The San Francisco call., 1896-11-25
The Doem of Mrs. Greenwocd's
Assassin Pronounced
at Napa.
Belief of the Prisoner That He Will
Reappear on Earth in Another
Form.

John O. Greenwood. The assassin, un-
moved and apparently unlnterested in
the proceedings, thanked the court, and a
famous chapter in tie criminal annals of
Napa County was at an end-at AN end
save that the law must yet take it's course
and ayenge the woman's death
Judge Murphy came up from San Fran
cisco on this mornings train, and shortly
after 10 O'Clock the courthouse bell called
the officers of the court TO the temple of
justice. The courtroom was soon crowded.
Judge Murphy discharged his duty calmly
and with great seriousness.
William Roe, stand up, SIR" said the
court.
Roe did as commanded.
You are informed against by the Dis
trict Attorney of this county by an lnfor-
nation filed in this court, in and by which
you were accused of the crime of murder
alleged to have been committed in this
county of Napa upon the 9th dag of Feb
ruary, 1891, and the murder was alleged
10 have been committed in the following
manner" was Judge Murphy's precise
manner of stating the case. THAT is"
he continued, that you did before the
hilng OF this information williully, nlaw-
fully, feloniousiy and of your malice afore-
Thought kill and murder one Mrs. John
O. Greenwood, human being To this
information upon your arraignment you
entered your plea of mot guilty. You
were subsequently tried before a Jury OF
your own selection, VINO, after hearing the
evidence in the case, found you guilty of
murder in the first degree. This is the
time set for pronouncing iudgme mt. Have
you any legal cause 70 show why this
judgment of the law and the sentence OF
the court should not be pronounced upon
your"
Mr.. Beerstecher then moved for a new
trial on the Grounds-First, that the court
erred in its decisions of law arising during
the course of the trial; second the court
instructed the jury in matters OF law;
third, the verdict was contrary 10 law;
fourth, the verdict was contrary to the cyi-
dence
81 VIII hear you on anything you have
to say in support of your notice, if you de-
sire 10 make any points before the court"
said Judge Murphy.
ave don't desire 10 make any argument
or take up the time of the court was the
reply.
'Since the verdict in this case 1 have
given the matter serious reflection and
thought" continued Judge Murphy, ain
vlewrof the consequences of the verdict
that has been rendered by the jury. l am
familiar with all the rulings of the court
and also with the charge given to the
jury. / am satisfied that there was no
error committed by the court. either in
the rejection or admission OF any testi-
moDy in this case. | am also satisfied
that the instructions asked for by the de.
fendant, and which were in accordance
with the law and applicable to e case
were given fully and fairly. believe that
the charge was an unbiased and fair
charge and fair explanat ton of the law,
and certainly it was as far as my knowl- |
edge would permit me TO give.
During the entire trial | studiously en- |
deavored to see that this defendant should |
have an impartial trial. If | was con- |
scious that amy wrong had been done to !
this defendant, or that he had been de- |
prived OF any legal right, l would GER
tainly without hesitation, grant him |
new trial. And feeling this great respon- |
sibility that rests upon me | am led TO de- /
clare and do declare nv full belief that |
this defendant has had every adyanta ge-
yes, more perhaps than a strict colnpli- |
ance OF the law would have given him. |
So lar as the verdict of the Jury is con-
cerned, see no reason to DOUBT the COR |
rectness OF the verdict.
Ihe motion Tor new trial is denied. I
Is there anything else TO be said pen,Ie |
men? Does the defendant desire 10 saw |
ANYTHING before the judgment of the law |
Is pronounced?"
Then the murderer, speaking as one |
who had a grievance but was too obligipp |
TO complain, said:
'Your Honor please, / am much Obliged |
TO you for the way you have conducted |
the case. | am perfectly satisfied with |
the way you have conducted it. Accord |
ing to the testimony / think the Jury was |
right in returning verdict of guilty. At |
the same time l was deprived of some
witnesses. / had subpenaed eleven and |
got three, but they say everything is for
the best and l am satisfied"
~ should be very sorry. Mr.. Roe, that
man in your position should feel tina. he
had, by any act of the sovereign people of
this State, been deprived of any right"
said the court f.If you had asked me or
ii your counsel had asked me to continue
this case for the purpose of later endeav
ors to procure those witnesses l would
have done it. / intended, as / said be-
fore, that you should have fair trial,
and l believe that you have had. a fair
trial. j should regret, perhaps TO the last
anything that deprived you of an impair
tial trial Such L believe you have had
Is there anything further you desire to
say. sir?"
mo, sir,n Roe responded.
William N1. Roe" Judge Murphy con-
tinued, solemnly, sit now becomes the
duty of the court TO award against you
the judgment which the law affixes to the |
crime OF which you have been convicted. |
Our Penal Code provides that every per- |
son guilty of murder in the first degree
shall be punished by death or confinement |
in the State prison for life at the d:sere-
tion of the jury trying the same. The
jury impaneied in this case found yo1
guilty OF murder iE the first degree, but
failed 10 exercise the discretion given
them; hence there can be no other iudg-
ment pronounced by the court than that
OF death. You have been found guilty OF
the highest and most helnous oifense
KNOWN TO the law-that of taking the Lille
of Mrs. j O. Greenwood with deliberate
and premedItated malice orethought.
he jury which tried your case and
ehdered this verdict was composed OF
NShest, intelligent and conscientious men.
riey gave to the testimony the most care
.oI attention and arrived at their verdict
Sotey 1o;.hy upon the testimony they heard, and
WI MIN The only desire to do exact iustice.