The Washington times., 1895-03-16
trainers DOOM SEALED.
Adverse Verdict Of the Jury Bodies
III for Other Murderers.
TREMANDED FOR SENTENCE
Judge Cole in His Charge Said Mental Weak
ness Is not to Be Considered Unless the
Between Right and Wrong-What Man
May or Nay Not Do in self-defense.

James L. Travers was yesterday convicted
of the murder of Lena GROSS IN Cronn's
wood, near Brightwood, on November 10
last. The jury went out at $40 p M. and
was out about half an hour DIR. Major
was chosen foreman, and their opinions
were practically unanimous upon the first
canvass.
The result, together with Judge Coles
charge to the jury, is full of foreboding
to the others now in jail awaiting. trial for
murder, and relying upon the plea of in
sanity.
Judge Colesa '.Mental dullness, weak
ness, or eccentricity are not to be considered
by the jury unless they go to the extent
that the accused does not know the differ
ence between right ard wrong"
AS to seEf-defense he said no one may
mflict death or even great bodily harm
upon another because he fears death or
dangerous hurt if there isany other possible
way of escaping Furthermore, it was not
enough for the jury to believe that Travers
believed his lie was in danger
POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED.
The jury must find that this belief was
should acQuit. If they believed that the
death wound was inflicted in the heat or
passion in a fight between the man
woman they should bring in a veId.t, 4.
manSlaughter
Because he gave these instructions, how
ever, the jury must not infer anything as 10
ON gF hp I ffr-N ,F.t
Determination of The facts was exclusively
their own province.
The confessions should, he said, be con-
sidered III The light of the allegations that
they had been procured by duress If
they found that true, less weight must
be given On the other hand, known facts
must be .consideIed in determining whether
the confession or Travers' story on the
witness stand was true. In making up
their minds they must pay no attention TO
the consequences to the defendant by
their verdict.
After discussion at the opening of the
trial as to progress asked for by counsel
Mr.. Alex. Wolf made an earnest appeal
for TEaverB' life. He called especial at
his son was known as ''CraZy jim"
KILLED IN A STRUGGLE.
Ex-Congressman Hart followed with a
strong argument reviewing the evidence
carefully. 1t seemed clear, he said, that
Trayers had killed the woman in a struggle
in which his naturally weak mind was
overcome Eith fear.
Mr.. Birney, closing for the governn ent,
spoke for three-quarters of an hour. He
said the story OF TraveF5 on the stand veri-
fled his confession in every particular ex-
Gept as to the moment of the fatal stroke.
Two facts verified the conf etsien that
he had first knocked the woman down, and
after going away, had returned and cut
her throat, instead OF his testimony that e
had killed her while TREY were fighting.
First there was no blood on Trayers'
clothing as there must have been from the
gush from arteries and veins if he had
cut her throat while they were facing
each other in the fight. Next, Charles
Mattingly had heard the womans groans
after Travers had left her. If Travers
had already cut her throat as shown by DR..
GlaZebrook's testimony, she could not have
groaned.
Trayers was remanded for Sentence.