Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-07-24
HUTCHINGS. THE sTRANGLER.
He is TO be Tried by a jury, After Plead
ing Guilty.

fSan Francisco Post, July cd
1t is settled now that Frank Il. Hutch
incs is to have jury trial after all. Judge
Wilson. who had the novel experience of
being the first Judge in California TO hear a
prisoner plead guilty to murder, felt sorely
troubled over The responsibility of both
Judging and condemning a being.
and intilnatcd as much to District Attorney
sullivan. Yesterday afternoon f. A. Horn
blower and Louis Dunand visited Hutch
| ings at the County Jail. and. after much ar
gument, prevailed ON him to have the pro
ccedings of Monday night SET aside The
stranger was brought before Judge Wilson
| to-day. Mr.. Hornblower stated that he
| had been retained in the case, and moved
| to set aside the proceedings, which was
| done. Counsel entered plea of not guilty
| Tor his client, and demanded jury trial
| When the Court asked Hutchings if
that was bis desire, he said, earnestly
I'd rather plead guilty, and have the mat
| ter over: hut they'll not let me do as |
! want 10, 50 III have 10 stand trial after
| ALL
What time would best suit you?" asked
| the Court.
To-day, if possible, or tomorrow at the
| latest replied lIutchings.
District Attorney Sullivan urged that it
| he would suggest tomorrow The order
| was made and a special venirc of Jurors
was ordered. Hutchngs, after the ordeal
submitted his hands TO the handouts
walked up to the Jail with Deputy and
was placed in cell a. murdcrers' row.
TO Il reporter he said: Send me up a
paper occasionally. | like to read the
news, especially the police items Don't
YOU know continued he, " that ! take q
| morbid interest in crimes of all descrip-
tons, aud / especially like to read Of
strange and unnatural crimes"
That replied the reporter, is con-
| sidered by some as an evidence of insani-
! ~ 1t certainly is sort OF monomania.
| By that You mean, continued Hutch
| ings, with q smile. that you think | may
be little cranky. You are dead wrong.
am as sane rs you are. You newspaper
men can never understand that a man. es-
| pecially of strong feelings. may become SC
engrossed in a woman that he would even
murderer her rather than that she should
| become another'S. That was the case with
| Wheeler, and that is my fix. Wheeler was
not insane. neither am J. Wheeler wanted
! To die right after the event, and thought he
, would 20 straight to heaven and meet
| his victim. ] have the same desire, but
| do not expect To 90 to heaven, but to the
other place, which the Greeks called hades
But he changed his mind il time, and 50
| may ]. That's why | want to be hanged
! now 1t Will be ten times as hard 10 die in
! Il year Us now. But neither you reporters
nor the Court seem to understand this
| You'll come and see me at the Jail, and
bring me a book and some cigarettes
/ When am reading and smoking, then
forget all, and the time travels much
| faster
As Hutchings moved away District Al
| torncy Sullivan remarked: That's a
strange case. | hardly know what to think
! of il. But | do not blame judge Wilson
for having 4 jury pass upon it. The trial
/ ought nor to take more than all hour to-
morrow. hut the trouble is that the case then
NAV be appealed again and again. If he
! changes his mind aud wants to live, or is
coaxed into making struggle by some
attorney anxious for notoriety, his execu'
ton may be DELAYED for two or three years
The result however, will be the sans
| eventually"
Captain Lees. who is about as good 6
! Judge of criminal character as can be found
when asked as TO Hutchings' sanity. re-
| piled cniphatically: u do not know.
| can't begin to tell whether the man is in
sane or not OF course, if he acts insanely
| then he's crank. But there has beer
| cases of insanity where there was no visi
1 bic signs of infirmity. | recollcct a case il
| Napa. \ man killed his wife otter living
| tremendously with her for thirty years
Although the act was witnessed by several
| he denied it, saving, Why should / kill
| her? | had no motive in doing so. loyeC
] her always There was no motive shown