The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-09

nnder held her hendkerchetto her eyes. Her
mothers face was bent sympathetcally toward
her. II was full OF anxiety, and was red with
" II she handed the bottle to him" tho Judge
continued. without knowing that he designed
60 commit murder, she could not be convicted
~ murder In the FIRST degree. II Weinbccker
wis already dead at that tune she could not be-
convicted Of murders but Il was ulrt " the
story. IA the Stnt9 aVerrod, that WciuhcckCr
gave, several, gNsis niter she handed
the bottle. BY the common law, the mere
presence Of the husband absolycd the wife
from responsibility, ana although tho prisoner
was not Basseus wife, yet she stood in that rc.
lation to him. and II H. avrrrcd. was in fear of
him. 1t was proper for the Jury-tthc Judge
hero hrstaled for u momeutl-to consider all
the facts. II was cnmed that the doors anl
windows were locked. ana that she was terrified
ut her business wlnt be- WAS doing. On tho
other hand. the State said that II WIS o'clock
on summer evening thnt there Were several
modes Ut escape for her. and that she Lid not
even entrcat him not to dc the murder. To JUS
tifyassistance in n murdcrthcre must he urgent
cause OF alarm and no means ot escape. Ihcrs
must be- no alternative between cOmplinnce and
grent bodily BARN. The State urge further that
She stayed Min him that night and went with
him the next morning to Dr. SANFORD 10 us
TN order 10 Justify verdict I'm the FIRST dogroe
the Jury would have to satisfy themselves. in the
words ct the statute. that there were two wit
ncsscs - the crime or circumstances euuiva-
lent thereto. The amount OF assistance she
had rendered was not material" ~
No exceptions were taken to the charge. The
Jury retired ut b.lO tlNfk. lNtN returned NJ
400 O'clock As they filed into the jury box
Mrs. Alexander east one lurtive glance toward
them, but there was nothing in their faces 10
give her hope. AMI her EtHo was again liked
upon the floor The persons who had been
waiting I'm the court room were generally OF
opinion that there had been n disngree-
meut A verdict Of murder I'm the first degree
was deemed highly improbable and most Of tho
spectators thought verdict OF murder In the
second degr"e could not have been agreed upon
Mira. Alexander WAS asked To stand up. The
Jurors also stood up ana amid profound
Murder in. tho second degree" replied the
foreman in n ilrni voice.
The color had been coming and going in tho
prisoners ordinarily pale face. Otherwise she
betrayed no emotion until sne sank into her
scat. Then she gave way 20 loud. pitful sob
hing. She bowed her face in her hands and
developed u in the folds ~ her handkerchief.
Will her whole body trrmbled violently, -.
It's hard. ism I II y said her counsel A. VI
IAlmnlgc. IN u low voice TO another lawyer
himself almost in tears.
The spectators preserved for n minute n sym
pathetic silence. and then there arose such \
buzz Of conversation that the Sheriff was Obliged
| 90 rap loudly for order. state Attorney Olmstead
/ moved Tor immediate sentence. Mr. Thompson
! said that ~ the court was about to adjourn I'M
| I'll Tuesday. Nov IL. he could not int"rposc any
! valid objection. He asked the privilege OF re-
serving mis- right To- move for n new trial until
| that date This was agreed TO. and Judge
B...arlsey pronounced sentence; s,,r
| Lorenu L. Alexander" Judge Beardsley
said, a jury OF your counirymen, unbiased
| guilty Of murder IN the second degree"
| Mrs Alexander who was yet crying bitterly,
remainrd seated. me sheriff, who stood Just
| p"rcd 10 her. She paid no attention 10 him. but
| remained seaied. witt her face buried in her
! Handkerchief. The Sheriff touched her again
! and spoke In n louder tone. Then she arose
| Her veil was NJ. An expression OF agony had
! set itself in her features. All this time the
| Judge was pronouncing sentence.
by this verdict" he said. you IRE spared
| the horror and ignominy Of death on the scat
| fold. You may live on. but only in a felon's
| cell. Hen ,eforth society TO you will mean only
! communion with the vile and tho outcast of the
earth, nope you VIZ d.v.te what Is left to
! The sentence 81 tho court Is that the prison
| er. Iorena i. Alexander be imprisoned in the
! Connecticut state Prison during her natural
The Judges voice tremblcd while he pro.
| nounced tie hitter portion of the sentence. The
! prisoner. ait she md resumed her seat grow
| calmor. but she yet hid her face in her hand.
kcrchirf. J. y mother md daughter were cry
| ing passion .irly mt her side Several women
| among the Spectators also wrpt.
| Mrs. Alexaudcrs mother, Mrs. Sarah Haines
| has been twice married and is the mother o
nineteen children. ten by her first husband anC
nine by her spcou I. Her first husband was
Cngrl.s n Ney OF, New York, French barber
and Mrs. Alexander is his daughter. She was
born on Aug. 10. 1883. at 554 East GRAND
street, New Yors. She was married wher
q years, Of age. 70 Mr. Phelps Of East Had,
whom are living. one being Mrs. George 4
hartman Of East, Hadd3p. the. other Mrs
! Thomas Baker Of Brooklyn, After Lorcna
Phkey W., married to Mr.. Phelps .he, went
tn N"w York city. aud lived ut GO Water
street. After Mr. ph"lps'S death she was
married To- an Englishman in New York
| named Cl'gs. or Caguc. who deserted her
and who she says Is yet living. She then mar
ried Mr. Alexander, u brakeman on the Hou
sntonic road After Alexander left her sh,
went back Ca Frank Basseti. who was n former
lover. and lived with him. and 1t is said in grea
part supported him until her arrest Beside,
this she Processes To have supported hcl
| mother. her daughter lin uartl and the child u
Lizzie Cavanngh that she had adopted
Tho State Attorney told Judge Beardsley H.
day that he intended 30 begin The trial Of Bias
set on Nov. ~ il he could c,t two Judges to sit
Judges Beardslcy and Martin have other en-
| Engrmeut~. Bassett AYERS in his confession l.
Jailer Wells referred 10 in the State Al
| tOrney's argument that when he entered
! the room whore Suffering Jack wa,
asleep on the evening Of July ~ he found IN,
| wife there in the act Of administering chloro
| form to him. and that she had q pistol which
| she cooked and pointed az him tBassctu I,
| make him assist her in the murder. 1t is sait
I that the only witness To testify that h,
went To Dr. Sanfords with the body il Mrs
| Alexander. who will be- brought from the Stat,
! prison and placed on the stand against him
/ They went IN a close carriage and DIR. SANFORD
did not see Basseti. because only Mrs. AleXan
| der entered the house.