New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-21
PORTER ACQUITTED
VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY RENDERED.
THE JURYMEN DELIBERATE FIVE HoURs-PoETER
THANKS THEM.


THANKS THEM.
,rha trial of William Porter for the murder of
LIN Walsh in Shang" Diapers liquor shop III
SS;xtb-aye.. on October 10, when John irving was
also killed was ended before Judge paws S;tb te
acouittal of the prisoner Great interest TaS man
tested in the trial, as shown by the cIoWdGu eoo
room when the case resumed. inspector
vrnes testified to Porters surrender to him and
the prisoners denial that he had been IN Draper
place beyond the hallway Detee rrsetsd ore
gloves and carried slyer-head sWltch cane III l,lo
left hand. Captain Williams ana captain Day tle
expert III firearms were IeG9Su. M soneT nrc
senting the testimony, which, he asserted favored
the prisoner and drawing the conclusion that IN no
possible manner and on no possible 0aSs deuuC3TIu
from the evidence could Porter be held guilty. lie
laid special stress the testimony of OLeaIy ana
Fay that Porter passed out OF the hallway VIII
Fay and that shots were heard after that OulSI
az applause following the cOunsels address was
quickly stopped by Judge Davis,
Assistant District Attorney OByrne IN sulllliinS
M for the prosecution, declared that Porter n4u
had time TO do the shooting after he was seen III VIZ
hallway. There was no doubt that the plstol
found behind the barrel in the billiard-room pc
longed TO Irving; the bullet found correspondent 10
the pistols found The circumstantial evidence
against Porter, Mr.. OByrne asserted, was over ,io
Whelming. VOsburg's story, he stated; was tno
only one at variance with the theory that Porter
was i'm the room, and VOsburg had been cohVlcte4
of perjury. The evidence relative 10 IG , PiiS od
with the ivory handle was fictitious my i hat
such pistol not been prOducedT Inc case asdlhSV
the prisoner was complete. o.,-
Indpe Davis begun his charge to the Jury, AT 90
n m and IL lasted until nearly .. The question
was he said who killed Walsh. If Porter had gone
to the place for the purpose Of shooting WALSH ana
had killed him. he was guilty i'll the first degree
II only one bullet had been fired from kthe pistol
found behind the barrel and this had been fired in
The bar-room and this pistol belonged to Irving,
then some one else had fired the fatal shot. -" The
most important question for the prisoner" said
Jnd0e Davis is the testimony establishing ms
nrcsence i'm the hallway. You must decide whether
The prisoner had sufficient time in which to do the
shooting If YOU arrive at the conclusion That,
beyond all reasonable doubt, Porter was the man
who fired the fatal shot, and that no other pistol
than those found was used then the prisoner should
be convicted"
The Jury retired at 10 minutes Of o. and renamed
out until 9:45 Judge Davis, who went home early
i'm The evening had taken his seat on the bench,
and the court room was filled with spectators when
the Jury filed in. Clerk Sparks called the roll ana
Porter and the Jury stood facing each other.
"Gentlemen of the jury, have you agreed upon Il
verdict p Judge Davis quietly asked.
1--WE have" responded Foreman NOlhhger'
"What Is Your VerdlctT
mot guilty" -,..,o ;.r,,1
Tumultuous applause broke the almost painful
Stiffness of the room, and the court officers had
great difficulty in restoring order, forter
received the verdict with a smile, ana
was discharged from custody. Tie. SHOOK
hands with each Juror, thanking MN Ior
tine verdict The cTOw0 dispersed slowly. Porter
remained in the rOtunda Tor time in order 10 es-
cane the throng outside the Court House and then
went away with his counsel and his friends.