Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-16
GUILTY BUT NOT TO HANG.
WALsH,S PENALTY INfPRISON-
MENT FOR LIFE.


vioted OF Murder in Chatham County
in Half q Century-A Remarkable
TriaI-scenea in the Court Room and
About the Court House-Walsh Await
Ing His Sentence.
When Judge Adams took his seat on
the bench Of the Superior Court Yesterday
morning the room was crowded almost 20
sufocauon. The case Of John Walsh,
indicted for the murder Of W. II. Dawson,
the old night clerk OF the Marshall house,
was set for trial and great many people
were present. No local criminal event OF
recent occurrence has excited anything
like the interest except the trial OF
Devine and O'Reilly Tor the murder OF
Emil Pheuger.
were thronged, upstairs ana down, and
there was a continual struggle for admls-
sion. Ii was with much difficulty.
squeezing and elbOwing that mem oers OF
The bar and officers Of the court worked
through the long lines to the door and
inside the rail to a chair.
Capt. George a. Mercer and j. j.
Abrams. ESQ. represented the accused.
and Solicitor General +. G. duBlgnon ap'
.peaTed for the state.
THE PRISONER IN COURT
John Walsh, the defendant, is young
man Of about % years of age. He Is
little above the average height, but is OF
spare build. he sat Immediately behind
his counsel, towards whom he frequently
leaned forward and whispered during
5he selection OF the jurors and the ex-
animation OF the witnesses. Except when
he spoke to his lawyers he rarely moved.
The greater part Of the time he sat per-
fectIy motionless, with his hands clasped
in front OF his body. Occasionally he
would change his position TO rest his face
slpOn his right hand. At such times his
left hand was engaged In twlrling his
long reddish moustache. Generally his
ewes seemed directed toward the floor,
and a casual glance gave the impression
that he was Indifferent, and was not
paving any attention TO what was trans
apiring around him.
WATCHING TIE PROCEEDINGS.
Really, however, without moving his
head, be was watching everything that
was going on, and was, though not appar-
emily so, taking the deepest interest in
every stage of the trial.
There was an impression thatlmprison-
ment had told markedly on Walsh's APP
pearance. He did not, though, seem even
q shade paler, and in fact his clean sha-
wen face did not have the blanched, pallid
look that it bore on the night OF the trag-
edy. when, in answer 10 Lieut. Green's
question. Ibid you shoot DawsOnY' he
said; 81 don't remember anything
about IT,"
Jailers claim that in the majority fcases
prisoners gain flesh during confinement,
and Walsh did seem to have few pounds
more of flesh than two months ago, when,
during de5auch he unprovokedly shot
and killed one of Savannah's most quiet
and peaceable citizens.
To the left Of the defendant sat his step
father, Policeman Thomas Morgan.
EMPANELING THE JURY.
As was anticipated, there was consid-
cradle delay IN choosing a jury. The
original panel was soon exhausted, and
The talesmen were exhausted be-
lore twelve competent men were selected.
AS one after another was challenged by
the defense it soon appeared that w alsh's
cOusel preferred a jury of young men, and
the State on the other hand rejected more
Young men than elderly ones. At lilo
p. N. John Juchter satisfactorily answered
all Of the questions put TO him, and the de-
Tense having exhausted its twentieth and
last challenge, be was sworn, making the
twelfth Juror and complete panel.
Twenty-0ne jurors were disqualified for
cause, either being opposed TO capital
punishment or being prejudiced. The
defense struck twenty and the State
struck ten, making the twelve selected
total OF sixty-three who were called.
The twelve selected We're:
W. W. DOty, r. G. NJ. Crawford,
y. j.. Stafford, Joseph r. Thompson,
r. +. WhitcOmb, W. q. Lester,
n. i. Lilienthal, Leon l.. Ryan,
j. d. LaROche, Jr., Bernard Hughes,
l.. NJ. Cornell, John Juchter.
After polling the jury, the court took
recess until 2:45 p. m.
Upon reassembling the examination OF
witnesses was begun with little delay.
Both sides pushed the examinations rap
idly, and by Z O'Clock the last witness had
been called in rebuttal.
THE PRISONERS MOTHER.
During the iafternoon session the pris-
5ner's mother, Mrs. Morgan, occupied
chair directly behind ner son. She was
clad in deep black, and wore a long heavy
veil Of the same sOmbre color. Its folds
were thrown back barely enough to dis
close her face. Twice during the evidence
she was moved 10 tears, and her face was
md IN her handkerchief. II anything. she
looked more affected by the proceedings
than her son, whose life was trembling in
The uncertain scales OF a petit jury's de-
uberatious.
1t was fye minutes past O'Clock when
Solicitor General du Bignon opened the
case by reading the Indictment, which
charged John Walsh alias "Jack" Walsh
with shooting and killing w. II. Dawson
on the night Of oct. IA, 1880.
READING THE INDICTMENT.
During the reading Walsh occupied the
same chair behind his counsel where he
sat during the morning. His eyes were
fastened on the floor, and he did not ap-
pear 20 be watching what was transpir-
ing.
After reading the Indictment the Solicit
Tor General read the legal definition Of
murder, and the different grades. Special
stress was laid upon the question OF
malice, and the prosecuting attorney
quoted authorities TO show that there is a
distinction between legal malice and
malice in the popular sense.
Dir. George j.. Hodges, proprietor or the
Marsbal house, where tho murder was
committed, was the first witness called.
in reply to questions by the Solicitor Gen-
Crai the witness stated that be knew W g.
j.. Dawson. ON Wednesday night, Oct
"A, 1885, Dawson was behind the hotel
desk.
MR.. HODGES TESTIMONY.
Mr.. Hodges went on 10 say that son
the 18th OF October. should
judge between and o O'Clock at night.
was sitting in my back Office. While
talking to my brother, and doing some