Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-09-11
A MOMENT OF ANGER ]:
The History of MT. and Mrs.
 Brownlow's Quarrel

md professions, each one occupied with any thing rather than criminal psychology, and badly prepared, undoubtedly, to discern the rue from the false or to draw the reality from the mist of the clever sophistries or tho public prosecution, well drilled as 1t is, and wearing as it does the judicial apparel which the prosecution renders solemn In order to strike with better effect upon your You would, therefore, be very sxcusable If it should sometimes occur that you acquit criminals and condemn the inno- cent. But the affair which is to-day sub mitted to you is too simple for your con science to be led astray, and you will need to make no great effort of good common sense to set aside an accusation in whlca the first element of likelihood is lacking. You arc asked to declare that have killed my wife, yet my prosecutors have found 1t an impossibility to present any clear evidence that my wife was the victim of my violence. They have, it is true, declared that cer- tain corpse found Tn the river in an advanced state of decomposition was that of Mrs. Brownlow, but when you consider the mo- tives that would lead tho family of Mrs. Brownlow, preiudiced as. they are, to iden- tify these remains as her body, you need not think long before you decide that such evidence is wholly untrustworthy. But even if it should prove true that the body thus found was that of Mrs. Brownlow, there is still not particle of evidence worthy a moments consideration which shows that in any way was responsible for her death. As a matter of fact, her death is uncertain, so that if l should be inclined to marry again to-day no minister or wise jus tice or anybody having any authority to per form the ceremony would dare to do So, for hsas,
 "Here is a contradiction which will not escape your wisdom. l beg of you, there fore, to send me promptly about my busi- ness and go back to your own"
 This discourse was exceedingly awkward ; it was full of contemptuous condescension for the institution of the jury, contempt which the accused would have done better to dissilnulate. The public prosecutor prof. ited by this mistake; he took good care to emphasize it in his reply to the Jury, which was 0 forcble resume of all tho testimony and an earnest appeal to the jurymen not to be led astray by any idea that the defendant was not in his right mind.
 'Why," he said, lis it that a wealthy man should deliberately refuse to employ coun- sel in his defense, whose whole course has been contrary to what would be taken by most sensible men. Why has he done sol Because the weight of evidence is so tre- mendous that he ltuo,Js there is no escape from it, but hIS oGN chance Tor life, which he, as all men, holds dear, is to convey the | impression that he is insane; but UT to this | time there has been r2thlHg in the career oi | the defendant which has led any one to sup pose that hls mlnd was not as well balGuc, as that of any otllcr member of this com | munity."
 The Jury finally retired a1out four o'clock | in the afternoon. N'!.l. zero the circum stances that had most weight upon theil | minds, and what wns the course of their dc | Alterations it would he matifestly improper | and, as a fact, impossible to say. Th' \ secrets of the jury-rooln gro kept profound | ly sacred in almost all Cases. It was c2r | tainly so Ill this. The audience in 1'lc court room remained for nearly two ho"rs with out stirring except to indulge in s"Myo"sa t tion When it was nearly Six o'clock Wor' II was sent in from the jury-room to reQuos II instruction from the court upon point reta \ tive to the value of crcumstcntial evidence \ and the evidence of the relatives of the dc Il ceased. When the instruction that hat been asked for had been given thcrc Wa another wait, and after tho rcon, had groWl dark and the janitor had lighted the gas
 many of the spectators went out, one afte
 another, believing that the verdict woul'
 not be reached that Sht. Tho more the
 waited the more certain it seemed that
 disagreement would be tho result. An
 yet when the jury first went out it was tn
 universal opinion that verdict ot guilt
 would be recorded. At halt'past eight
 few loungers in tho courtroom Wer
 startled from their euuui by the appearanc
 of the court crier, who came i'll to announc
 that the jury were ready to return Tn
 judge, who had been chGtting in the COT
 sultlng room with several lawyers, returne | to his place on the bench, and in three min | utes the courtroom was crowded again it's utmost capacity. Not many of the fash
 iouable people who had been thero durini
 the trial were present, but their absenc
 was more than made up by others who ha,
 struggled in vain for an opportunity to hea
 the testimony. The defendant was broIgh \ in from a room down stairs where he ha
 been waiting alone and was placed again a
 the bar. The Jurymen filed in, led by a | officer of tho court, and took their places ul | on the bench.
 Mir, Brownlow looked at thelr faces il
 tently as they passed, but in none of thel ! could he discern hint of what was to com
 When all had been seated and the roll Ina
 been called, the clerk proceeded to put u ! formal questions: "Gentlemen, have yo
 agreed upon verdict in the case of the d
 fendant at the barf'
 "We have" answered the foreman.
 "Gentlemen, what say you, is the d fendant guilty or not gulltyl"
 The foreman's face was grave and stead
 as he responded: "Guilty, as charged
 the indictment"
 There was a slight rustic in the cour
 room as all eyes were turned upon M
 Brownlow. He did not move muscle, bl 7 looked curiously from one face to the otht
 in the jury box, as if wondering what ella:
 and manner of men they could be who cou | arrive at such decision upon the facts
 presented in the trial There was sigl pause before the proceedings were resume ~ When they were the clerk said: "GustaN Brownlow, stand up"
 When the prisoner had rlsen to his fe
 these questions followed:
 "What is your ager"
 "Thirty-one."
 ' "Your place of residenceP
 "No.- Fifth avenue"
 "What IS your occupationW
 MT. Brownlow paused for momer ;, then he responded: "I have no business" " 'e After that he was permitted to sit dov
 again, but in a moment more the judg