The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-16
PLEADING FOR KATE COBB.
,,so FoR HER CONVICTION FOR THE
urRDER or HER HUSBAND.
c...,.,lor Thresher, Prosecutor Waller. and
Coreres.uan wait Addressing the Jury
Tn. Court Room Thronged with sPects-
New Evidence Against Mrs. Cobb.

..,ri nned the court room this morning. SO
Va, vas the rush that fully half an hour be-
10 tho opening the asles. Hobbies. and passage
80 were blocked up with an exasperated
,brone clamoring for admission. Judges.
Jurors and lawyers had rs much as they could
40 TO make their way through tho pushing.
s,,oe,nc mass and when they did reach the
int,rlor o. the bar thoy found II blocked up by
ncrsons who had no business there. Two
eayly dressed women had invaded the sacred
prccinc,s Of the jury box. and there was a loud
roar Of laughter whom constable marched up.
and despite their protests. turned them out.
when at last the court settled down to bust
moss thcro was not an available foot OF standing
room cit In the auditorium. Not only were the
soats filed. some Of them with rows OF people
Standing and rows Of others seated. but tho
nsles vcro packed with mon and women.
reaching far out into the vestibule and beyond
Tho sound ofthc speakers voice. The temper
Of the crowd. strange to say. was more loud
and boistcrous than on any previous day. and
during tho brief interval between the lawyers
addresses the hubbub OF conversation and
laughter WAS overpowcring.
Mr. s. s. Thresher for the defence, opened
BY paving his respects to the Syrian theory
which had excited so much ridlcule on the part
Of tho prosecution. He said that Roscoe and
others had endorsed ii. and even Prof. Taylor.
who had been quoted against II. had spoken in
It's favor. In the light OF this theory. 1t was
easy TO see how Cobb could have believed that
eating arsenic powders would fatten him.
There was a popular notion that arsenic was
fattenlng. and Cobb had imbbed that notion.
Tho evidence showed that tho poison had been
administered in inhnitesimal doses Was It
likely that an angry woman would have given
1t this way9 Was II not much moro likely that
she would have given 1t in large quantities-in
Jumps 50 to speak, A woman's idea OF a dose
was a teaspoonful. and II the prisoner wanted
70 kill Charley Cobb she would have given him
enough TO insure immediate success.
A. the counsel was going on TO speak Of some
other evidence which 1t was claimed the de.
fence we're unable to lay before tho jury he was
Interrupted by Prosecutor Waller who rose and
said: q" hope your Honors. that this gentle
mans remarks will be confined to the evidence
taken in this court. There has been no attempt
on tho part Of the prosecution to restri I this
inquiry or to keep out testimony. and he has no
right to hint that there Is matter in the back
ground which might influence the dstermin-
Mr. Thresher disclaimed any intention Of so
doing. and continued: The evidence that Mrs.
Of Wesley ". Bishop, who confesse, 10 having
lied about this matter over and over again
who plesads guilty to sedueing tao vile Of a
brother Mason. An oath was administered to
him. In substance If not In form. when he
sworc TO his first statement aud yet a
With a second. different from tho FIRST.
mud day or two later with third. different
STILL and then with fourth which contradicts
the three preceding ones. Here. on the stand
he contradicts himself again. and yet they ask
You to hang THIS woman on his testimony. The
Bishop for lying2 He Is under the gallows al
ready. and cannot save his own neck But by
telling these atrocious lies he has gained what
every guilty criminal wants-tims. Ho has
gained the transfer Of his case and the placing
procedure his should have preceded hers. But
they want 70 know this motive. They might as
well ask what motive has the father Of lies for
concoctlng all the evil in the world. He's got TO
siraws, He Is willing TO tell anything. 70 swear
been put on trial 6rst be would have Instant
ly been found guilty OF the most foul
6eyish motive that Induced this wretch. after
VIII HIM Ills woman. He has has led and fed and
on affirmation. and yet You are asked to believe
him. Thus Bishop talks about letters and says
b. produce. lie says that he received one at
Troy. but he doesn't produce Il. Instead he
shows little pieces OF poetry. which he says he
d. proof. The only piece OF poetry that con-
famed anyof her handwriting was that dated
July 10. Here the counsel read tho FIRST verse.
mmiek.ns the nasgl tones and lerky emphasis
o. q town-east Yankee in a way that set the
audience IN roar
q .ghi-ihe stsr.-iew .eeu-to shine,
The lsh I-awakc-ouer theough-l dream.
Do You believe" he continued. " that this
lady a4 lressed such poetry 10 this feNowf In
a. au thor piece she speaks Of herself as being
far away Far away, indeed! In Troy. only
DAY b Journey" The presents, in counsel 4
opinion. went FOR moth ing. Al the evidence in
II q man could reach a woman three or four
lines day at his own house. what reason
corners " the suburbs 70 meet her What
would she want 10 go up there To meet him fOT
II she could SEQ him every day The young
men who swore to meeting her out there n
school street. two nights before her hushand's
death, were none Of them acquainted with her
Her story was perfectly probable and consist
his grocery He wanted the woman, and had
every opportuniy to get SooD ont oil ne way:
tomatoes 10 them. He knew Just who ate them
aud who didn't, and who drank tea and who
didn't Who had better opportunity or more
o. temptation TO put tho man out oil the way
Than he had
1T ms woman go" shouted tho counsel,
eli-prl'laimed wretch and murderer. Bishop
10 hanged On tho gallows higher than that oil
Hamau. that he has earned"
During the ton minutes recess large cham.
pagA" hamper was brought into court; Word
was passed that il contained lunch for the jury
hnd a. the latter caught sight Of bright~colored
pa ~ 81 klng ont at the top, thcy smiled pleas
MY When " WAS emptted on the Pubic
=
nnr. than the Handkerchief and other trinkets
exchanged between the prisoner and Cobb, tht
c'uLteuanccs Of the twelve fell. the noise in the
hal ways and lObbies was almost deatening, unt
y required loud and repeated rap5 by the
Sl.r.i AMI his deputies 10 restore order.
Ma Waller rose 10 speak at Ricw minutes pas
il. Tho Public Prosecutor WIS suffering from
a7Dyrre "od and great exhaustion, having sal
W .nn late hour 10 prepare his argument
iai DIS III n. was pronounced ny the entire bal
hs .ar ~ thr Hhl,st and most brilliant ever pre-
-iul fp a Connecticut Jury, When he begai
la sol 'r was weak and hrarse, but AS he
warmed with his subject his voice rang GU
l.l aul clear as a bell Tho Jury listened viii
10 closest Mt 'utlon. paying. apparently. IA
L.'fe fosard 20 his uuernntes thdn 10 thOse o
any ~ fI" preceding speakers.
u" Ne-tu uy suying that nc mass OF crlinl
panty presented against the prisoner by m
S.'ri .rlr4 very little u the advocates aid 1
-f. ar tLd lircrt and Overwhelming A. Z
leave not no ighie-t reasOnabl" doubt that m
Ger Was guulY Crimes were committee
lv1 r"a-uus--for gain or for tho grMifca
N'h '' criminal passion ot some kind; lie de
% CH JAS young New Englanier Of IN
l4-'tNs- habits and genial temper 10 ma
ON 100 r.~ 4 ON his business 81 some f2OuO
l".I, wLIeh he spent Oh his wlin and children
ana me h'hutiYiug Of his hom". lie ba'
st"l D.. tlIng. aud when he died the only INNS
r. wife WAS an Insurance policy 10
u 'I Gam could not have been the obIcc
Ac 'tiu". 1t must therefore, nav