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TUESDAY, APRIL 1BEDFORD,QUEBNAN AND PINN. WmTlifj Innorrnl •( Hlrth'* Harder?- Home Iaterc*flnK Itemlnl*-mti rn of the Trlnl.A reporter of Tub Cbitio endenvorod last evening to tiaro the rumor* that a letter hud hern received In this city a n no uncle g that Ben Johnson had coufe.vicd to tain* the totirdem of young Hlrth, for which linbe Iltdfoul and Edward Queennn worn hanged about three vouw ago. and Hnudy Plnri committed to the penitentiary, where he recently died.The theory of thedrfennc In tbomemorable trial was that Johnson wax the mur-deter, and one or the most sensational scenes ever enacted In a court of justice was when Johnson was placed in among a number of young colorcu moo, and an old deaf and dumb n egress wax told to pick out the man who she urid Imd come U her on tlio night of the murder and tohl her In the language of tho finger* that ho had Just killed Hlrth.The old woman who had boon testifying through Dr. (ialUudot paced up and down the couTt-room, scanning eagerly tho faces of the men. until her eye* fell on Johnson, and then with nn Inton** excitement, in which she seemed bunting In her mute effort to «prak. pointed out Jnliuann n* tlic ConffMcil Murderer, and made an impression that will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it, aud loft an uiii-riaiignhle conviction in many mind* that Johnson was the guilty man.The story of the trial aud the oxecution i* fresh in everybody * memory.Johnson was compelled to leave the city, so strong was the feeling against him among the colored people, and wan last heard of in Boston ; his mother nlil continuing to livo ill this city in the vicinity of the! hlldicn'rt Hospital When the reporter reached Samson *treet, the old homo of Handy Plan aud Bahe Bed-foid, the narrow thoroughfare wan alive with excitement and gossip ataut the alleged confession m it appeared in The Critic, and in every doorway little groups of people weio discussing the publication. The feeling ngainnt Johmon was almost unanimous, and many of the neopie were emphatic in their otntemenU that the innocent men were punished.Mr*. Pints, Mother of Hnndj Plan, wns found in her little house and Inane-dintcly guessed tho reporter's errand. She was very feeble, and could scarcely speak, having been, as she said, au Invalid over since her son's conviction, and having been dangerously 111 alnce hi* death. She said that alic had always believed Jonson to bo tho murderer, and that it somo timo would be known that her boy was innocent, but that she know nothing of any coufcnioti by Johnson, and did not know where ho wa*. 8ho would not bo surprised if Johnson hod confessed, but did not believe that Mrs. Bedford or Mis. Qnoenan had been uctiflcd of tho feet.A young colored woman who was soon said that Mr*. Bedford waa non* in Bright-wood aud had received no intelligence of a confession by Johnson.Mr. Hayward, one of the counsel for the defense in tho liirth trial, wild that while he hnd no proof of Johnson's confession, he would not bo surprised at it. Ho had tho evidence to prove that tho principal witnesses at the trial had perjured themselves, ar.d but for the statute of limitation* they would be prosecuted. As to the murder, he had always known that The Mnrilrrrr Hnd £*cnpetl JuMU-e. and wt111 believed that in tho courso of1 time he would bo tried and convicted. Tho only difficulty was thnt to secure u conviction certain parties would have to bo induced to admit thnt they test!fled falsely at the trial.Mr. William Calvin Chase, who lias published some statement* of tho reported confession in the Jlte. said ho obtained his information from Jonathan Hamilton, who told him he bad seen the loiter which had been sent to Mrs. Bedford, tho mother of1 oao of the men who uni hanged. Mr. Chase said tlmt Mrs. Bedford had gone away the day after the receipt of the letter and hid not yet returned.Mr. ilumilton was seen, who said that ho did not see the letter himself, but was told by Mr. Savoy that Airs. Queen an. mother of tho other executed man. had told him (Savoy I thnt she had received a letter from seme Western judgo In regard to Johnson's confession, ant! that ahohad gone away, but ho didn't know where.The rumor* are so numerous and so generally believed that there must be somo found at!on for them, anil yet no reliable source can bo found.Tho police authorities have no information ou the mutter, and du not tallevc that Johnson has mado any confession. They1 .... tin* f\nannu.l Di.Afnnl ai.il Ot.in .......
Newspaper Details
Evening Critic
Washington, Washington-DC, US
Tue, Apr 10, 1883
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 11 Sep 2022
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