The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-13
RUBENSTEINS DOOM.
Convicted Of Murder in the
First Degree.
The Prisoner To Be Hanged on the
Oath of March.
THE SCENE IN COURT


charged with the murder OF his cousin Sara Alex
ander, the night Of the 18th OF December last
yesterday, in the Kings County Court of oyer
and Termner, found guilty of that crime and
fenced to be hanged on Friday, the oath of March.
This verdict was not altogether unexpected though
many anticipated disagreement, the evidence adj
duced being entirely Of a circumstantial character
II conceded that the victim was decoyed on the
night mentioned to a cornleld and there butchered
in cold blood, and the testimony as to the where
abouts of Rubenstein at the time the deed sup
posed 10 have been perpetrated being somewhat con-
Trajectory, it was thought that the jury wond have
considerable dfnculty In coming to a conclusion.
The result, however, otherwise, for after deber
ang about hour and half they returned to court
and announced their verdict
THE PROCEEDINGS.
The court crowded TO the doors yesterday
morning, and, the means Of ventilation being some
what defective, the atmosphere became heavy and
dsagreeable. The prisoner, in whose general appear
change VISIBLE, took his accustomed seat
surrounded by his friends and relatives. He had re-
fused to ride in a coach to- the court house. the day
being the Hebrew Sabbath, and walked through the
streets to the judicial Throughout the day he
maintained the same listless expression that has
marked his deportment since the commencement of
the trial Not understanding English the forcible
marks of the District Attorney seemed to make I'M
preston upon him. The jury promptly hand,
and shortly after O'Clock the proceedings were re-
sumed.
District Attorney Britton commenced his address on
the part OF the prosecution at quarter past ten
O'Clock After auding to the duty of the jury in this
case, he drew vivid picture OF the horrible murder in
the field where the young Jewess decoyed
and fouy murdered. No human eyes those Of tho
murderer the deed, and the was, therefore,
one CT crcumstantal evidence and the only kind OF
evidence that could be produced He then read several
extracts the subject Of circumstantia evidence,
and pointed the great Importance that must almost
every be attached to It, The District Attorney
then reviewed the evidence it had been presented
and claimed that complete chain of circumstances
had been fully proved duplicating the prisoner The
boots of the prisoner fitted the tracks in the field
blood husks and fibre OF the murdered girls
shawl we're found on of the boots. The prisoner
had been identified as the person who had purchased
the knife with which, it conceded the foul deed
had been committed; and he had also been identified
as the person who accompanied the girl the
car. He contended that the chain was complete
1t possible to make 1t by circumstantial
evidence The District Attorney euogized the efforts
of the detectives who worked up the case submitting
that they entitled 10 great credit for their zeal
fidelity and truthulness throughout the entire
lie submitted, further, that any of the circum-
stances proved sufficient 10 convict the prisoner
to say nothing OF all the facts that pointed to his
guilt He repudated the idea of the prisoner being
his fathers house the night in question and alluded
TO the that nearly all the witnesses called TO
prove an alib were relatives OF the prisoner. 1t
was conceded by all that the girl in the
car the unfortunate victim The testimony OF
the WI. nesses who saw the man in the car pointed
with almost certainty 10 the prisoner Then, again,
the prisoners words to Alexander about his sister hav
ing been decoyed into the country by oaiers aud
dered and the prisoners dream in connection with
were, he submitted, corroborative proof Of his guilt
The District Attorney quoted several authorities TO
show that the defence Of abi often attempted by
connvance subornation and perjury and the evidence
to sustain u should be carefully scrutinized AS TO the
defence INA. .ne prisoner was Pnyscsy OF
murder committed the prisoner had been engaged
in his regular business occupations. girl of twenty
years age would be liable to fall upon her
knees and beg for than offer any resistance IL
evident, he SAID the murderer had stood behind
the girl the deed DONE and that graspng her
by the hair the back OF the head he inflicted the
fatal cash the throat In that position the
derer would not be liable be besmeared with blood
In CONCLUSION the District Attorney submitted thai the
chain of circumstances complete IN every respect
and that in view OF all the evidence but one conclusion
could arrived at He asked for justice and justice
only The address of tho District Attorney terse
and forcibe and as he resumed his seat loud burst OF
applause rang throughout the court room, which, how
ever speedily repressed recess was taken few
minutes before one O'Clock
JUDGES CHARGE
Mr. Beach, at the reopenlng Of the Court said he re-
quested that the following instructions be given TO the
jury THAT the jury have right 10 dscredt any wit
because OF faith an lsraelite, nor be-
OF the manner Of the administration Of the wit
oath because Of any prejudice for any reason
asanss ." Lass , " ~ s ~, a. ~ ,.,,
s0 IS-ah.r Iacchs ianoh -, me- pnhan,
s,o,n "a urs Rohoi,rskv q 10 no beIIeved
in ,h,s case tho defendant cannot nronerIv
he conv,c,sd He hao selected these nsmss
S ~ n,,roorons ,vi,nasssS vvho vwars n,odncod 80
.,o ihH 80 h rasirad 20 direc, r. R,,~n,so ~
~ Co.., 20 hsir ,eI,tion ~ he caSe ont 81 cnsiSaro
,ion ~ ,be bas,v narncr an which ha rIosod his "a
dress without having alluded particularly 10 these wit
IT, n,s,r,c, A,,orrov said TIA, n n. o-,,a o,, h
,vorId have no on,ec,ion1 ~ " - uu ''P'S "0
NJ Reach then called attention a. IN. ,-,,r.ssos
mentioned whose testtmonv reI',,ar =, ,ho hnnr os
which thew stated thew saw poh~rs,ar CIV oicoct in
The even,ng on INC day III ~ $1,000 % ' ~ "
Ths D'ssrct Atic~% sue mu.uef 80, a.. .h....
should he tha, ~ ~ haI,o,ad 4, ,bo so
moi ms, 81 'no' WIZ W ~ 1872 ~ . 0' VIZ
r>-rken' -, ...-.. -. .....,.,o,
TuFe fral. sAiu us "Vuu onA ~ s , ~ ,t re-
ana theh proceeueu 70 nAIgo .ne Juiy ne T ru
proerscted uAl was nov u'an ns ~ 20 - 49,,
mad Doen seiecleN ,Ioin oouy " .nva, . ~
citzens, 70 Whom tney conhueu tne u