The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-06-28

New YoRK, June 2I.-Max Oiergetk
aged IS, who had just pleaded guilty Of
criminal assault upon Sarah Owens,
was shot aud killed in the general ses'
sion's court this morning by the girls
brother, Edward Owens. The murder
or was promptly arrested.
Sarah Owens was Clerpett's sister-in-
law. The outrage was committed June
IS, at 54S East Fifteenth street. Clergctt
was arrested on the same day.
The utmost excitement prevailed and
the scene was dramatic in the extreme.
A few minutes before young Clergett
was shot to death. the Rev. Thomas
Dixon had been called upon to plead to
the indictment oflibelling Excise Com
missioner Koch, and then Clergett
stepped to the bar to plead. His face
was very white, and perspirntlon stood
in beads on his forehead. The little
girl whom he had ruined was in court,
and began to cry softly as Clergett ad.
mitted his guilt. The prisoner never
looked at her. "Remanded until Thurs
day for sentence, said Judge MARITIME.
Up TO this point the case had been
conducted in the most rigid routine
way, and little or no attention was paid
to tho prisoner as he turned his back
on the Judge aud started for the pris.
oner's pen. Young Owens sat near the
pen on the end OF ono oil tho benches
reserved for the public. He is thin,
emaciated looking man. AS Clergett
approached him his black eyes lighted.
He leaned partially forward. People
afterward remembered that he held one
hand in his Jacket pocket. Clergett saw
him lust as he neared the pen door.
He faltered, and raised his hand in
deprecating way toward Owens, who
sprang forward, clasped his pistol close
to the left breast OF his sisters betrayer
and fired one shot. Clergett fell on the
broad OF his back dead. For an Instant
there was not another sound in the
room. The smoke from the pistol
mounted in tho air. Owens stood over
his victim, a look OF hate on his face,
and his derringer pointed down at the
motionless figure on the floor.
The police awoke first from theirleth-
argy and jumped for the murderer. He
made no resistance and was led into
tho hall. Then he became hysterical'
and cried aloud for his sister. He was
taken before d coroner, who committed
him at once. He refused to make any
statement, but on the way to prison he
continued to call for Sarah, Sarah"
the dead mans victim.
Ciergett's body was taken to the
morgue, where an autopsy was made.
The bullet cut clean through tho heart.
Death was instantaneous. General
sympathy is expressed for Diyins,
whose brain is thought to have been
turned by the ruin Of his sister, who
was his pet and favorite. lie has al.
ways been sickly and paralytic, the
muscles OF his right side being seri,
ously affected. He gave his age as
twenty-five years. He was born here
and Ciergett in Paris.
Hardly had the excitement caused by
Clergetts murder subsidized when an
other scene interrupted u trini in part
Of the same building. John Hied was
on trial charged with having assaulted
8-year-old Rose Liber on March s, 1891.
The case had Just been closed when
we'll dressed man sitting among the
spectators sprang suddenly to his feet
and yelled: "Who'sgota q rope2 Who's
got a rope?" He was quickly pounced
upon by several court officers and hustled
out of the building. He was not arrest
cd. He explained that his little daugh-
Tor has charge OF a similar character
pending against n man and that his
feelings were aroused by the summing
up OF the district attorney.