The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-19
SENT TO PRISON FOR LIFE.
UEIGHT THE SIILOR nor. rs FOUND
GCILIY ~ BROOKLFM
The Rn,ns OF ola I.ernnra rcrren In tho rrle


The Hinine of Ola Iscrnnrd Fcrron IN the Eric
Basin Pronounced Murder In the Second
Degree New Evidence Found against Ititn.
The trial Of John NJ Wright. in the Kings
County Court II Oyer and Tcrminer. for tho
killing Of Bernard Fcrron the old river sprcu-
lator. whose body WAS found sunk in tho Eric
Basin. anchored with hundred pounds u shin
iron. excited such interest yesterday that the
court room was crowded. and fresh spectators
pushed in every time the doors wore opened.
The prisoner. whose stoldiiy has surprised all
sat immoyahlr In his chair. and whom his cuun-
sci WIS pleading pathciically for him. and
tears came in others cyos. his eyes were dry.
The prisoners counsel Mr.. 4. Y. Wood. pur-
sued u line ofargument that took those in tho
court room by surprise. az in the opening his
associate counsel had conceded the killing Of
Bernard Fcrron by the prisoner. Mr. Wood
however, argued that there was much doubt
about it's being tho iody Of Bernard F.rron
that was found in the Eric Basin The District
Attorney had not satisfactorily proven that it
WIZ. Bernard Fcrron had n st'n kncc bat no
on" id Untitled him BY that. Why was not Dr.
Sheppard called upon 10 examine that knee?
10 one had identified the teeth " tho body as
those OF Farron. That was q suro means VI
Identification. ne WINS proven in the crcot web
hlft tUS'. MRS. lHlruu 'uNlt not identify the
uppci that Wne sound ~ out Der husbands neck
nor the comb and uDe,rt hniic.
Thnn tho counsel avrrrrd thero WIS no rrc-
mrdittlou ia t.'' cas-" ON which a charge " To-
lhcrnto murder cluld h' based. Tho Killing
Afforded she toy only f2o; ~" had moro money
than uIut. and ii ar waut.d got more thrrn wis
q h1E oi tuNrr tlrr' which hr could have 4. L.
Therefore hc could NOT hnv' Killed tho ragged
pa river n. rnih'.r =. g4.n, l' Thought tho
!ru'r. WIS true; that h" lruiuol him with 20
l"nucr W. ltrVn, "a lNane.d upon MIN Co
IT. 81 tho collrH, which belonged Zen tire Gultuiu
and which Wrisht hud reiusnl To soil
District Attorney Catlin said thut the conduct
pl We ueicnse ms been most romarknllc amt
he though n that he had never heard moro shn.r
nonsrns' Than tho attempt to throw doubt ulun
the identification uI the body. No intelligent
person needed a better Identification. The
prisoner had been impassiyc. rigid. AMI emo
tOnless throughout the trial Mright's story
was he said. % wilful. want1n mur,lor0us false.
mood. The murder wds as deliberate as 10 WIS
hOrrilving.
Justice Gilbert charged tho jury TINT the
Prisoners youth should not bc allowed TO move
th'm IN his favor. He was accused of murder.
AMI that crime was not confined to any clas-.
The Jury must he first satisfied that the body
recovered was that ot Frrrun. Then the story
OF tho prisoner. which proved To- bo the theory
OF tue defence, must br cons idered. II was
not enough to make out n case Of JuetlilaN'e
homicide for the prisoner ~ SAY that he feared
bodily harm. Tho relative si2c Of the urrn must
be considered. Ferron was smaller man aud
was lame, and m trial of strength might lave
proved Wrighis inferior. After explaining the
degrees oi murder and mansinughter. tho
They soon Sent for the hammer with which
Wright said that he did the killing. and the
piece 81 lcrron' skull. hut the Justice declined
Tho jury came in NJ 7:3o ?. NJ. with anxious
faces. aud death ike stiffness settled upon
th"rourt room rs ihry He'd into their seats.
wright with the cool demcuuor be- has ur"-
served throughout tho tllal, scanned the faces
Of the jurymen closely. The clerk called their
names and directed the prisoner 10 stand up
and asked the jury whether they had agreed
uuOn verdict.
Thc E,,r,tnnn- " , hovr
The Clerk-po you fnd tho prisoner at the
| hqr guilty. or not .guillyf
the Forrman-Wr lind him guilty of murder
Wright looked up with q frightened express
zion toward tho Judge. Justc" Gilbert Mt once
| called nun % the bar. and said that The Jury
tion and spared him his llie He had had fair
trial. but the evidence clearly proved his guilt.
and tue verdict was. In the opinion Of the
| Court. fully warranted. Tho sentence 81 the
! Court was that he be confined Ia State prison
Wright staggered ms though he had boon shot
ani convulsively grasped the arm 81 Onlccr
covered his compnsurs in mil mute and went TO
his seat. onlccT Mcmahon said to him. Cheer
M. Wright aud oe good boy, and perhaps
l have no hops" Wright said, and then he
rclnpsed into silence. His Oil shipmates cy-
pressed much sympathy ior him. and shook
hands with him with tears in .h.ir eyes.
Additional evidence came 10 the District At
torney's hands after the case was closed, point
| ing to Mrights guilt. The wife of Strong
! Arm Kelly, VINO is the niece Of Bernard Fer
ron SAYS TINT Ferron went 90 the Mary Is. Har-
| ris. on the day Of his murder. 10y appointment
Another witness says that three or four days be-
! fore tho murder Farron told him that there
was soma coffee on board Of a schooner in the
basin, which n young man had been trying to
sell him. but that he wouldn't buy 10 because the
| Captain OF the schooner was absent. and he
| iFcrronl suspected the young man had no right
10 sell IT, This, II H. argued, bears out the theory
agreed about the price u tho ship iron which
was subsequently used MS an anchorage. and
that Wright killed him with the big king bolt
wanted.