Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-09
THE DEATH SENTENCE.
Louis SOmmerfleld's Execution Ordered
For Killing His Wife and SOn.in.LaW.
THE CASES OF THE OTHER CONVICTED MURDER
ERS NOW IN THE WASHINGTON JAIL-LEE's
SENTENCE PosTPoNED-THE NARDELLo MUIR
DER.


There was large attendance in the Criminal
Court to-day when the case of Louis Sommer-
field, convicted of the murder OF his wife and
son-in-law, was called. The district attorney
asked that the sentence be imposed in the case
where the wife was the victim (No. 16, 1867.
Sommer1eld being unable to understand Eng
lish, Mr. Worth was asked to act as Interpreter.
On informing the prisoner that sentence was
about to be imposed he said he appealed to the
statutes, and asked that the sentence be pro-
longed until after the next General Term.
The court said that could be done when there
here.
MI. Phelps, his counsel, said he would except
Mr.. Worthington remarked that Mr.. Phelps
could call the case at the commencement of
the the Gensral Term, and they could then stay
Mr.. Phelps prepared a formal motion to post
taken to enable defendant to apply for a writ OF
error.
Mr.; Phelps suggested that the day be fixed be-
yond the next General Term.
The court said he proposed to fix the same
day for the executions. but at different hours.
the court read the sentence-that he be taken
TO the jail and kept in confinement till the sec
ond Friday succeeding the adjournment of the
next General Term, and that between the hours
Of II o'clock In the forenoon and o'clock in
the afternoon Of that day "you be taken to the
until you are dead; and may God have 0H mercy e:y
upon your SOUL"
Mr.. Worth then interpreted the sentence to
the prisoner, who listened attentively. He
asked: "When will it take placer? and Mr..
Worth answered: about May or June" He
then returned to the box, apparently satisfied.
SoMMERFIELDS DOUBLE CRIME.
Sommerfield, on the afternoon of November
goth last went to the house of Gotlieb Eisen-
braun, on Maryland avenue, near 18th street
northeast. Eisenbraun had married his daugh-
ter by q former wife. Sommerfield insisted on
to the room where she was dispute the efforts Of
Eisenbrann to prevent him. Sommerfield shot
Eisenbraun and then, running into another
| room, also shot and killed his wife. He was
arrested shortly after, and was indicted and ar
raigned November 30th, His trial and convic-
ton took place December 10th last. Messrs. E.
T. Phelps and j. E. Maedel were assigned to bis
defense by the court. Sommerfield is a Pole 10y
birth, o. years of age, feet inches in height,
rather squarely built, weighing 165 pounds. He
was engaged in truck gardening. On account
OF his bad treatment the deceased wife had sew
eral times before par, d from him, and, at the
time ri her death, had left him and was living
with Eisenbraun, the son-in-law.
The Lee Tragedy.
MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE VERDICT POST
PONED UNTIL NEXT SATURDAY.
Messrs. Walker and Taylor, when the case of
Richard j. Lee, convicted Of numbering his
wife, Mary Lee was reached, called up the mo-
ton to set aside the verdict on the ground that
one of the Jurors, Thomas w. Chase, was vir-
tually in government employ at the time, and,
therefore, disqualified to sit as juror.
The court directed that they file the affidavits
by Thursday, and the case went over to Satur-
day next
Lee was convicted Of having murdered his
wife, Mary Lee on the night OF November Odd
last, by shooting her. The tragedy occurred
near the corner Of 4th and K streets southeast.
Lee pursued her from her sisters residence,
near by, to the street, and shot her down. Lee
was arrested the same night, and an indict-
ment against him was found on November 25th,
and he was arraigned the same day. Messrs.
signed to his defense, and his trial took place
December 18th. He was convicted the follow
ing day, and on December 26th the motion for
years old, five feet eight inches in height,
weighs las pounds, has light brown complex
a nad r is ssh IL soob
Washington. has had some education, and was
familiarity known in the southern section OF the
! business, and was also musician, attached
| TO his brothers band playing the second vio-
| lin He had been married to the murdered
woman over five years and when not In LIQUOR
was regarded as very fair sort Of man. OF
late years he had frequently drank to excess,
ana this habit led to his wife leaving him.
STILL AWAITING SENTENCE.
| There are now in the Jail here three prisoners
| convicted Of murder, and it was expected that
the death sentence would be imposed on all
| three of them to-day. The other candidate for
| the gallows in addition to Lee and Sommerfield
| is the Italian Antonio Nardello, convicted of
the murder OF his cOuntryIn IN, Carmine Ro-
| tunno. About three weeks ago this day was
| fixed to dispose OF their cases 10y sentence. In
the case Of Nardelo, for whom ex-District At
| torney Corkhil and I. NJ. Field appeared the
motion fer new trial, supported by affidavits,
had not been disposed OF, and the District at
| torney asked time to reply to the affidavits he
was not brought up for sentence this morning.
Nardello was arrested for the murder Of Ro-
tunno by cutting his throat
NARDELLo'S CRIME.
The murder occurred in an unOccupied house
east OF the reservoir, in the county. The theory
| OF the case was that the murder was committed
| for money. Nardelo did not deny that he was
present but asserted that two other men were
present and committed the crime. The trial
Was one OF some difficulty, for most of the wit
nesses were Italians who could not speak Eng
lish we'll. Since his commitment to Jail, and
during the trial, Nardello has seemed rather
Indifferent as to his fate. He is we'll built man
| of perhaps 25 or % years OF age, has rather an
angular lace blue eyes. dark brown hair, in
clined to curl, and weighs about 1875 or 10
! pounds.
The SnGW.COvered Capitol.
WORK ON THE TERRACES SUSPENDED