The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-19
CASSIDY FOUND GUILTY.
THE SLAYER OF GEORGE SMITH TO
BE IMPRISONED FOR LIFE


Twenty-eight Hours of Deliberation
How Cassidy Heard His Fate-His
Sentence by the Court-His Counsel
to Move for New Trial-How the
Jury stood.
The jury in the Cassidy case, after hav-
ing been out twenty-eight hours, agreed at
$40 O'Clock last night, and returned a YER
dict of guilty, with a recommendation to
life imprisonment.
All of yesterday the interest in the case
deepened as the jury remained out, and the
impression grew that there would be mis-
trial. Has the jury in the Cassidy case
agreed p was asked everywhere on the street.
At 6:15 o'clock the north and south doors Of
the court house were closed and barred, and
the west doors were closed Tho Sheriff
passed out at 6 80 o'clock, having arranged
the detail of deputies for the night. Every
indication pointed to no verdict.
Ten minutes later a messenger was seen
hurrying out OF the building and he was
closely followed by another. 1t was evil
dent That the jury had come TO some under
standing, aud this did not augur well for
the prisoner, for it was not generally
believed that he would be acquitted A
stray light or two burned in the Superior
Court room, but fifteen minutes later the
blinds were drawn and the room was
lighted. AT 1902 by the clock Sheriff
Roman entered with Cassidy. The prison
er's face was flushed. The Sheriff led him
into his private Office. where Cassidy sat
with his hat on. Sheriff Roman, Clerk
Carr, one or two court bailiffs and MORN
ING News reporter were all who were
present.
AWAITING HIS FATE.
The silence was painful, and the waitingto
the prisoner, while it was but seventeen
minutes, must have seemed an hour. At a
quarter past Detective Mike Hanley came
in, and Cassidy beckoned for him
and asked for a drink of water.
A few minutes later Judge
Adams, Solicitor General duBimon, r.
X. Richards, Esq, counsel for the prisoner,
and w. G. Cam, the court stenographer.
entered with not more than a half dozen
others, who, being on the qui vive in the
vicinity Of the court house, suspected a de-
nouement. AS Judge Adams took his place
on the bench Cassidy removed his hat, dis
carded the cigar which he had been smoking
and took his seat by tie side of his counsel.
simultaneously the jury filed out of their
room. Cassidy cast a glance at the
twelve men and casping his
hands tightly held them clenched until they
paled about the joints while the finger tips
were red as carmiue. The muscles of his
ldCt W6lb IiEtl tlc ~ lSOlitL was lihhltlR
a strong physical effort to show his stoicism
to the last, and he succeeded. The jury
was called and every one of the twelve re-
sponded
The foreman held in his hand the pregnant
verdict that meant life or death. Clerk
Carr left his desk aud received from the
foreman the Instrument of fate. The
prisoner did not look up. He had settled
down waiting to hear the verdict. When
he heard 1t a trace of pain swept over his
face, and his emotion must have been deep
for he swallowed as if there was something
IN his throat. This is what the Clerk read
THE VERDICT.
1--WE, the jury, find the defendant,
Thomas Cassidy, guilty and recommend
that he be imprisoned for life in the peni-
FEB. Is, 1857
Cassidy quickly unfoded his hands and
exchanged a few whispered words with his
counsel.
Judge Adams complimented the Jury
upon its demeanor during the long and
arduous trial. He had been impressed, ho
said, with the unflagging zeal and interest
which it had manifested during the course
of the trial, and whatever result the jury
might reach, he had felt that it would be only
after an honest, earnest, careful and con
scientious effort to discharge a solemn duty.
He then discharged the jurors finally
The jury started to the leave the court
room when a whisper ran round among the
twelve mon aud they resumed their seats,
after which MIR. Teepes, in II few appropri-
ate words, thanked the court in behalf of
the jury and in behalf Of each individual
member for the compliment, and for the
consideration shown them by the court
from the inception of the case to their
final discharge. TIE jury then flied out of
the room.
MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL.
Mr.. Richards, counsel for Cassidy, asked
the courts protection for his client. saving
that ut the proper time he would
move for a new trlul. The court assured
the counsel that such protection would be
afforded until the counsel might i'll duo
time enter his motion. All this took but
seven minutes by the clock and at 7:27
O'Clock Cassidy, looking paler from the or
deal, stood in the dock with his hands
loosely clasped behind him. looking full in
the face of the Judge toreceive the sentence
which would deprive him of his liberty for
life
Judge Adams, addressing the prisoner,
said to him that he was comparatively q
stranger here and without means to com
mand the aid of counsel. In view Of this
fact two Of the ablest and most eminent
members of the bar had been assigned to
defend him. They had done 50 without
reluctance. They are men of large prac-
tlce, but they entered upon his defense to
the neglect Of this practice and with the
strongest zeal and with all of their great
ability had most ably defended him. 1t
reflected credit not only upon themselves
but upon the profession. Concluding, he said
THE sentence OF the court is that you be
assigned for life 10 the penitentiary." Cas-
sidy stepped down after listening to his sem
tence and was taken back to his cell. The
Judge and the few who listened passed out,
the clerk completed his record, and with the
docket under his arm left the court room.
The janitor turned down the lights, and the
doors were closed after an eventful trial.
IN THE JURY ROOM
Chow did the jury standlr That is now
the uppermost question. If all the jurors
keep their solemn promise never to divulge
it, as Foreman Teeple did last night when
called upon 10y a MORNING NEWS reporter
it will never be known. He said, however
that the ballots were few and the differences
slight and not radical. A few hot
heads We're anxious for an early
conclusion of the matter, but the
conservative jurors were largely in the
majority. An informal vote was taken
shortly after the jury went out Friday
afternoon, and that it showed that Cassidy
was TO be found guilty is well understood.
The long deliberatiou over the evidence