New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-07
MRS. CASTLE PLEADS GUILTY
SUE, IS SENTENCED TO THREE MONTHS.
IMPRISONMENT.
,,rp HUSBANDS CASE DIsMISsED-PAINFuL
SCENE IN THE CLERKENwELI. SESSIONS
PETITION PRAYING FOR THE
QUEENS CI.EMENCY LODGED
AT The HOME OFFICE.


= n Castle of San Francisco. who are accused
:. sbopliftng came up for trial in the Clerken
Iii Sessions this morning There were seven in
s,c,r,ents against the prisoners. charging them
,,h stealing articles. the total value Of which
w.. re los Chairman Mcconnell presided. and
- tho Bench with him were half dozen magis
-. The courtroom was crowded. many of the
...,a.ors being ladies'. A number OF the officials
- the United States Embassy were present in
,s,rr Secretary Roosevelt and Chief Clerk Hold
.. -
,oao o'clock When the Chairman called for the
rre,der OF Mr.. and Mrs. Castle by their bonds
MON they having been at liberty under 10000 bail
..rding their trial. there was a pause during
,icb the crowd were hushed and expectant. until
Mrs Castle made her appearance attended by two
tsrale nurses and her husband
r-non the reading of the charge, Mr.. Castle stood
,o,d,v upright and answered mot guilty TO each
:, the seven counts. on behalf of Mrs. Castle. Sir
rduard Clarke said that she pleaded guilty to
oh charge and proceeded 70 give the reasons for
making such plea
when the first charge read. that OF stealing
. ,.he tie worth 70. and skin, worth IS, Mr.
80. for the prosecution. said: Subject 10 any
,ron which Your I.ordship may express. it APP
nsars TO me that Mr. Castle was not party 10
~ ,hsfts and therefore. the prosecution will not
orsr any evidence against Mr.. Castle. While the
49, r,,s in the Police Court. and both prisoners
ca,on 10 take this course, Cor as long as the wife
...,.a her guilt II was possible that the husband
had taken the things.
The Chairman replied: II have read the deposi-
,,ons carefully. and have arrived at the same CON
cpsion There is nothing in the evidence that mas
,r,,eached the innocence Of Mr.. Castle. and en-
,,rs,v approve the course you have taken in the
mstey ,.,..,u
Mr. a:ory. upon receiving the reply OF the Chair-
man announced formally that the prosecution
would not offer any evidence against Mr.. Castle
Mr.. CASTLE NOT GUILTY.
The Chairman then addressed the jury. saying
AS there is no evidence support the indict-
ment against the defendant. Walter NJ Casue "
IL vour duty 10 render a verdict OF not guilty
The Jury responding with a verdict OF not guilty
Mr. Castle was Immediately discharged ana. upon
tho anpcation of Sir Edward Clarke 10 the Court
Mrs Castle was allowed to leave the courtroom
attended by her nurses.
Sir Frank Lockwood O. G.. then began his open
ing for the defence, dating in the course OF ms
address upon the terrible position of Mrs. Castle
who had hitherto been reputable woman occupy
ing A high social position.
Mr. Ayory replied. giving the details OF the EVIL
dence as taken in the police court IN REGARD 10 'he
searching of Mrs. Castles trunks, III "hich d
museum of articles was found many OF them sun
having their sale tickets attached In not a sihe'e
instance he said. was Mrs. Castle detected III
taking anything so that she must have done her
work so skilfully that even her husband VINO was
beside her, was unable to see what she was oo'is.
Sir Edward Clarke @. c.. for the defence SAID
that in view of the cruelty 10 wnlcn MIS-. SaS'io
would have been subjected in having the iacts ms
cussed before her he had advised the lady 10 peau
entity She was not in want of money, ana the
insanity of her proceedings was proved IN the TACT
of her handing a piece of fur with the SAFE uche'
attached showing the name OF the owner 'ne
price etc to another person for the purpose Of
,aI 81,
nod a mental malady when she was girl. and
that malady had been recurring during the las
few months.
DR. Crigg a specialist in womens diseases. was
called the stand and ts anS ba ha her ne naa
such as TO justify nm IN Tisrkn such a
sonson he said generally resulted in mental dis;
turbances religious and other forms OF mania; aiid
George n n s 81 liar nenf took
The stand and corroborated the testimony OF br.
Grisg
THE COURTROOM CROWDED.
At this point in the proceedings the crush in the
courtroom had become almost sunocatins ana d
number Of ladies in the crowd were allowed u
take seats upon the Magistrates bench an I'M
usual occurrence, while others FOUND seats upo"
the stairs and in and around the counsels benches
until every inch OF available space was hiled'
Alderman Routledge. Major Egan, l. > A. ooi-
onel H. j. Hawse, Of San FRANCISCO anu o'",'
friends OF Mr.. and Mrs. Castle were III court icau'
10 testify in their behalf Mr.. Castle VINO hau
left the room after his discharge. now reappeared
In court.
Dr. Gabriel, Of the College OF surgeons suppor'e"
the testimony already given by medical experts.
He together with Doctors Scott and Savage hau
seen professionally on october II, "mie sne
in JAIL and the three had discusseu ne a.,
exhaustively at that time. They mad agfeeo ,iia
her further Imprisonment would inpef" He'
Dr. Scott, who was the next witness testified I,sa
that the nervous Illness from which MIS-. Nas.iS s
snf,ered had continued during the entire time that
sbe was in jail and he had made a report Oh M
yisne against her further Imprisonment Ih h
had fxed deusions ne sa hn' eccenfric
things unless she was carefully looked ai'er ny "''
sir Edward Clarke here interposcd saying that
Mrs castles friends were only anxious 10 remo Nr
her TO a place OF quiet, if the Court look lawn
The SSairman said that the question as 10 the
effect which Imprisonment wo9a na else
where. The Chairman and the MagIst ~ deiihera.
tired 10 another room ior Inc p"'p's' u
After fifteen minutes absence the Msgs,nral,Ns
turned TO the courtroom. in when proIouu ~ coir,
reigned Mrs Castle was then brought nv NJ, Fla
and the Clerk Of the Court announc ~ he sever
Castle had been convicted upon OH VI w.
indictments against her
ALMOST TO INTERFERE WITH JtsIiCE'
Chairman Mcconnell said THE Court has mac
great difficulty in dealing with an exceeollsi y
painful case upon which sympathy so po"e.iu
has been brought to bear as almost 10 in'ei''''
with justice" ,,,
The Court knew he said. that the sentence WIZ
Il became his duty TO pass upon the prisoner wouie
be well weighed elsewhere and, II any SURF ''t
dangerous TO her life or intellect should ionoM;;
would be Immediately met by another au'n Sh ~
He would not proong the painful scene anu NY.
FORE would at once proceed to pass sehtence ;rhnu
was that the prisoner be connneu III Jai' "''
hard labor for three months; or,o-oo all a., O.
A the Chairman pronounced the sentence an ey p
,ss.. so na'"' ars castle who stood daZed for
noment and then the full import Of the Cha 1ii
berb
inx me nnrses ard the prison warden TO supper
her She then began to moan pieoussgg. w x,,'
removed from the room quickly as possiDic;, an
as she was being taken away cried OUT. Mha