The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-10
Franz Beck MAY Be HUNG
Jury Rendered Verdict of Murder in
the First Degree.
COURT COMMENDS THE VERDICT
Judge Edwards States from the Bench
That 1t Meets His Approval Prisoner
Does Not Seem TO Realize His Fate.
Secrets of the Jury Room.

Mufuerer franZ Beck was convicted
Saturday afternoon of murder in the
first degree. and the almost unanimous
popular opinion Is that the verdict was
a perfectly just and deserving one.
Not long after o'clock Judge Ed
wards, who was presiding in surety
court in No. l, was notified that the
jury had agreed and was ready to de-
liver verdict. A messenger was sent
post-haste to the county Jail, and at 245
Beck, in charge of Deputy Sheriffs
White and Bortree, was marched into
the prisoners dock.
The jury filed slowly into court and
took seats in the box to the right of
the bench. On the faces of every man
Of them was depicted a solemn look
that was forecast OF the determina-
tion at which they had arrived. The
prisoner was led to the defendants
table; and he looked somewhat pale
and nervous Every seat in the court
room was occupied and along the walls
listeners were lined three deep. Mar
tin WOyshner sat beside the prisoner
and conversed interestedly with him.
Judge Edwards ordered the verdict
taken, but before this was done At
torney Watson asked the court to order
the stenographer to read the courts
instruction to the jury in the morning.
After this was done Deputy Clerk of
the Courts Thomas p. Daniels read the
names Of the jurors, and each one an
swered aloud.
Gentlemen of the jury, have you
agreed upon a verdict" asked the
clerk. c. W. kirkpatrick, the foreman,
answered, I'VE have" Court Crier
written the prisoners DOOM passed 1t
to Clerk Daniels, who handed it to the
court.
Murder In the First Degree.
Every neck in the vast auditorium
craned forward, and on the face of
Judge Edwards, while he read and re-
corded the verdict, were fastened hun
dreds Of eyes as If to anticipate the
ominous announcement. The counte-
nance of the judge was as imperturb-
able and Icy as if 1t had been
the most commonplace document he
was examining instead of the fate
full paper that meant death to
the unfortunate prisoner at the bar.
Not a feature of the judges face be-
tTayed the text of the document. But
only a minute elapsed and court re-
turned the paper to the clerk, who ad-
dressed the jurors, "HearRen unto your
verdict as the court hath recorded It,"
And stopping for few seconds to read
| the paper, Mr.. Daniels resumed, You
say in the case in which the common
wealth is prosecutor and Frank Beck,
| the prisoner at the bar, is defendant,
you find the defendant guilty Of murder
| in the first degree, so say you ALL
I'VE do" chorused the jurymen. The
jury was then polled, one by one, and
in answer to his name each juror stood
up and firmly replied, Guilty Of mur-
der in the first degree" The prisoner
was yet unconscious of his doom and
| by some it is said that even still he Is
not aware that the rope is dangling be-
! fore him.
Judge Edwards spoke to the jury as
follows after discharging them from
further attendance upon court:
Gentlemen. we appreciate the diff
culties of your position during the weel
and you receive the sincere thanks o.
the court for the patient consideration
that you have given to this case. You
verdict meets with the entire approva
of the court"
Taken Back TO Jail.
Beck was led back to the prisoner
dock, handcuffed, and, in charge of tn
deputy sheriffs, brought back to tn
county Jail. AS he walked across tn
court room his step had less of tina
jauntiness and his countenance wa
more serious than at any time since hi
trial began. All during his trial he ap
peared to be as absolutely unconcerne,
as If the case in which he was defend
ant was one of the most trivial in tn
court calendar. Until he is sentences
no one will be allowed to speak to hin
Following the usual order of bushes
he would be sentenced next Saturday
Keeper Flanaghan at the county ja
last night stated that Beck is not les
cheerful, nor is there anything to ind
cate that his mind is very muc
troubled. Mr.. Flanaghan is of tn
opinion that Beck does not know hi
impending doom.
1t is the universal desire to know hoy
the jury stood while they were delibel
ating upon u verdict, inasmuch as the
were locked up for forty-two hours bt
fore they could agree. The jurors ar
reticent about disclosing the secrets G
the jury room, but one of them to
Tribune reporter stated that the way
stood since the first ballot was take
was eleven for first degree and one fo
second degree. One of the eleve
charged the stubborn juryman wit
being fixed" and fight ensued. Th
enraged man sprang at his accuser
throat and almost throttled him. M
Devine, the last juror chosen, was tn
one who held out for second degree.
VIII Ask for a New Trial.
! Attorneys Colborn and Watson wer
over to Beck after the verdict was al
nounced and assured him that the
would stand by him and seek ever
means at their command to save hil
from the gallows. Today they will al
ply to court for rule to show caus
. why a new trial should, not be granite,
, If new trial shall be refused, II
supreme court will be appealed to.
: after all these recourses the law mu.
be carried out, 1t will devolve on She
t iff-elect Frank II. Clemons to launc
| the murderer into eternity.
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