Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1920-05-20
HUNTINGTON. MAY 18th.

That he had served twelve years
and four month in the penitentiary
at Moundsville for murder which
he did not commit, was the statement
of Jacob Hill, So, formar restaurant
proprietor Of Belington, w Va, who
arrived in Huntington Wednesday
after he had been pardoned by Gov
ernor John j. Cornwell The pardon
was issued when Governor Cornwell
was convinced by the pardon attor-
ney that Hills repeated claims of in
nocence were probably true and that he
might be the victim of circumstances.
After securing employment at the
Boldt Glass company, Hill Wednes-
day afternoon visited his step-mother
Mrs. Martha Polling, who resides at
1912 Twentieth street. A happy re-
union occurred between step-mother
and son.
Hill is prematurely gray from his
long years of confinement and, al
though he is of cheerful disposition
and sunny temperament, he frequently
lapes into moments of silence when
his expression is blank and his mind
seems to be cbmmuning in silent
study While on an automobile tour
of Huntington, Hill expressed delight
of many unusual sights that greeted
his eye.
In 1907 Hill was tried, convicted
and sentenced from Barbour county
to life Imprisonment in the state pen
itentiary for a murder which he
claims was committed by anbther
man. Only circumstances connected
Hill with the murder but as he was
the last man seen with the murder
victim, he was adjudged guilty.
The story Of the crime and sub
sequent trial is an unusual one in
the criminal history Of the state.
Hill, owner Of popular restaurant
in Belington, w. Va, returned to Bel
ington from a visit with his sister on
| the day that the body of murdered
man was found in the river near the
town. Out of curiosity he went to
view the remains
Arriving at the morgue, Hill found
it filled with people, he stated, and,
as soon as he saw the murdered man,
he announced that he had seen him
two weeks before, on Saturday night,
when the stranger came into his res
taurant and bought lunch.
| It developed after an investigation
by authorities, that this was the last
time the murdered man had been seen
/ alive. Other circumstances, brought
out in the investigation and trial,
more closely implicated Hill until the
web Of circumstances pointed to him
as the murderer. A considerable
amount Of money that the murdered
man had on the night of his disap-
fearance was never found and was
yut forward by the state as motive
! for the crime.
4 Throughout the trial and after his
conviction, Hill protested his inno-
scence. He sold his property and de-
voted the proceeds in vain effort
/ to establish his innocence but soon
he found himself a member of the
silent company inside the prison
walls, without friends or money
sentenced to serve lifetime in the
institution for crime which he says
he is absolutely innocent.
Tailor in Prison
Hill was assigned to the tailoring
department, making trousers. Each
prisoner is supposed to make eight
dozen pairs each day and are paid
one cent for each pair made in add.
ton to the allotment. By diligeni
work and studious application Hill
earned $4,000 in pennies during the
twelve years of his service. All Of
this money was spent in hiring at
torneys to prove him innocent.
| Hill stated that his prison expert
ence had cut him off from everything
that he was formerly connected with
in the world. His wife, during the
! first years of his confinement, appli
ed for and obtained a divorce. HI
stated he could not return to his ole
home to begin life anew because his
wife was married again and was liv,
ing there with her second husband.
His only daughter, now of age, ana
happily married, Hill stated, is resid
ing somewhere in West Virginia but
he has not seen her in years.
During the entire time that h,
spent in the penitentiary, Hill never
had black mark against his record
He said he was advised by Other
prisoners that he would only be but
ting his head against the stone wal
of prison discipline and that he found
good behavior the more profitable.
On his arrival in Huntingdon Hill