Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-05-12
The Verdict in the Eatr-0ri,scneen cHs~.

The Verdict in the Fair-Crittenden cEs~.
The close of the trial Of Mira. Fair, for
the shooting of mr.. Crltteuden, is thus .
reported by The Slu Francisco Alta:
At five minu'et after four o'clock tho
jury came into court nd took ihllr 81 ~;
in the jury -box. Iuey were precet'ed ty
Mr.. Cook, who Viii pereA something
probably the verdict the jnIyl in his
Fairs ear. She turned a trihe paer thnn
usual, her head Dropped to one 81 ie. bnt
otherwise she did not seem to be affected
by the intelligence. The excl emenv
among the audience was intenee, and they
climbed up on bcaches and the bucks Of
chairs in order to obtain view of tic
scene which all felt would ensue. JndEa
Dwinel!e took his scat upon the bench.
The court then wrote the following aud
read it 10 the jury "Gentlenen OF the
jury-You are Instructed to safe 10y yoEr
virdict, ii You convicted tho prisoner,
whether she was guilty Of murder IN tie
first degree, second degree, or man
slaughter you should SO state
FOreman-We find the prisoner guilt,
of murder in the filst degree.
The clerk then read .he verdict, ana
calling each JUROR by name, a-llsd HIM ii
that was his verdict? eli replied, "it
| is. "
| The ominous words, " Gully of murder
in the first degree fell from tie nps OF
the foreman OF tbs jary. Mrs. Fairs
lit le daughter, who scented 20 COM pre-
bend their full meaning, broke forth in u
violent fit of sobbing. She icon d oFer
op9n her mother, and her child h cry Of
anguish pierced every heart. Hsr paroXysn
# grief became SO violent that she sprung
| from her chair and fell in ber tr0tllrr.7 lap
her little arms encirciirg Mrs. Fairs ngc.
She continued in this position unit! tie
court adjourned. The scene was a mo t
affecting one. Several OF the Jurors were
affected to tears, and even Judge ID @inelic
had difficulty in retaining command Of his
voice.
The San Francisco Call odds tie follow
ing:
After some discussion Letween lie PICS
ecuting attorney and MIR. Cook, counsel
for the defense, the court named the 2J!!l
of May as the day On which he would ron
der his sentence. Judge DWinellc remand
ed the prisoner into the custody Of TIE
sheriff. She left, leaning upon he arm OF
Colonel Knoz, and leading her little
daughter by the hand, with her mother ac-
| companying. A carriage WIS in waiting 10
receive the party, who entered it amid an
immense throng Of people gather d III tho
streets to get glimpse mt the prisoner. 1t
was driven to the county jail. where thr
prisoner alighted. entered, and WAS
closed by the iron doors. TO await her
forthcoming to receive sentence for the
crime of which she stands convicted.
The mother and daughter attempted t.
enter the Jail with Mrs. Fair, but were pre-.
vented by Jailor Kelley. Mrs. Fair az
pealed to him to let her child go with her.
The jailor informed her that it was impog
sible. His order and his duty rcqu!r, d
him to pr event the entrance of both her
child and mother. The isilor asserts that
| EaIr 10 i'll M hn wi lac
hanged nor sent to the State prison. On
what her faith to the contrary is based is
known only to herself, but the conjecture
is that she relies upon the Ingenuity Of her
counsel and the "quip3 and quirks " Of
the law to effect her release.