The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-07-19
COLLINS NECK SAFE
The Negro Slayer of Student
Oil Convicted of Murder
in the Second Degree.
SENATOR DALY's ELoQuENCE
lie C%onvinces the Jury That the
Shooting Was an Act Of
Self Defense.
specfatto the jersey city Neacs.

at 11:45 O'Clock last night the jury re-
turned with a verdict of murder in the
second degree. The time for passing
sentence has not been set. He can be
sent to prison for from five to twenty
years. The jury went out at 4:4O o'clock.
1t was about IL o'clocx when the jur-
ors announced that they had arrived at
a decision, and messengers were sent
out for the Judges and lawyers con-
nected with the case. The news that
the jury was ready to come in spread
like wild-ire, and before the various
court officers arrived the court room
contained about two hundred people,
among whom were three ladies.
When the jury had taken their seats.
Clerk Gummere asked the usual ques-
tions, and Foreman Clark answered h
they found the defendant guilty of muir
der in the second degree.
The prisoner evidently heard nothing
but the words guilty of murder" for
he began to shake in every muscle.
Lawyer Conard noticed this, and told
him to cheer up, that the verdict was
for the second degree of murder, and he
would not be hanged. When he was
again being conducted down to his cell
he stopped to shake hands with Lawyer
Conard. giving 1t a hearty shake.
HOLT APGAR'S ELOQUENCE.
AT the opening of the court yesterday
morning, Mr.. Holt Apgar began the
summing up for the prosecution. He
made a very poetical address and in
fowery language pictured the grief and
anguish of the lead students parents.
He was followed by Judge Beasley.
who made a remarkahIy telling address
to the jury. He had the testimony at his
finger ends and presented the favorable
noints m 4 strong way. He told of his
80, M 80 ra,,,as 80 hts
nistol. and came up to the time of the
oao+inr m withersnoon street He
~
said
1.-THE students. after getting over the
eanoa -a+ thA rooroas ana an a,tarca-
lenoe, net - ie5rues' en- -
ton took place. What was that alter
cation? Who began it?
nE;erv li+t,s SCOTT from Kan+,,ckv was
fieiy n.s'e 9o 90 ,lo Ae ~. 'asueaa
he heard one of the colored men make a
remark as the students nassed He turned
II, iA a. - 49, 1855 : $3.50
back for the purpose of finding whether
ho bad baan ;ns,,Ited or not THE shorter
nc 10y oeen 80
colored man had ms hand on ms pack
pocket, and he went up and laid his hand
on him and held it there. Cochran did
not remember the words used at al.
and said he would shoot somebody if
| anybody did anything he didn't like.
! street, sssa3sa8
SENATOR DALY7S ADDRESS.
followed by Senator William D. DAILY
| delivery eloquent. He said, in part:
Gentlemen Of the jury, the trial of a
homicide case is always attended by cir
cumstancas that arouse prejudice or
| passion, or awakes your sympathy, but
in the performance of a public duty
your conscience and your desire to per
cue, and in the determination of a case
of such vital Importance between the
prisoner at the ln bar and the eo d9avaI wiIi
come to your rescue.
Sat the outset you will perceive the
State apprenensiye OF the weakness Of
| before this jury, so you could honestly
pass upon the innocence or guilt If
the defendant. At the very outset they
| the unvarnished truth, the entire cir
| cumstanees that led to the commission
o of shiT I a allege eha aTlme; Maa ahat pr uasail-
| because the State was apprehensive Of
the Of its own cause and and
| case those circumstances which at the
inception would free your minds from
| prejudice and admit of your dispassion-
| ateiy an considerably weighing the tes-
timony that was presented against this
RACE PREJUDICE TO BLAME.
"Oh, this was an unfortunate night, un-
| fortunate for this community. Right
| within the very sight Of old Nassau
Hall. right within the very sight Of that
seat Of learning and religion. the home
nightly and daily prayed that those who
! came from the institution might lead
| unblemished lives of morality and Chris
tianity. and pave the way for a, higher
civilization in our land. Oh, 1 say, that
was a sad night. 1t would seem to me
that on that occasion those students.
educated for useful positions, should
have been more discreet. I gaze on
| that picture, born, as it were, in power
ty, nursed in the cradle of persecution.
| borne upon the crest of persecution; I
| gaze on that picture and then 1 contem-
plate the learned students. Tell me that
he who was bofn under those ciregm+
his individuality as against these men.
| who by every surrounding circumstance
were AWAY beyond his comprehension.
| No. it was that spirit born of intoller-
| ance thai brought about the accused
Institution of slavery. TIL very senti-
ment that was echoed by the student
from Kentucky, and as my. learned
friend laid it to his door, SO I lay it to
him. Born amid those surroundings,
animated by race prejudice, he for the
instan forgot his surroundings and
characterized the defendant or used lam
guage to this effect:-'If we had you
down South we would lynch YOU" |
gave life and existence and perpetuated
slavery for almost three-QuarterS OF a