Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-06-17
The Verdict of the Jury In the
Smooth Murder Trial.
THE PRISONER UNMOVeO
The Complete Record OF the
Celebrated Case.
SCENES IN THE COURTROOM.

he is guilty of murder in the first de-
gree. (Signed) j. ID. BUTLER, fore
man"
This is the verdict rendered by the
Jury at a quarter of nine o'clock Sat
urday night in the case OF the State
against Harry f. Smooth, indicted for
the murder of Miss Susie Terrell on
the 21st of last January, and tried In
the Circuit Court for Jefferson county
at CharlestoYn.
Saturday was a day long to be re
membered by those who attended the
trial referred to. The historic old
courthouse, in which John Brown
and his fellow-conspiratols received
their death-sentence, was crowded as
il had never been crowded before.
Every inch Of space was occupied by
anintensely interested, patient crowd.
MANY women sat in the galleries, and
two. besides the prisoners sisters,
found seats within the bar. The
Judge himself was all but surrounded
by the throng, who came from every
part of this and adjoining counties.
Some men stood up hour after hour
with scarcely a change of position.
Surrounded by his brothers and sis
tiers, the prisoner sat quietly all DAY
long, u deep flush overspreading his
face.
The speechmaking lasted from ~
o'clock in the morning until half-past
five in the evening. \ synopsis OF the
argument will be found in its proper
place in another column.
ALSO, when Mr.. Brown finished,
court adjourned until o'clock. The
great crowd slowly dispersed. Long
before the room again began to I'LL
up. and when the hour struck, the
same sea of faces met the eye, though
the women were no longer to be seen
among the spectators. The prisoner
came in and took his usual seat, &C
companied only by his brother Law
renee. The instructions were read to
the jury, and at half-past Z o'clock
the jurymen, in charge of Deputy
Sheriff Baker, retired to their room to
decide the prisoners fate.
Although court had not really adj
journed, business was suspended. The
Judge came down from the bench
and chatted with his friends. Cream
er Young came in and lit the circle of
gas-lights in the great chandelier
The prisoner sat in his chair by the
long table in the bar The lawyers,
whose hardest work was over, moved
about that part of the room where
there was little space and where
fresh air came in through the open
windows. A continuous hum of many
voices filled the room, and now and
then laugh was heard as some one
told n joke. The soft sound OF a
church bell in the distance stole
through the windows as the shades Of
evening fell.
About half-past eight the door of
the jury room was opened, and the
spectators waited expectantly, think
ing the jury was coming. But they
had simply sent for blank paper. a
quarter of an hour later the door
opened again. They are coming :"
were the words that ran around the
room. 1t was true. The twelve men
began to file through the door and
make their way to the jurors places.
The room grew still. The prisoner
flush extended to the roots of his hair
as he nerved himself to hear his fate.
TIE jurymen sat down. The court
warned the spectators TO make no de-
monstration of any kind on pain of
severe penalty.
White haired Clerk Latimer stood
in his place and said:
Gentlemen of the jury, have you
agreed upon verdict :"
I'VE have" said Foreman Butler,
as the others bowed assent.
What is the verdict ~
The paper was handed to the clerk
who read:
We the jury find the prisoner Har-
ry f. Smooth guilty as charged in the
indictment"
1t was not in proper language, and
Prosecutor Brown asked that the jury
be sent TO its room to correct it. The
defense noted an exception to the jur-
ors returning to their room, but they
went, nevertheless. They returned
in few minutes with the verdict read
ing this way:
I'VE the jury find the prisoner Har-
ry f. Smootz guilty of murder in the
first degree
Then States Attorney Brown took
the verdict and placed it in
proper shape, and the jury again an
nounced the verdict in these words
1--WE the jury find the prisoner Har
ry f. Smootz guilty os charged in the
indictment; and we further find that
he is guilty of murder in the first de-
gree. j. ID. BUTLER, foreman"
The verdict meant death by hang
ing.
The counsel for the prisoner asked
that the jury be polled, and each mar
rose in turn aud announced the above
to be his verdict.
The counsel made the usual motion
for arrest of Judgment and for a new
trial.
The court thanked the jurors fol
their patience and commendable at
tention to duty, and then dismissed
them for the term, congratulatine
them upon their liberation from theil