman
coming hurriedly down a side-street
from the direction Of the cemetery.
The woman was low and dumpy.
She wore a gray fur coat and a pink
veil over her face. Her hair had
reddish tinge.
Witness stated that he had never
seen the woman before. She was in
hurry and continued to look back.
she went on down the street toward
the depot, which was in the direc-
ton of the Thompson residence.
When examined bv counsel for the
defense. witness stated that the wo-
man was not Mrs. Tom Baker,
daughter of the late Henry T.
Thompson. 1t is understood that
the prosecution was under the i'm
preston that the negro would testi-
fy that the woman was Mrs. Tom
Baker.
Oscar Yarber was the first witness
placed on the stand by the common
wealth. He testified that on the
morning of December 26, between s
O'Clock and 10 o'clock, he met Thorn
as Thompson, son of the murdered
man, KerDey Benjamin and John
Foxwell. He asked them where they
we're going. and one of them replied
"out hunting" Witness did not see
any guns. They were going in the
direction of the cemetery.
Widow on Stand.
The widow of the dead man was
placed on the stand and told of her
husband leaving home about 7
O'Clock on the morning of the trag-
edy. That was the last time she saw
him alive. Witness was asked If her
husband had not spoken to Kerney
BENJAMIN concerning his attentions
TO his daughter, Mrs. Thomas Baker.
Mrs. Thompson admitted this was a
fact.
On cross examination witness said
her husband was renewing his re-
ligious VOWS" and had spoken to a
number of young people of the town,
asking them to give up card-playing
and dancing. Witness said that a
few nights before the tragedy she
and her husband we're leaving a
drug store when they met young
Benjamin. They stopped and talked
to the boy and Mr.. Thompson ad-
vised him TO take care of himself, as
he was suffering from asthma.
Miss Jessie Kyne said that she
met Benjamin at 1915 o'clock and
walked down the street with him.
BENJAMIN. at the coroners inquiry,
had testified that he did not leave
his room between the hours of 10.
O'Clock in the morning and 2 o'clock
in the afternoon.
Henry Sutton, the detective, who
caused the arrest of Tom Thompson.
was placed on the stand. He relat-
ed two occasions of BENJAMIN hav-
ing come to him and told him that
Thomas Thompson wanted to see
him. BENJAMIN said later that he
had seen Thompson and the young
man had nothing to tell to the de
tective."
Ed Kirsch, an engineer, said he
was in Benjamin's room between
O'Clock and 2 O'Clock. on the after
noon of December 26. He went
there for the purpose of getting
drink. He told Beniamin's father
when they passed through down
stairs room that they were going tc
look at the guns. Witness did not
see any guns in the room.