Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-05-01

With q unaillinlLy rs reiilaIhaoio 40
1t was unexpected, and with a prompt
ness that shows how irresistible was
the mountain Of proof collected by the
prosecution, Laura D. Fair after
trial lasting four weeks and three days
has been solemnly adjudged and legal
ly branded. guilty Of murder. From
Monday afternoon until three o'clock
on Wednesday, Mr. Byrne poured out
strong current Of silvery speech, fore
ible In argument, rich in illustration,
and often rising to the sublimity OF
eloquence. Then came Judge Owl
nelle's charge ; calm, lucid and dis
passionate, and at half-past three the
Jury retired to consider the verdict,
every one felt that the pleadings OH
both sides had been so exhaustive, the
Judges directions so fair, n the
whole trial so impartially conducted,
that whatever that verdict might be,
public opinion though it might tempo
rarily dissent, must ultimately &C
quiesce In its justice.
Waiting fer tho Verdict.
was In the Courtroom a few min
utes after the jury had retired, The
hushed silence that had prevailed dur
ing the District Attorneys magnificent
address, and the Judges clearly spoken
charge had given place to the bee like
| hum Of under toned conversation.
| Knots Of San Francisco's most prom
inent citizens clustered within and
| without tho bar, exchanging sub
| dGed speculations on the result. The
|.prisoner sat with her little fair-haired
daughter at her side, l~istless, impassive
aud almost motionless. In the mean-
| time the crowd outside augmented
| from tens to hundreds. People In the
streets heard that the jury had gone
out, and gathered In expectant groups
round the newspaper bulletin boards.
| The whole Of the city In fact waited
| for the verdict with u patient Interest
reminding one of the day following a
| Presidential election. Soon after the
| recess Mrs. Fair left the sombre Court
room, and leaning heavily on the arm
Of a Deputy Sheriff retired to an ante
| chamber. Then the buzz Of CONVERSE
| ton, restrained by her presence,
| sweiled louder and louder, the throng
In the passage grew momentarliy,
greater, tile stairs got blocked up, and
looking out of the window n could
see, people hurrying from every direc-
ton In the vain hope OF getting into
the room.
- Tho Verdict.
At five minutes after four the Judge
was notified that the jury had agreed,
and he at once resumed his seat OH the
bench. At first no one believed that
the verdict could have been arrived at
50 quickly, and the impression was
that the jury had come In for fresh
instructions but rs the twelve filed
into their places there was n look OF
solemnity on their faces that confirmed
the fast spreading rumor that they had
come to n decision. Mrs. Fair camo
In as she went out, leaning on the
Sheriff g arm; her daughter clutchlng
her dress, her mother behind-a sor-
rowful procession, though the chief
parsonage In II. appeared unmoved.
All the opposing counsel were there
except MI. Quint, and 4 very painful
| silence prevailed until he arrived.
| Then with n general impulse all rose
| to their feet, and every eye was turned
| to the Jurors. seeking with intent gaze
to translate the unspoken verdict from
| their features. What az eternity Of
suspense the calling over of their
names must have been to the prisoner.
How her heart must have throbbed and
beat, and her blood courssd with un-
equal motion through Its channels, and
Pushes hot and cold ran from heart to
head and from head to'foot. We know
that 1t must have been so, for nothing
human could have borne such a dread
interval of uncertainty without expe-
riencing such sensations; yet, rs she
reclined In her rocking-chair, not a
muscle seemed to move, not q nerve to
tremble, and her cold, passlonless face,
stranger alike to hope or fear, hid all
this like Il mask Of marble. It was
/ the same when the foreman Of the jury
pronounced the verdict. Neither eyes
nor mouth nor hands betrayed her
feelings. With half closed eyes and
droopIng head, she heard the words
that proclaimed her a murderess, and
not one Of the senses that Is supposed
to interpret the soul telegrapled to the
surface what was passing within. But
underneath that icy exterior the mother
was still there, and when her little
daughter, with q Wild, pitiful cry OF
anguish, nestled to her breast, that
heart-broken wall struck the rock OF
her inner self like the prophets rod
and melted 1t back to humanity. Then,
clinging to the poor, sobbing child, and
pressing 1t to her bosom, she, too,
began to weep, and the tears she had
restrained so long were now permitted
to flow unchecked. Judge Dwinelle
was visibly affected by this sad scene,
and the jurors made no effort to hide
their emotion. Soon half Of the spec
tators In the room had handkerchief
to their eyes, and those whose feelings
| did not stream owe stood "in all the
silent manliness" Of pity.
Hsw the Pebble Receive she Verdict.
The verdict to-day has been the all
engrossing topic In every circle, and 80
far as can be judged by the comments
Of the press and the expression Of In
dividual opinion, It is Endorsed by the
wider verdict of the public. Its moral
effect throughout tile State will be In
calculable. 1t will show that sex Is no
safeguard against punishment ; 1t will
put n stop to the plea Of momentary
~instiity and, more Important still, 1t
,yv;lI restore Dubltc confidence In the