Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-24
VERDICT IN THE SHANN CASE
The Jury Return a Verdict
Monday Morning.
MRS. SHANN IS mot GUILTY"
Affecting Scenes in the Tren-
ton Court Room.
The Report is That the Jury Decided to
Acquit After Few Ballots Taken on
SUNDAY.

TRENTON, Aug 19-Judge Abbott charged
the jury in the Sham murder trial at 8
o'clock this morning. He said the ques.
ton was whether or not Mrs. Sham was
guilty Of administering to her son mer-
curial poison which produced his death on
or about the 18th of April last.
Judge Abbott, on the request of counsel
for the defence charged on % points laid
down as legal propositions to govern the
action of the jury, and refused to charge
on points in accordance with other re-
quests, on the ground that they sought to
coniine the jury's deliberations to the con-
sideration Of only parts of the evidence, or
were questions OF fact for the jury to con-
slider.
The jury, he said, were to eliminate
from their minds all considerations of pity
for or prejudice against the prisoner. The
fact the crime, If committed, was the
most heinous in the annals of the State,
should have mo weight in their delibera-
tons. Tho only question was guilt or in
nocence Of the prisoner.
The court reviewed the testimony in the
case, setting forth clearly what had been
proven in it, and what had not been estab-
lished. Coming down to the story of Mrs.
Sham about the disembowelment of her
son, Judge Abbott said that if it was true
that the prisoner made no cutlery, if that
occurrence was real, and if the Jury be-
long time before finding her guilty. |
they did not believe that story to be true,
but on the other hand concluded that it
had been concocted to falsify the circum-
stances of case, then the jury would take
into consideration whether it was not adj
ditional evidence OF the truth of the
charge OF murder and of the prisoners
guilt.
The court stated with great elaboration
the law in the case to. which the jury were
to apply their conclusions, and next de-
fined murder and its several degrees.
II the prisoner committed this murder
with mercurial poison and her acts were
not wilfull or premeditated, they might
find for murder in the second degree. IL
the victims death was the result of negli-
gerce or gross carelessness on the part of
the prisoner, who was his nurse, they
might find verdict for manslaughter.
The court delivered the usual caution
relating to reasonable doubt, referred
briefly to the jury's grave responsibility
and dismissed them to deliberate upc
their verdict.
The jury retired at $40 o'clock.
TRENTON, N. j., Aug. 21.--The jury
in the Sham murder case came into
court at $50 o'clock this morning with
a verdict of mot guilty"
The court room was packed with
| spectators and Mrs. Sham sat sur
rounded by her family. When the YER
dict was rendered she. fell upon her
knees as though offering up thanks for
her deliverance. In a moment she
raised her head and her daughters threw
their arms around her and kissed her.
The audience sat silent and in another
moment the formalities were over and
Mrs.Shann was discharged from custody.
AS she left the court room she was peered
at by the great throng present and a
few shook hands with her. Her daugh-
tiers and sisters now were weeping and
the whole family showed the deepest
emotion. 1t is said the jury decided to
acquit after few ballots taken ON Sum
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