The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-06-02
CreeCh's Cry of Relief When
Convicted Of Murder
in the Second
Degree.
WINFIELD SCORES DEASE.
New York Methods of Witness Fix.
ing Condemned-Wrathy
Women Meet.

George Creech. who was indicted fer
the killing of John Smith on canal boat
in the South Cove on the evening of March
81. was found guilty of murder in the
second degree yesterday oy jury in the
Court of Oyer and Terminer.
The proceedings up to recess yesterday
afternoon were told in THE JERSEY CITY
NEWS last night. At recess, Creech's
father and mother, his sister. remark
ably pretty girl, and Mrs. Grogan. the
prisoners cousin, to whose house he fed
Immediately after the fight, went to Jar
Wis restaurant, on Oakland avenue, for
lunch. They sat at table near the door.
They had been seated but few moments
when Mrs. Mann and her pretty child
daughter entered. Mrs. Mann's testi-
mony was very strong against Creech and
Creech's party stared hard at her.
None OF them passed any remarks, how
ever, except Creech's pretty sister, She
could not contain her resentment. and
to rise to strike Mrs. Mann, but she was
held back by Mrs. Grogan-
When the Creech party reached the
sidewalk after leaving the restaurant,
Mrs. Mann passed out The women stared
hard at one another, but that was all.
ILEAS run CREECh-
Counsellor Dease began the summing
I'D for the defence. He spoke about half
an hour. but it was evident that his skill
as lawyer was not RS a pleader. Judge
Thomas F. Noonan followed. He spoke
for over two hours and made a most elo-
quent plea for his client. He gave Mrs.
Mann terrible scoring. and said she was
perjurer and a thief, who came into
court, not for the purpose of telling the
truth, but of sending Creech to the g al
lows. He dissected her testimony and
showed several contradictory Statements
Then Mr.. Noonan turned his lash on
Petrey, whose voluntary statement
caused Dease to squirm. The crowd in
the court room enj joyed the way he laid
on. Mr.. Noonan coptended that the State
had not proved its case inasmuch ss there
was no proof In the case THAI the man
who died ab the hospital was SmiGh. Yet
he was magnanimous enough not TO take
advantage of this point.
DEASE SCORED.
Prosecutor Winfield began in q low
tone of voice as follows:-"ft 10 the arst
time in my professional experience that I
have seen such methods introduced into
case as there have been into this--methods
that are unprofessional, despicable and
abhorrent. An attempt to manipulate
witnesses which has made law a mockery
in the great city of New York was made
in this case; but as long as am prosecu-
they will not avail in this court. This
man Dease. according to the statements
of several witnesses. has used these
methods and --"
Here Counsellor Dease jumped to his
feet and asked the Court TO protect him.
The Court said that the Prosecutor had
the right to 60 ahead, but Mr.. Winfield
contented himself with what he had said
, and went into the merits of the case He
made brilliant argument for murder in
the first degree.
Judge Werts began his charge to the
jury at seven o'clock. 1t was able and
impartial. At half past seven O'Clock the
jury retired. and an hour later 1t fled in.
THRILLING MOMENT.
There were about fifty people in the
court room at the time. Creech's father,
a gray-haired old man. hurried within
the railing and graspinR the prisoners
hand said:-"George, my boy, be braveF'
Big beads or perspiratiou poured from
the prisoners face. His pretty sister
leaned over the railing. and her tears fell
on the prisoners shoulder.
Foreman Murphy said the prisoner was
"guilty of murder In the second Degree
Creech leaned back in his chair and said
to his father, "WeIl they can't hang ne.
They can only give ME twenty years"
Creech was taken back TO ehe County
Jail to join young Mufrihill, who has also
been found guilty of murder In the Sec
ond degree and 10 awaiting sentence.