The morning call., 1893-09-24

innocent merriment that they had no sort
of conception of the soemnity Of the pro-
ceed ngS on hand.
AS soon as the unfortunate woman's
name was called Judge Seawell announced
in very brief terms that he had decided TO
deny the motion for a new trial. He could
find no errors made by the court either
during the hearing of the evidence or in
the final instruction to the Jury. This an
nouncement occasioned no surprise and
the defendant herself showed no emotion
whatever. The Judge then asked her If
she had anything to say why sentence
should not be passed upon her.
Mrs. Worthington made an affirmative
gesture and looked at Ferral. who at once
arose and made an earnest and ELOQUENT
plea to the court tor mercy. Ferrai COM
planned that the law was very harsh in
such matters, as no matter now feeble or
weakminded defendant might be, il was
utterly useless to urge such plea before
he court unless such condition of intellect
reached absolute insanity. The person
who was half-witted or silly came within
the law. This should be considered by the
court in passing sentence.
This woman" said Ferral, Twas weak
minded from the first. She was a helpless,
friend ess girl who worked drudge in a
restaurant when she came first TO this
city, and reputable witnesses have testi-
fed to the sympathy that her condition
aroused. i was not permitted to show her
character at the time, but l believe that
the court is satisfied that it was of the
best and that also should be taken into
consideration"
Ferral claimed that this further en-
feebled condition of mind which bis client
exhibited recently was largely attributab BILE
TO the conduct of the man she bad killed.
She was no bad woman; her passionate
devotion to her children afforded ample
Drnof Of that Rut che had haa. tal
advantage of once in her career, had been
tempted and had fallen. Deserted after
ward by her betrayer. the poor distracted
woman had no other thought than to take
what revenge lay in her power upon the
man who had broken up her home aud
caused an estrangement between herself
and husband.
AT this point Judge Seawell interrupted
with a remark to the effect that Worthing-
ton had taken his wife back 10 live with
him after this.
Robert Ferral claimed that bis client was
a wreiched I'M beetle woman and that the
law could not be vindicated by sentencing
her to very long term of Imprisonment,
when in such cases the man generally got
off scott free. In conclusion he called the at
tention of the court TO Mrs. WorthingtOn's
condition, and said that for the sake of the
unborn child every consideration should be
shown to the poor woman.
y.
WorthIngton and reminded her Of the ma
ture of her crime and of the necessity for
severity in such cases to act as a warning
to others. The sentence of the court was
that Mrs Worthington be mined Ia the
State prison at San Quentin for a ferm of
twenty-five years. A stay of execution for
thirty days was granted to enable Ferral TO
take whatever course seems best to him.
At present he is undecided whether to ap-
peal or not.
Mrs. Worthington took her sentence
with the same apathelic composure that
she has exhibited throughout the whole
case. But her husband and sister who
sat beside her wept bitterly, and all
present thought of the innocent little ones
who will be left motheress for so many
years to come, as we'll as of that innocent
little one. as yet unborn, that will make its
entry into this hard world within the
cheerless walls of the State prison.