Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-07
IHE CASE OF CLUTERIUS
What the Editors Say o.
the Jury's Verdict.
SOME APPROVE, OTHERS DglPPRoVE.
The Prisoners Life in Jail---To-
norow's Decision.

The prisoner Cluverius yesterday
morning ate three rolls and two egg
| for breakfast with good relish and ap'
peared to be as cheerful as usual. Ht
had had good nights sleep and die
not rise until 7 O'Clock.
Mrs. Tunstall, the aunt with whom
| he has lived for seven or eight years,
visited him yesterday morning.
TOMORROW.
Tomorrow morning his Honor Judge
Atkins will give his decision on the
motion of the defence to set aside the
verdict of the jury and to grant new
trial. If his decision is adverse to the
accused it is hardly probable that there
will be any delay in pronouncing the
Judgment Of the court-the death-sen-
tence, as it is popularity called-and in
cluded in that will be the naming Of a
day for the execution.
A week before the verdict was
brought in counsel for the defence had
warned the prisoner to be prepared for
the worst. That probably enabled
him to nerve himself for the verdict,
and that was probably the reason the
brother dared not be in court to hear
the result. He feared, nay almost
knew, what was coming.
OF course prisoner can appeal from
Judge Atkins's decision and sentence.
Opinions OF the Press on the Verdict.
charlotte IN. C.) observer.l
Taking all the circumstances Of the
case as presented by the evidence, and
the relations of the two unfortunate
young people, there are but few who
doubt the guilt of the prisoner and that
the verdict was a just one. That is the
public sentiment in Richmond, at
least, where the case is best under
stood, and where there are some facts
in connection with it of such charac-
ter that they have not found their way
into the public records Of the trial.
RIGHTEOUS VERDICT.
Norfolk Landmark
So far as we understand the case, a
more righteous verdict was never rem
dered.
LINKS WANTING.
alexandra Gazette.l
1t is highly probable that Cluverius
murdered Miss Madison; but, for all
that, many who have read the testi-
mony in the case are by no means salts
fed that the evidence does not lack
several links to make the proof Of his
guilt so thorough and complete as to
remove from it all shadow of doubt, and
to relieve the jury Of the terrible con-
sequences Of having convicted the wrong
man.
JUSTICE HAS BEEN DONE.
New York Tribune.l
1t was difficult case, but it cannot
be doubted that the verdict is a just
oDe. In fact, the trial developed a
singular neglect Of precautions on the
part of the defendant, so that his own
carelessness in more than one instance
furnished testimony which more
shrewd criminal would have rendered
unattainable. In nearly all cases Of
circumstantial evidence there is some
room for doubt, but here the demon
stration that the victim did not kill
herself seems to have led almost directly
to the cumulative evidence upon which
Cluverius has been found guilty Of her
murder, and in this conviction there is
good ground for believing that justice
has been done.
THE CORRECT THING.
Fredericksburg Star.]
We are Of the deliberate opinion that
the verdict of the jury is righteous
one.
UNCERTAINTY.
IPearlsburg Virginian, 4th.l
The argument in the Cluverius case
will be finished to-day. The case is
left in as much doubt and mystery as
when it was first published. 1t seems
to us that it would be impossible for
jury to convict upon such evidence, but
their verdict is as uncertain as the wild
wind.
NOT WARRANTED.
Washington Star.l
The trial Of Cluverius for the murder
Of Miss Madison in Richmond has ex-
cited much interest here, aud the verdict
of guilty is surprise to those who have
carefully watched the testimony. The
evidence was entirely circumstantial,
and there was nothing which positively
connected the prisoner with the crime.
Public sentiment was greatly inaamed
over the affair, and probably the ma
jority of the people in Richmond be-
lieved that the girl was murdered and
that Cluyerius killed her. But whatever
the popular belief may have been, the
evidence, as reported by telegraph, did
not connect the accused with the deed
with sufficient directness to warrant
conviction of murder in the first de-
gree. Of course there were many
points which might have influenced the
jury that did not appear in the record,
but judging the facts from this dis
tance, the verdict appears to have been
rendered in Difference to public feeling
rather than from careful and impartial
weighing Of the evidence.
COLONEL LEwELLYN's VIEW.
lDanville Reglster.l
Cluverius had fair trial by men un-
Objectionable to his own counsel, and
in this respect he has nothing to com
plain of. That he was guilty we have
no doubt. That the evidence required
in criminal trials was sufficient to con-
vict him may be a question which,
from purely legal standpoint, admits
Of some doubts; but upon the minds
Of the jury there was not even ga rea-
sonable doubt.''
OF one thing we are assured, and
that is, that the verdict will meet with
the general approval Of the people
everywhere, and will 60 far towards
protecting them from like brutal oc-
currences, and proves how incompsra-
bly, better it is 10 refer criminals to
statute rather than mob law.
The nr;co,>or,c Iacovoa tt~ou~hn,,t