Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-21
NEARING THE GALLOWS
Irwin Ford Promptly Declared Guilty by
the Jury.
Short Trial and an Abrupt Ending
No Evidence for the Defense
and No Arguments.

AS told in The Star last night, Irwin
Ford was convicted yesterday afternoon of
the murder of Elsie Kreglo, after the coun-
Sc! for the brute had unexpectedly an
nounced, upon the close of the testimony
by the government, that they had no evil
dence to submit on behalf of the prisoner.
The verdict was the quickest rendered one
in capital case in the history of the Dis
trict, the jury merely being absent from
the court room only long enough to allow
them to walk to their room, elect a fore
man and take one ballot, every man, Of
course. voting guilty of murder. The muir
derer heard the verdict with apparent I'M
concern, and, after the Jury had been
polled and the verdict recorded, he was re-
manded to Jail to await sentence.
1t had been expected that Ford's counsel
would call few witnesses in the hope of
showing mental responsibility, and when,
at o'clock, District Attorney Birney an
nounced the close of the testimony for the
government, 1t was supposed. of course,
that the testimony on behalf of the wretch
would then be introduced. Mr.. Donaldson
requested Judge Cole to adjourn the trial
until this morning. but the judge refused
the request, although he stated he would
allow counsel for the defense a short time
for consultation Mr.. Donaldson consulted
latter surprised the court and every one
else by announcing that the prisoner would
offer no testimony in his behalf.
Very well, gentlemen remarked Judge
Cole, proceed with your arguments to the
jury"
THE government valves its opening adj
Dress stated Mr.. Birney.
But we insist upon the government
Yes. MIR. Birney," ruled the court, the
defense have the right to your opening, if
they insist upon it,
Very well. your honor" replied Mr.. Rir-
ney, the government will then decline to
say anything whatever to the jury, being
quite willing to have them take the case
without hearing from us d ALL
Now, gentlemen" said Judge Cole to the
counsel for the prisoner, you may proceed
with your arguments
Again the counsel for the defendant con-
suited together for a moment, and then
Mr.. Peter announced that they would also
submit the case without argument. Then.
a 3:o5, Judge Cole proceeded to charge the
jury. He spoke for just twenty minutes,
telling them that it was apparent that
whoever killed the girl was guilty of muir
der, and that the one great question for
them to determine was, did the prisoner
kill her? They were not to be Influenced
in the slightest way by the terrible cir
cunstanceS surrounding the killing, and
while the court had admitted in evidence
the alleged confessions of the prisoner, 1t
was alone for the jury to decide whether
they had been obtained through fear, by
force or in any other manner not the free
and voluntary act of the man. 1t was also
for them to determine whether the con-
LESSONS, even If properly obtained, were
true. They might believe all of them, or
part of them, or none of them, and then de-
termine the question of the prisoners guilt
or innocence upon the evidence remaining.
The jury retired at 3:25, when the court
announced recess for half an hour, the
prisoner being taken to the cage below the
court room. At just 800 the jury returned,
and after the prisoner had been brought
up again. and after the court had cautioned
those in the court room from expressing
their approval or disapproval of the YER
diet, Foreman Thornton. in answer to
Clerk Smiths inquiry, announced that the
jury had found the prisoner to be guilty as
indicted. The verdict was heard in per-
feet silence, and then, after the jury had
been poled at the request of Mr.. Donald
son, each man answering Guilty as in
dicted," Judge Cole directed that Ford be
remanded to Jail to await sentence, and
then adjourned the court, and Ford was
condemned murderer just sixteen days
after the commission of the crime and nine
days after his indictment and arra.gnment,
the proceedings establishing a record for
dispatch in the history of District murder
trials.