The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1896-02-06
DUESTROW Is GUILTY.
Murder in The First negtee the
Verdict OF the Jury.
Ga 'h- Fi~t Ballot the Twelve Men
y g" ut One Mind.

DidLtt t"sNT ~ ~. AltHuI DutSlIOW
the S. Lon, millionaire who has
been on tria, dl''ng the past month
f)y the cold bluoded murder of his
wife ani baby boy two years ago,
ended to day, the jury returning a
verdict Of guilty in the first degree
After arguments that took up the
greater part of Saturday aud lasted
until almost midnight, the case was
given to the jury, the members OF
which went to rest without consid-
ering it. This morning the jury
took up the case and on the first bal.
lot unanimously found the defend
ant guilty of murder in the first de-
gree. The result was reached with.
out much trouble, each member of
the jury seemingly having settled
the case in his own mind in the in.
terval between midnight and this
morning. This verdict is received
with almost universal satisfaction.
This is the second trial that DR..
Duestrow has had on the charge Of
murder, the first one resulting in a
hung jury last year. The terrible
CRIME with which he was charged
was committed in February, 1894.
One day that month, his wife await
ing his coming home to take drive.
When he came into the house, Dues
trow was drunk, began to abouse his
wife and finally shot her down IN
cold blood. He then picked up his
3.year old boy, beautiful child, and
holding it at arms length, killed it
with pistol shot through the head.
His wife fingered for several days
and finally died.
After his arrest. Duestrow, with
the help of his fortune, tried to
evade the consequences of his crime.
Elk Governor johnson, who Is cred
tied with being one of the ablest
lawyers of this State, was given
charge of the case, and was assisted
by Colonel Nat Dryden, Charles
Nolad and j Wesley Booth. Pros
ecuting Attorney Zschrits of st.
Louis was assisted by Bolte, prose
cutting attorney of Franklin county;
Judge Gallenkamp and Lee Merri.
wether. Counsel for the defense en-
deavored to establish a plea of in.
sanity, but after two inquiries held
before iuries, in which much expert
testimony was heard on both sides,
it was given up and the case came
to trial in Union, change OF venue
having been taking from st. Louis.
The first trial ended in a hung jury
Throughout the last trial before
Judge Hirzel, Governor johnson
and his assistants kept up the inssn.
ity plea, and were ably seconded by
the defendant, who endeavored to
create the impression that he
was crazy, As during the two in,
J quests and the former trial. the de.
; fense put on the stand number o1
the most prominent physicians in the
State as experts,to prove Duestrow'
insanity Equally eminent experts
testified on behalf of the State, anc
throughout the trial there was ar
almost constant warfare between the
opposing counsel. Arguments were
finally begun on Saturday morning
in q crowded court room. Thos.
present were disappointed that Gov
ernor Johnson was not able to speal
being confined to his room with .
sprained ankle
When the result of the iury's de
liberatIouz was made known today
Duestrow counsel said an appea
to the Supreme court would bt
made. Duestrow received the YER
diet calmly. He sat smoking cigar
ette as the Judge read the pape,
handed il by the jury. As far al
external appearances so, he was the
coolest man among the twenty five
lawyers, reporters and citizens as
embed in the court room.