The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-10-29
A CRAZY VERDICT.
Jennie Robinson Convicted
of Murder Without an
Atom of Evidence.
HER WONDERFUL oHEERFULNEss
How Charles W. Pepper Came 10
His Death When She
Tried to Cry.
HER WONDERFUL OHEERFULNESS

llC GdSE u IA 1AooAA-ECA-s 49,
tercay for the murder of Charles W.
Pepper, after considering the evidence
for five hours, announced at ten O'Clock
last night that they had arrived at a
verdict. The prisoner was sent for and
the jury brought into court.
Jennie Robinson faced the jury calmly.
She betrayed no whatever
when Foreman Oakford announced that
the jury had found her guilty of murder
in the second degree. She was then
taken pack to jail.
QUEER DEMEANoR.
Ever since her arrest, and during the
trial yesterday, the accused woman has
conducted herself in a perfectly non
chalant manner. Whether it was because
she did not realize her awful position,
or did not care, is not known Wnen
she was arraigned to plead her actions
were decidedly not those OF a woman who
fully realized her danger. The same
manner characterized her actions When
brought into court TO have a day fXed
for her trial. She smiled in a happy
manner, and left the court room with a
lively skip, much as if she was going
TO a bah or entertainment instead Oh
back to Jail. -
During rne trial yesterday betrayed
no EIlOIIOE &llaICh e. y ~lA4AC
her counlrriance Inc. greater part OF tnS
time. ana those IN The court room Sa"eo
upon her III wonder Nhen the Cas5
went to the jury and she was escorted
back to la1l, her deneanor Rad not
changed IN The least. she dli petIaH
some Keeling, however, on the way aGf9sa
the Court 6ouse grounas 10 the jail, by
IeiIing Cons cable Mitchell that she mac
tried very hard TO cry when her counsel
was summing up, but could not "rins
SLEPT soUNDLY.
A reporter Tor The Jersey CITY News
called at the Jail thiS aEorh:nE anu SEM
She refused to see The reporter, uecL5l-
ing to say anything, for paolica5ion. me
directly after the verdict was rendered,
and slept soundiy all night. THIS norm
ing she ate a hearty BREAKFAST with ap-
parent relish. Evidently the fast taat
a term of twenty years imprisonment
is staring her N the race ina9e no in
preston upon, this w2nder 19G |oii'a''
The verdfcI was a complete surprise 70
every one who listened 70 the ev1dence,
The general opinion was that the S.on1s
an ON the first ballot taken by the
jury the vote five for first degree, Ive
for second degree AMI two On ma fsIen he.
fore the jury agreed on a verdict OF muir
der in the second degree. -
Ex-Judge Hoffman, who defendeu MISS
Robinson. said that he would undoubt-
ediy make application for a new trlai.
He did not know. however, on What
grounds she would base the app1casloH
fair and so manifestly in favor of the
prisoner that it could not be ATTACKED.
made on the ground that the verdict
was not in accordance with the evidence.
SENTENCE ON SATURDAY. ..s,s
morning that sentence would be passed
on Saturday morning. The
penalty is twenty years IN state Prison,
convicted woman will be taken to Tren-
ton eariy next week to begin her term.
When the doors of the State Prison close
to be shut out from the world for the
best part of her life, it may be that her
spirits may undergo a mi
YESTERDAYS PROCEEDINGS,
n When Prosecutor Winfield began the
examination Of the witnesses Yesterday;
he called David c. Lee, who testified that
erat Il t soci s5s~ at No. e YORK street. He
had known Pepper five years; Pepper
vas a R Rnllm pann car for poF a6o;,t I've I've wears naa
also, but she and Pepper. had not been
living together all that time. He first
twelve O'clock the night it happened.
While he and his wife We're at Peppers
they played cards, smoked and rank
pipe and Lee cigars. Pepper drank
beer and Lee drank whiskey. He frank
whiskey plain and also in a oddly: He
When they departed Pepper was attired
in a shirt trousers and shoes
FOUND HIM COLD.
Edward Clark testified that he lived
on the third floor of the house Pepper
lived in AT a quarter to twelve on the
night in question he was awakened by
a knock. Mrs. Pepper said her nus
MY wife he continued, went down
stairs. When she returned l went down
per said, Ny God. go for a doctor, Charles
has shot himself She $ SAID this 70 my
toward the door. He was fat on his
I looked at the body. She was in the
shot Shot Himself Himself. She She SAID sRf ny Mg G GoaGpg 60 h az
and I shot him. When I put my hand
on Peppers head it felt cold: His shirt
out and saw some men on the street and
told them what had happened, and they
said, Call a policeman I found Police,
and I followed. At the house be see I no was
nabbed and the policeman began search
Ing Ing, the house While I was in the
and he came out of a room. Mrs.
Pepper was on a chair, and when the DO
1lceman began looking fer the pistol she
get Up. / never had seen the pistol be-
fore the POLICEMAN found it."
Mrs. Alice Clark, wife of the preceding
testified.
When cross examined by Judge Hoff-
mann, Mrs. Clark said Mrs. Pepper was
dressed in a green p When
pushed by ex-Judge Hoffman, she de-.
S SlaTe tas sl1e gr5s positive that Mrs; Pepper
went up stairs to her door. Further
pressed she said she testified in the mn.
lice court that Charles is shot" was
what Mrs. Pepper said.
In rebuttal the Prosecutor drew from
witness that what Mrs. Pepper really
.tshot him" Witness added that What
she testified to before she was not GER
tain about.
POLICE TESTIMONY.
Policeman Barry, of the Second pre-
cinct, testified that Clark had Informed
revolver at the foot of the bed. The
bed looked as if some one had lain on
the counterpart. Barry said that Pepper
lay on his pack and his right arm was
extended. Between the open fingers a
briarWood pipe lay on the floor.
he. wien .af seemed ! fsls OF cold PePF 5pF such hand q vs said
might" Shown a revolver by the Prose-
cutor, Barry identified it as the one
he had found. Two of the five chambers
had been discharged.
Policeman Flanagan testified, after
recess. that when he felt the body of
Pepper IT was warm. He felt it soon
Grating Barry as to the hysterical ac-
tions of Mrs. Pepper. and that after
Barry found the pistol he let Mrs. Pep
per go into the bedroom. An old woman
and Flanagan went with her. She said
she wanted ito get her husbands pic
ture.s She was permitted to 60 only in
side of the door.
Policeman Doolev testified ahat he