The evening world., 1894-05-29
IND Her NOT GUILTY,
Irs. Fitzgerald Acquitted of Ca,,
rie Pearsall's Murder,
Try Out Seven Minutes and oOh
One Ballot Taken.
Rmanded to the Tombs Pend,,.
Decision as to Her CustodiaI

rrs. Catherine NJ. Fitzgerald was =.
quted Of the murder of Mrs. Carr.
Persall to-day at 1.07 o'clock in m.
Cort OF General Sessions. the jury hav.
insbeen out just seven minutes.
here was only one ballot.
Men Foreman Abrahams announcA
the verdict In a loud voice, mi
guiy," there was applause by hand.
claping. in which everybody in court
seeied to join.
Jon J. Fitzgerald, the husband, whoss
yeas of neglect and unfaithful conduct
hav, been alleged as the cause Of her
insaity. went into court in time IA
hearthe verdict.
Mr. Fitzgerald fell back in her chair.
her ster, Mrs. McGowap, wept on her
shouler and Fitzgerald patted her of
the houlder soothingly, while judge
Cowig discharged the jury. thanking
them md telling them that he didn't SEQ
how tey could have arrived at any other
verdic on the evidence presented.
Mr.. House asked for the immediate dis
charge Of his client, but Judge Cowina
declnd to grant the request. He said:
I'm lew of the testimony Of DR.. ia
cobi ah DR.. Gray that Mrs. Fitzgerald
is liabi to have another violent attack
under ertain circumstances, feel II my
duty T. commit her to some asylum
But. uder the circumstances, 1 will
commither to the Tombs until Monday
next; ne TO-, wen VII VII listen to such notions
Dr.. Dna and DR.. Hamilton testified
that the believed that Mrs Fitzgerald
had SO ar recovered as to make a re-
her eNmired again carefully and will
try to secure her release.
Score of friends crowded about MrsJ
Fitzgeald and congratulated her on hei}
escape but she received II all without
any sbw of emotion. She shook hands
and reeived the embraces Of her femalel
friend. but returned none Of their enJ
thusiam.
She vas taken back to the Tombs.
Thee were 200 people about tho
Hous. but Deputy 81 sheriff Brown Bro 0a and
Mrs, fitzgerald made their exit by the
park nto Centre street without being
obsered. The crowd fingered awhile
and ten dispersed
, The courtroom was crowded when
LiawSr House began his opening ad-
dress this morning. Mrs. Fitzgerald's
ffteetyear-old boy. Raymond, sat be-
side ter. while her husband, for the
greatr part of the time, walked about
enter
Mr.. House said he was at loss to
knoWwhat argument Prosecutor Vernon
tlon Mrs. Fitzgerald in the face Of the
overwhelming evidence gathered from the
lips every witness both for the prose-
cutior and for the defense that "the wo-
man as mad, stark mad"
Ca 1t be made palmer" asked Mr..
Houstimpressively. "that when tlis poor
woma fired the shot that ushereA Carrie
Pearall into another world and before
anSsr herr Judge to hsr T nsr
cloudd, her mind a chaos and she was
unacountable and irresponsible. for her
act2 ., i.
she fed that shot she was incapable Of
Judgtg between right and wptng. or T. I.
gualH and consequences of her act : |
The aen prosecuting officer d the coun1
the SINE question. and we Engaged one|
OF te greatest experts In the world !
AllenMcI.ane Hamilton, to examine herj
and lecide for us. He dh so within|
as a esult we frankly answered that our
defeHe would be that of insanity-not
emobnal insanity. but diseased condi-
tion mind of long standing"
Afr telling how the prosecutors own
expeis also proved Mrs. Fitzgerald to
have been insane. Mr. House spoke Of
Mrs. Pearsall
,na "sh B, now sleeps P in tie Isl, silent city Of
forevr, and 1t would be unkind, cruel
and owardly of me 20 say one word
agaiDt her. but she had achieved the in
sane latred OF this poor wife, and she
come prominently into this case. Carrie
Pearall went to her death,. and this poor
womn Is here to answer for 1t, and the
greatscientists say that she was mad,
and le explosion came on Oct. 2. 1893.
''Tt declare this woman guilty. you,
gentlmen OF the jury, must say that
these great, medital men, Macdonald.
Flint Hamilton. jacob, Gray and Dana,
havelot spoken fhe truth under oath on
the vtness stand.
."Hi Catherine NJ. Fitzgerald been
otheIthan what she is" said Mr.. House;
'hadshe not been the sister Of one of
the ighest police officials of the city,
she ould never have been put on trial
befo, you. She is the sister of a high
oficil, and the prosecution did not dare
to rk the accusation of having favored
her ecause of that connection"
ASSISTANT District-Attorney Davis fol.
lowt for the prosecution in a carefully
preIred speech in which he pointed out
thathe murder did not at all seem the