Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-08-01
DR.. PERRY CONVICTED.
Found Guilty by the Jury and Sentenced to
Fourteen Years in the Penitentiary.

The trial Of DR.. VIM. f. Perry, Of
Halltown, indicted at special term
of our circuit court for an outrageous
assault upon Miss Rose j. johnson,
was ended last Friday, when the jury
rendered verdict of guilty.
Thursday and part of Friday were
occupied by the counsel in arguing
the case. Judge Lucas closed for the
defense. He brought out all the strong
points of the defense and labored hard
to convince the jury that the young
lady was honest in her belief, but that
the facts showed she was laboring un-
der a delusion produced by the chic
reform administered to her by DR..
Perry. Prosecuting Attorney Brown
closed the case for the State IN one of
the ablest speeches, lasting for three
hours. The prisoner sat below his
aged father and father-in-law, and
several times evinced uneasiness I'M
der the burning words Of Mr.. Browns
speech.
At three o'clock the case was given
to the jury and in less than two hours
they filed into court and the foreman
announced they had agreed upon a
verdict. Profound silence prevailed
while the clerk read the verdict,
Judge Faulkner having announced to
the court previously that he would
not permit any expression Of approval
or disapproyal. The prisoner sat
calmly while the verdict was read,
and manifested no emotion when he
heard the words that told his guilt.
The jury also recommended in their
verdict that his punishment be con-
fnement in the penitentiary
Counsel for DR.. Perry moved for a
new trial, and Judge Faulkner heard
the motion on Monday. The prisoner
was brought into court. His council
based the motion upon seven ground:
of errors. The prosecuting attorney
resisted the motion. One Of the
grounds was additional evidence, coun'
sci for prisoner filing afidavits Of two
witnesses that stated Miss johnson
told them she had dream about what
occurred in DR.. Perry's Office. Coun,
ter affidavits were filed on behalf O.
the prosecution. After full argument
Judge Faulkner stated that he saw nj
reason for granting new trial anc
overruled the motion. An exception
was taken.
The prisoner was then asked II he
had anything to say before sentence
was pronounced, and replied "YouI
honor, I am not guilty" Judge Faulk
ner then reviewed the case and sen
fenced the accused to fourteen year.
in the penitentiary. DR.. Perry tool
his sentence calmly.
A stay was granted to allow appli
cation to the Court of Appeals, which
meets in Charlestown in September, 70
a writ of error.
A private letter from CharIestowl
to the REGISTERS editor gives an in
teresting review of the case. 1t say
that gentleman from the South,
lawyer by profession, came to Charles
town the day of the trial and was Il
the courthouse as it progressed, know
ing nobody and hearing nothing Of tn
circumstances of the case or the parhe
except what was brought out in tn
evidence. He said, in substance
"When the State closed It's case,
thought it a very weak one, and con
cluded that the girl must have bee
laboring under hallucination. a
soon as the prisoner was put on tn
stand and began his testimony | be
gan to suspect him. When he ha'
finished, I was 50 convinced of hi
guilt that I would have had no hesi
tation in finding such verdict had
been on the jury"
Several other persons expresses
practically the same opinion. 1t
stated that on the first ballot the jur
stood eleven to one for conviction.