The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-26
GONE TO THE JURY.
Hearing of the Friedrich Case
Comes to a Close.
NO VERDICT YET REACHED.
A whole Day Occupied in Arguments
A Real Estate Man Charged With
Defrauding Customers.

1880 O'Clock last night the Friedrich muir.
der case, which hss been on trial for five days,
was given to the jury. The entire day and three
hours OF the evening were taken up in the argu.
ment OF counsel There was large audience
during the entire day, and at night the court
room was flied to OVERLOOKING. Every seat was
taken and row OF men standing ran clear
around the walls of the room. There was .
sprinkling of ladies among those present
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Mcbride
opened for the state upon the convenipg OF the
court at $3.50 q. m. His speech consisted mainly
Of detailed review OF the evidence, drawing
out the strong points against the defendant. 1t
was twenty minutes of the noon hour when he
finished, but w. B. Tyler, junior counsel for the
defense, at once started upon his argument.
When he was well under way the noon recesc
was announced, but at l:30 p. m. he resumed
and spoke for two hours in the advancement OF
the defendants claim OF an alibi and reply TO
NcBride's argument
G. W. Tyler, senior counsel for the accused,
began speaking at $50, upon line of defense of
which there had been no inkling, an ingenious
theory of suicide. He argued that from the con-
ditions of the shooting this was the most plaus-
ible explanation. The wound was just back of
the ear, the ball going straight in. Neither a
shot from the front nor the rear could have
made such q wound. Furthermore, the skin
was powder-burnt, and such a thing could
lance at which Scberbring said the man stood
who fred. Scherbrings conflicting statements
ct different times also tended to establish
suicide theory. The speaker then reviewed at
length the testimony In the case, with forcible
comments upon different witnesses and the
argument for the state. His address lasted
until the adjournment at O'Clock, and was re-
sumed at 1870. 1t was ten minutes of O'Clock
when be closed.
After brief recess, Prosecuting Attorney
Miller began the closing argument of the trial.
II was the shortest of the day, lasting scarcely
an hour, but IL was carefully worded and appar-
emily had its effect on the jury. II touched but
little upon the details OF the evidence, but was q
strong appeal to the jury for a conviction.
Judge Humes' charge to the Jury was thor
ough, concise and comprehensive. After defin-
ing murder In the first and second degrees and
manslaughter, he explained infinitely the
meaning of malice in the eyes of the
Law. The subjects of circumstantial evidence
sndd motives for crime were also handled
completely. He instructed the jury that they
should rather adopt any reasonable hypothesis
ssothe killing than that which would convict
The accused, and that the previous reputation of
the defendant should have its weight in evil
dence unless overcome by testimony directly
bearing on the crime. He closed his instruc-
ton with an explanation of the credit TO he
given to the testimony OF witnesses.
At the close of Judge Humes' charge, Bailiff
Byron Brockway and T. Cookson were sworn
in and took charge of the jury. They at once
retired to the Jury room, and Ut 80 this morn
Ing were still celebrating.