Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-01-23
THE CONVICTION OF STOKES.
Scene In the Court when the Verdict
was Rendered.
From the n. Y Herald of Sunday.

AT quarter past IL y CloCh tileie
was observable in the court, among the
waiting audience, that premonitory
hustle and confused humming which
is always noticeable when a long ex-
pected event is about to take place.
First came Mr. Sparks, the Clerk,
from an inner room, followed by the
officers Of the court, who pushed chairs
aside and made passage way for the
iurymen. Then came the iurymen's
attendant, who opened the door of the
box, after which followed the prisoner,
looking as undaunted as ever, and sur
rounded by his friends and relations.
These latter took seats facing the
Jury box. The Judge then entered and
took his seat on the bench.
At this moment the twelve lurymen
fled III, looking very grave, and pres
emily they took their seats. AS they
passed in it was noticeable that but
one man out of the twelve looked at the
prisoner; all the rest seemed to avoid
a glance at his face. There was dead
silence in the court. There was no
need to ask what their verdict would
be. 1t was imprinted III the lines OF
every mans face of the twelve.
First they answered severally to their
names, and then the Judge, in the
usual manner, said, Gentlemen, have
You agreed upon virdlct Z"
Foreman of the Jury (rsing)-" We
have
Mr.. Sparks Gentlemen of the jury,
rise. Prisoner, stand up. Gentlemen
of the jury, look upon the prisoner.
Prisoner, look upon the jury. What
say you, gentlemen of the jury? Do
you find the prisoner at the bar, Ed
ward S. Stokes, guilty or not guilty"
Foreman of the Guilty of
murder in the first degree"
At the moment that these words
passed the lips of the foreman, there
arose such terrible piercing vail from
one of the young ladies dressed in deep
mourning, that it seemed to curdle the
blood of every man and woman in the
court. None who heard it will ever
forget it. The young lady who uttered
this cry fell forward with her face
prone on the shoulder of tho prisoner.
Horace Stokes, the brother, burst into
tears, and all his friends and relations
by one impulse, as they clustered
around him, seemed terribly affected.
The jury were then polled at the re-
quest of Mr.. Townsend, one of the
prisoners counsel. When asked by
the clerk ii they all agreed upon the
verdict, they answered, separately,
eyes" Some of their responses could
not be heard ten feet from where they
stood. As the twelve men answered
"les,n Stokes rose slowly, and, facing
Mr.. Beach, one of the counsel for the
prosecution, and who at one time had
been counsel for Mr.. Stokes in civil
case, said, slowly and deliberately:
"Well, Mr.. Beach, I must say you
have done your work we'll / hope you
have been welDpaid for it."
Then Stokes sat down. Mr.. Beach
did not reply but his face turned a
little away from the prisoner.
Mr. Fellows, the Acting District
Attorney, rose, and, addressing the
Judge, asked that sentence be passed
upon the prisoner at the bar.
AS Mr.. Fellows sat down Mr.. Lyman
Tremain, the able and learned counsel
for the defence, who had been sitting
by table with his head bowed in his
hand, stood up and SAID: s. Your Hon
or, | hope you will not think it neces-
sary to pass sentence at this late hour
of the night. Would it not be better
to wait till Monday morning e.
Judge Boardman-"I see no abso-
lutte necessity for passing sentence to-
night, and | see no improprety in act
ing on the counsel suggestion. l will
therefore defer sentence until Monday
morning"
District Attorney Fellows then adj
dressed the Court in an explanatory
manner, and Messrs. Beach and Fuller
ton had not been employed by Mr..
Fisk's family, and that they had been
employed by the county to assist in
the prosecution.
Stokes (rislng suddenly and inter-
rupting)-" Mr. Fellows. state that
they We're hired by Jay Gould. Please
state that -
There was an intense sensation in
court at this moment and Mr.. Fellows
then resumed his address, stating that
he was glad to retire from an office
MHcIt iOI Utilize years lie nil Deeu ac-
customeu to witness such scenes of
suffering and sorrow as he had witness
ed tonight.
The Court then discharged the jury,
with thanks for their attendance and
courtesy they had shown him during
the progress of the trial. Then the
audience began to move, and Stokes,
who showed n firm manner cOnVersel
with the sobbing ladies and his other
friends.
+ Again as Stokes stood up to leave the
court he spoke bitterly to Mr.. Beach.
He said, ms he rose:
" Mr.. Beach, You should he well sat
isfed with your work, and | hope you
are satisfied, for you did it well. "
/ Mr., Beach (excitedly)-" No, Mr..
Stokes, | am not satisfied with my
work"