Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-22
CREAM SENTENCED TO HANG.
Found Guilty OF n. Murder Of Matilda
Clover by Po.sou--An Appeal Taken.

Pound CultY OF the Murder OF MATILDA
Clover by Po,sou---An Appeal Taken.
LoSDOS, Oct. 2l.--The trial of Thomas
Neih Cream, otherwise known as
Thomas Neil, for the murder OF
Matilda Clover by poisoning her with
strychnine, resulted today IN n verdict
OF guilty Of murder as charged IN the
lEdlctg eut. As under English law, no
appeal can be taken IN criminal cases
except 10 the home secretary, this set
ties Cream fate. lie Will be hanged,
unless be cheats tue gallOgs by suicide.
Alter the delivery OF the verdict JUS
tee Hawkins formally pronounced SEN
tauce OF death upon the prisoner.
According TO English law two full
weeks must elapse between the SEN
tence and the inhlction OF the death
penalty.
Cream appears TO have been conf
dent Of aCqu4ttai. and last night slept
soundly Tor five hours. When the
c urt opened today Cream showed no
particular Signs 81 anxiety. lie list
ened atteutveiy 20 the summing up by
Justice Hawkins, which was decidedly
Gufavorabls 70 the defense. The just
Ice considered the prisoners identity
fully proven, "a Wa also the fact that
severely censured the medical man
who had gwen n certificate OF the
woman's death without having seen
her at any recent period, and without
knowledge r. m actual observation as
10 the cause, and ne also commented
upon the evidence showing that the
dying woman bad been grossly neg
lscted. The justice dwvlt a. length on
the analysis % the government chem
1T, aud told the Jury that they should
consider the deaths of the three other
girls. Marsh. Shrvell aud Douworth,
and "a 10 whether the facts SHOWN
tended 30 inCulpate the prisoner. Inc
charge was throughout a severe ana
lysls OF the testimony. and appeared TO
pat IA end - any nope Of acqulttal.
The Jury retired A. ;45. The tone OF
the charge evidently shook whatever
confidence Nelll had entertained. tie
grew man testify anxious and watched
the Jury with close attention, while
casting turtIve gaBces at the Judge.
The Jury were absent fifteen minutes.
When they returned and the verdict
was announced the prisoner acted
sjoicsily. although making a strong eff
fort 10 subdue MS feelings. Miss saba
TIM, the young woman 20 whom Cream
had been engaged TO be marred, sObbed
loud enough 10 % heard throughout
toe court room. Justice Hawkins asked
Cream whether be desired TO say any
thing "A 30 Why sentence Of death
should not De pronounced. Cream
she ( hls head slowly. bat uttered no
word.
Justice Hawkins. in prououucing
sentence. dwelt Ia Ind gnantterms upon
the cruelty Of the DIT souer in t0rturng
80 death youug women who bad never
harmed him ~ any way. The lndgs
then pronounced sentsncs IN the ususl
form. the prison chaplain, who stood
near the Judge, responding ~ men' IN
a solemn voice. cream turned very
psIe while the Judge was sentencing
hun. sweat burst from his forehead
and trieklvd IN great drois down bis
face. Hs reffslncd however. from
spsskinx and vas removed 20 the celis
without nsviug uttered a word. The
court room vas thr nged ard the deep
e-s interest vas displayed in the pro
ceedlnEs