The New York herald., 1878-11-09

queer idea TO he sure but il certainly perfectly
innocent Take her statement from the evidence and
the State has at all. This statement was pub
lished some thirty days ago and has been heralded
from Maine TO Georgia and has been the subject of
newspaper talk since. The officers OF the law have
been efficient in making mp this case The State At
ms S
men, for your attention. leave this case IN your
hands.
place in the room was filled long before the opening
hour arrived and the hum and buzz of voices around
the room reminded one more of house OF amuse
ment than place where prisoner was being tried
for her lite.
At quarterpast two Judge Beardsey commenced
his charge to the jury substantially As toows:-
GENTLEMES-The prisoner AT the bar stands
before you charged with murder in the
first degree, and the state says you may in your
verdict find the prisoner guilty of murder in the first
second degree manslaughter. The issue which
you pass upon in this is whether the ac-
cused committed q crime. This is remarkable case,
and the only evidence before you is the prisoners
the crime; it she who first took the
officers to the place where the chloroform
and bottle found: it she who took them to
DR.. Sanford; it she who took them to where the
body found. The defence claim that this fact
is other evidence brought out in this ease.
but the main evidence is in her own state
ment In order to convict the prisoner you
must ind without reasonable doubt as
regards the guilt Of the accused. You must
have a conviction which must prove beyond all con-
clusion that the accused was guilty 1t has been said
at the bar that the State prove that the deceased
dead and that his death was caused by criminal
agency. The question is as to whether the body
found that Of Wienbecker or some one else. The
state say that the last seen OF Wienbecker was
in the company Of the accused his
paramour The State claim that the coat and shoes
dug up in the yard of the accused belonged to Wien
becker and that this is evidence that Wienbecker was
dead The State say then that the evidence of
the accused and the surrounding circumstances will
warrant her conviction 1t has been said at the bar
that il enough that she administered the choro
form with her hands but the State claim it
is enough. from the fact that she WAS present when
the choroform administered, the amount of
aid assistance is not material Now, gentlemen,
what is the evidence in this case !? The statement
which she related on the stand was. understood
it, that while Bassett was i'll the act of administering
the chloroform that Bassett commanded her TO hand
him the bottle; that she did hand it to
him The State claims that this is enough
if she consciously furnished the material that
took the persons life that alone is sufficient TO
yict her II is claimed on the part of the defence
the not dead when the bottle was handed to
Bassett If this be so she is not guilty OF the crime
OF murder. II is claimed further on the part Of
the defence that whatever she did in the matter
done under peculiar circumstances; that
she apprehensive that if she did not
do she bid she would be in danger Of her life
and statement is referred to by the defence
that she acted, and it is said that she had any
she did to Mr.. Holt and Others. and, gentlemen,
proper that take into consideration in this case
all the circumstances surrounding her SEX her fear Of
Bassett she being alone with him, &c: that she stood
in fear of him her not complying with his request.
it claimed the part of the State that it was
public thoroughfare and early in the evening and that
she made no effort to escape from the place. The
state claims that there must be OF escape and
that the persons must make every effort to get away
or they must be found guilty of the crime.
The State claims that there is evidence beyond rea
sonable doubt to warrant you to ind the accused
guilty Of murder i'll the first degree The State say
that they have furnished evidence outside Of sur
rounding circumstances equal TO witness that she
actually committed the deed. They say that the
whole history of her trying to dispose Of bodies
goes TO show that she premeditated the murder,
that the letter to Dr. Sanford in relation 70 res'rrec
claimed the part Of the defence. that there
motive that prompted her in killing this man; that
this proposition to sell other bodies referred to some
one else that these letters which written to
DR.. Sanford were not in view Of any plan which they
had entered into to procure bodies. It is claimed
the part of the defence that she had not prepared
the story for the emergency, but that 1t WAS plain
and simple story told without any preparation. and
they claim that 1t has been found out that the story
she told has been found true and after she had told
her story she remained free, was not arrested free
TO go, and made effort TO escape. 1t is
claimed further by them that it is Bassett
who committed the offence and that there is nothing
They say that these letters to Dr. sanfo do not fur
nish evidence pointing to the crime. Gentlemen,
submit the to you and with the evidence before
you. Take it into consideration and render such
verdict as you in your own Judgment see ht
THE VERDICT
private aud after elaboration OF fifty minutes
returned with verdict Of guilty Of murder in the
spoken Mrs Alexander dropped into her chair crying
bitterly and seemed completely broken down. The
verdict WAS great surprise to her counsel and to
disagree.
MT Olmstead then moved that the Court pass SEN
the prisoner according ~ the verdict just
rendered
Judge Martin then said:-"Mrs. Serena T. Alexan-
der, you have been brought before the Grand Jury
and they have indicted you for murder III the first
degree. At the bar Of this Court you pleaded not
guilty. You have been most ably defended and you
have been tried by intelligent jury Of coun
tryInen and they have brought in verdict Of murder
the second degree and by this verdict you have been
prevented the shame of an ignomnious death. BY
this verdict you have been permitted to live but
your life will be within the gloomy walls of prison,
To be shut out from the society Of the world while
there il is to be hoped that you will make atonement
for your past sins and prepare yourself to meet
Creator. Nothing remains for the Court but to
pass sentence upon you.
SENTENCE.
"The sentence Of this Court il that you Serena L.
Alexander be conducted to the State Prison and there
be confined during the remainder Of your natural
life
BAssErrs TRIAL MKT.
The trial Of Frank Bassett the murder Of Frank
Weinbecker viii commence week from next Tuesday.
Jaor Wells he took down Bassetts statement at
his request. In this statement Bassett says that no
knew nothing about the murder until 1t was all over;
that he came into the room and saw Mrs. Alexander
nose. He had heard outside of this statement that
Bssset said that Mrs. Alexander held pistol his
head and compelled him to do what he did in this
crime
The first ballot of the jury stood for murder in
the rst degree and six for murder in the second de-
gree. Mrs. hexAnders counsel will probably enter
motion 4 trial.