The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-06-21
THE POCOMOKE CITY TRAGEDY.

SNOW IIiL!, Md, June f9.-'lhe jury
in the ease OF Miss Lille Durr tried for
the homicide OF Miss Ella Iiearn by shoot
ing her with Il pistol last November, al
Pocomokc City. rendered their verdict
this morning, finding Miss Duer guilty of
manslaughter. The ease was given to
the jury yesterday evening, and they
came into count at 9.iJ this morning.
The court house was crowded. but the
stiffness OF death prevailed when the
prisoner entered. learning on the arm of
the sheriff. The panel was called, and
in reply to the question of the clerk. tie
Jury announced that they had agreed upon
Il verdict.
Granville Stokes. the foreman. when
called. answered. Guilty Of murder.
with recommendation to the mercy Of
the Court
Judge Wilson informed him that the
verdict must be formal. and the reply
must not be guilty of murder. but guilty
oi mansiaug!itcr. Tie formal answer
was made. but before the clerk recorded
the verdict, Mr.. Irisiield. OF The counsel
for defense. demanded poll Of the jury.
The panel WAS then called. and the All
swtr of guilty of manslau"htrr. given
until the name of Edw T. Callsey. the
eighth Juror. was called. He answered
distinctly mot guilty" That reply ere
ateu Il sensation in court, and Appeared to
afford relief to many i'll Tic court house.
Judge Wilson then said. rs the Jury had
not agreed, they would again have to
retire to further consider.
The jury then retired to o::e of the
jury rooms in the court houSe and subSc-
quentiy to their room at the hotel.
Lille Duer occupied the same seat
within the bar where she has sat since
the trial began. She remained appar-
emily calm. hut was suffering from some
mental emotion, and few tears tricklcd
down her checks. Her father and sister
Matilda sat by her as they lave since the
trial began. The jury notified the court
that an agreement had been made at
Ills \. NJ, and they were summoned
into court. After the panel had been
called, and i'll reply to the question. the
jury answered that they had agr, ed. and
the verdict was = Not guilty OF murder.
but guilty of mans!aughter. Mr.. Pur-
nell demanded the poll of the jury. and
they answered us their foreman had all
swered. The sheriff then took charge of
the prisoner. and the count took recess
until , o'clock.
The verdict was not altogether unex-
pected. as it was reported this morning
that manSlaughter would he the result OF
the iury's deliberations.
Much sympathy is felt for the prisoner.
who. by her demeanor during the trial
has made friends among those who at
f,I+ !
belief that she was guilty.
The penalty for manSlaughtcr fixed by
the Mary land Code of 1864, chapter 30.
is imprisonment in the penitcntiary not
exceeding ten years, or i'll the discretion
of the Court fine not exceeding $500 or
imprisonment in Jail not exccehiag two
years or both fine and imprisonment in
jail. The Judge in exercising his discrc-
ton may make the fine as low is one
dollar OF the imprisonment only one day
i'll jail.
The general effect created by Miss
Ducr' appearance in court was in her
favor. and even the most phlegmatic of
the onlookerS We're compelled to acknowl-
edge that her thoughtful. intelligent face
went to confirm the stories of her pos
session of a decided. cratic and eccentric
attire, the neatly gloved but rather large
although well-sllapcd hands. and her
composed not to say sclt-posscsscd. de
mcanor gave her the air of a refined
and city-bred girl and made her APP
pear quite out OF place as she stood
contrastcd with the hundred of awkward
and questionable country girls who have
been her social peers. and this refinement
was all the more striking as the eye of
the spectator passed over her face to,
successfully. the faces of her mother
father and sister, ranged as they were in
that order next to her. There was the
family likeness in them all She was Ter
parent child as sure as ever parent had
Il child. but the mother. while an intelli
gent and quiet lady. seemed fur the
daughter inferior i'll breeding and man
ncr.
Miss Ella Hcarn was eighteen years
old. of Il somewhat full yet symmetrical
figure. with dark. wayy chestnut hair
black eyes. pretty face. and, in the Ian
guage of the prisoner herself, "a sweet.
modest girl.
Miss Lille Ducr is in hcrtwenty- second
year. of an awkward. M graceful figaro.
dark hair. clear. almost cl;, SSically cut
features and eyes large. hazel. brilliant
and beautiful The side f; ce is intelli-
gent and pretty. but the full face. while
equally Us intelist Mt and intellectual. is
by Ito means pretty. Her behavior
throughout the trial has been modest vet
spirited.
The shooting occurred at Po:omoke
City. Worcester county. i'll November.
Some four weeks later Miss llcarn died
and was followed t" her grave bya whole
village. IN the Episc0l al graveyard.
under the shadow of 4 wild cherry tree
rest her remains. Never before III the
history Of the little town was there ever
50 much tenderness OF feeling evinccd for
one person and So much bitterness launch
ed at the head OF another.
Miss Ducr WAS arrested on the charge
of murder. but a!terw:,r, released on
hail. As the day Of the trial approached
the excitement increased. On the Goth
of May the trial was begun i'll the old
fashioned court house at Snow Hill. the
county town of Worcester The array
of counsel on both sides WIS as brilliant
as could be found anywhere on the Shore
For the State there appeared Samuel
Townsend and Henry Page. and for the
defense John W. Cristicld. James UpShur
Dennis. and MeSSrs. Purncl and Barnes.
Day after day, and night after night, the
fight was continued until late last even
ing.
The arguments on both sides were co.,
cluded and the case given to the jury ut
lilo PM. Mr.. Geo. W. Purnell concluG-
ed his argument. and endeavored to show
that no malice had been proved on the
part of Miss Duer.
Hon. James [. Del MS followed for the
defense and argued that Miss IIcarn's
death was caused by choral. Mr.. Girls
field closed for the defense. and made a
long and able argument.
Mr.. Page made the closing argument
for the State. and endeavored to SLOW
that the shooting was not accidental. but
was prompted by jealousy. and that death
was the result oftEe wound. and not of
the choral. The jury agreed with Mr..
Page. and found the verdict given above.
At , o'clock Miss Ducr was brought to
the bar and sentenced by Judge Wilson.
In passing the sentence Judge Wilson
said the defendant had been convicted Of |
a most heinouS crime. but III conSi,lcra- |!
ton of the rec pMmendatio!i of mercy by |
the jury. and her previous good character !
he would not intict the full penalty of |
the law. but would impose Il fine of 500. /
Miss Ducr was committed to the Gus
tody of the sheriff until the fine is paid /
1t was stated that the amount of the fine
was raised yesterday. part OF the sun.
having been contributed in Baltimore.
go Solid Walnut t.Ilanibcr Suits full