The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-05-08
ATVELL PLEADS GUILTY.
Hoboken's BigamouS Doctor
Arraigned in New
York.

| NEW YORK, May s, 1s93.-Judga In
graham entered the Court of Oyer and
Terminer at 11:40 this morning, and after
keeper, to eleven years and one month for
the murder of Peter T.. Farrell, ordered
Crier Ricketts, to call the case Of DR..
Hoboken physician, who is on
trial for bigamy. DIR. Atwell
| appeared before the Court attired in
| blue castor beaver overcoat and a sub
dued dark colored suit. He is a maR
rather below the medium .height, with
| high forehead, and is partially bald His
face is almost hidden by thick. reddish
brown beard. and when he faced the
| Court his keen eyes swept and took in
every detail of the courtroom. He walked
| to the bar unattended and watched the
8 lbsequent proceedings with keen inter-
est.
HISTORY OF THE CASE.
DR.. Atwell, IL will be remembered. mas
furnished to the newspapers columns or
sensational reading. The scene Of his
alleged wroBgdoing was Hoboken, and
The case has been pending so long that
the prevailing opinion in that city was
that the Indictment had been Digeon.
holed. The defendant has resided in
Hoboken for a dozen years. he has an
extensive practice. and five years ago was
| married to a Miss Bella Middleton
daughter of a wealthy grocer aud an
official of the Methodist Cnurch, OF which
the doctor was member.
All went well the couple until in the
fall of 1891. woman appeared In the
Recorders Court i'll Hoboken and, de-
claring that she was the physictan's wife,
demanded a warrant for his arrest on the
ground of abandonment.
She said her maiden name was jose
phine Wardell; that she had once been
the wife of Henry L. Hamilton. who had
| died, and that the doctor had mar
February. 1890, under the name Of
Jones. An Episcopal Clergyman. had
performed the ceremony. she said, and
| tAe Doctor had lived with her at No. 72O
| Degraw street. Brooklyn, for sixteen
months, and then abandoned her in June
| 1891.
| he CHARGED BLACKMAIL.
The warrant WAS issued, but Recorder
| McDonough was not disposed 10 act in
| the premises. as the defendant disputed
! the marriage and charged his accuser
| with blackmaiI. He also produced al
| legged letters from ner 10 which she de-
| manded money ana declared that she W 9
| prosecuting him because he would nCB
/ supply her with funds.
| An effort was made to effect settle
1 mcnt, but the woman demanding too
| high a price, the negotiations ceased aud
| and secured the indictment of the physI-
clan in February of last year. He gave
| bail. and the matter has since been III
| apevance until Saturday, when the prime .
pals were Informed that the case would
be tried today.
| The Doctor and his first wife separated
| for a few weeks, but there was a recon-
| ciliation.
1 MANY WOMEN IN COURT.
In anticipation of some spicy evidence
| there was large gathering of women in
court but the preponderauce Of those
present were men. who eagerly watched
| every move III The anticipated sensational
case 1t was understood that the letters
| which were TO be read would be OF
highly sensational and spicy nature, but
| the sensation-mongers were doomed TO
| disappointment.
| Dr.. Atwell took his seat beside the re-
| porters' rail and Stenographer RoberG
| Bonyuge sharpeued two extra LEAD pen.
ellis in anticipation of an unusual call
upon his powers, At this moment the
bediamoned ana portIy form OF Wm. =.
| Howe of the law Arm OF Howe
& Hummell loomed upon the door
way, and the big lawyer
Wended his way to the bar. He was Of
counsel for Atwell. as were Mr. Joe"
Moss and state Senator Coggeshall. State
Senator Jacob Cantor. who was DR.. At
Wells preceptcr. also went up to the bar,
Senator Coggeshall being absent. The
latter is the senior counsel for the de-
fence, but did not appear.
ODD COURT PROCEEDINGS.
Then ensued Il discussion between the
| court, the counsel for Atwell and Mr.
| Townsend Of the District Attorneys office,
who was acting for the people. That
there were a powerful influence at work
in the prisoners behalf was evidenced by
the fact that Judge Ingranam allowed so
unusual proceeding TO take place in his
| Of SRnQtQr Cantor
and the many witnesses IN court, who
were ready to testify, showed that the
interest in the case was vivid and wide-
spreading.
ATwELL PLEADS GUILTY.
Presently Counsellor Howe Deckoned to
DR.. Atwell, after The discussion bad
lasted about five minutes, and the ylsor-
ous doctor walked up to the Judges
clerk Afterward the reporters were told
that the doctor WAS asked how he plead.
but nothing in the conversation carried
on between court counsel aud prisoner
could be heard at the reporters table;
nor did 5tenographer Bonynge take
note-if he even heard word
At auv rate, after the discussion was
over, the doctor walked down compose0
self-possessed, while Counsellor Howe
don't look extraordinarily triumphant.
Assistant District Attorney Townsend
did not appear either TO DO
over elated, while the Court
preserved his severe Judicial froWn, ana
told Court Crier Ricketts, TO announce to
the assemblage that the witnesses IL the
| Atwell case were discharged.
There was amazement expressed on
every face, and the court room was
almost emptied inside of minute by q
disappointed crowd.
In conversation with the JERSEY CITY
NEWS reporter, Lawyer Howe SUISSE
quently said:
"Dr. Atwell pleaded guilty. as that was
the best plea that he could enter. and was
In accordance with the advice Of Senator
Coggeshall, who is senior counsel in the
case.h
"How does the case stand ther?" asked
i your correspondent.
SENTENCED THURSDAY.
.''The doctor has been held IN the sRma
amount OF bail under which he has been
placed, $1,000, and will come up for sem
tence on Thursday next"
| When Assistant District Attorney
Townsend was seen be was not at all
pleased with The outcome OF the proceed-
Rags.
SIS mans case." said he, sis one OF
the. aggravated cases of bigamy 10
has g., been my experience to
know, AM, think the trial should
have gone on. There has
been powerful influence at work, ano
1 urtfla 7 Suhmfttad tn the decree of the