The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-07
CONVICTION FOR MRS. CASTLE.
THREE MONTHS IMPRISONMENT
HER SENTENCE.

Husband Acquitted of Any COnncc-
tiOn with Her Pilfering-COnvic-
tion Entirely Unexpected - Mrs.
Castle HystericaI ON Hearing Her
Sentence.
London, Nov. 6.-The case of Mr.. and
Mrs. Walter NJ Castle of San Francisco,
who are accused of shopliftlng. came up
for trial in the Clerkenwell sessions this
morning. There were seven indictments
against the prisoners, charging them with
stealing articles, the total of which was
flS los Chairman Mcconnell presided,
and on the bench with him were a half
dozen magistrates. The court room was
crowded, many of the spectators being
ladies. A number of the officials of the
United States embassy were present, in
Guiding Secretary Roosevelt and Chief
Clerk Hodson. The prosecution stated 1t
appeared that Mr.. Castle was not party
to the theft, and therefore no evidence
would be offered against him, and by di-
rection of the chairman the jury rendered
a verdict of not guilty. Mrs. Castle was
found guilty on all the indictments and
sentenced to three months Imprisonment.
Application has been made to the home
office for Mrs. Castles release, and 1t Is
understood she will be liberated in a few
days
Mrs Castle appeared in court attended
by two female nurses and her husband.
Upon the reading of the charge, Mr.. Cas-
tie stood boldly upright and answered
mot guilty to each of the seven counts.
On behalf of Mrs. Castle, Sir Edward
Clarke said that she pleaded guilty to
each charge and proceeded to give the
reasons for making such a plea.
str tI,v. v.lra l.
Mrs. Castle remained seated. She was
dressed in sombre black. and kept her
face covered with a handkerchief While
the jury was being sworn the silence was
broken only by Mrs. Castles sobbing.
When the first charge was read, that of
stealing a sable tie worth 80 and skin
worth 5s., Mr.. Avory for the prosecution
said: "The subject to any opinion which
your lordship may express, 1t appears to
me that Mr.. Castle was not party to
the thefts, and therefore the prosecution
will not offer any evidence against Mr..
Castle. While the case was in the police
court and both prisoners were denying
guilt 1t was impossible for the prosecution
to take this course, for as long as the wife
denied her guilt 1t was possible that the
husband had taken the things"
The chairman replied: II have read the
depositfons carefully and have arrived at
the same conclusion. There is nothing in
nocence Of Mr.. Castle and l entirely ap-
prove the course you have taken in the
matter"
Mr.. Avory, upon receiving the reply OF
the chairman, announced formally that
the prosecution would not offer any EVIL
dence against Mr.. Castle.
The chairman then addressed the jury,
saying: "As there is no evidence 10 sup
port the indictment against the deten-
dant. Walter NJ. Castle, it Is your duty 10
render a verdict of not guilty"
The Jury responding with a verdict OF
not guilty, Mr.. Castle was Immediately
discharged, and upon the application OF
Sir Edward Clarke to the court, Mrs. cas-
tie was allowed to leave the court room
attended by her nurses.
Sir Frank Lockwood, @. G., then began
his opening for the defense, dilating in the
course of his address upon the terrible po-
sition Of Mrs. Castle, who had hitherto
been a reputable woman occupying a hlsh
social position.
the evidence as taken in the police court
in regard to the searching Of Mrs. Cas-
ties trunk, in which a museum OF arn-
Giles was found, many of them still having
their sale tickets attached In not SIN
gle instance, he said, was Mrs. Castle de-
tected I'M taking anything. 80 tnat sne
must have done her work so skiMully
that even her husband, who was beside
her. was unable to see what she was
Sir Edward Clarke, @. c., for the de-
fense. said that in view of the cruelty TO
which Mrs. Castle would have been SUD
iected in having the facts discussed De
fore her. he had advised the lady to plead
guilty. She was not in want of money,
and the insanity of her proceedings was
proved in the fact Of her handing piece
of fur with the sale ticket attached, show
ing the name of the owner, the price, etc,
to another person for the purpose OF get
ting the fur matched. Mrs. Castle, ne
said. had had a mental malady when she
was a girl, and that malady had been re-
curing during the last few months
Or Grigg. a specialist in womens dis"
cases was called to the stand and test-
fed he had examined Mrs Castle ana
found that her condition was such as 10
Justify him in concurring In the statement
made by Sir Edward Clarke. Such con-
dition, he said, generally resulted In men
tai disturbances, religious and other
forms OF mania, and rendered the sufferer
irresponsible for her actions.
Dr. George II. Savage, one of the lead
ing specialists in female diseases in Eng
land; Dr. Gabriel Of the College Of Sur
geons and DR.. Scott another specialist IN
nervous diseases, corroborated the testi-
mony OF DR.. Grigg. While this testimony
was being given the court room had be-
come almost suffocatlng, and
number Of ladies in the crowd were al
lowed to take seats upon the magistrate
bench an unusual occurrence, while 9TH
ers found seats upon the stairs and In
and around the counsel's benches until
every inch of available space was filed.
Sir Edward Clarke here interposed, say
ing that Mrs Castles friends were only
anxious to remove her to a place Of quiet
IL the court took favorable view Of the
matter.
The chairman said that the question as
to the effect which imprisonment would
have upon Mrs. Castle was one which
must be considered elsewhere. The chair
man and the magistrates then retired to
another room for the purpose Of delibera-
tion.
After fifteen minutes absence the mag
istrates returned to the court room, IN
which profound silence regned. Mrs.
Castle was then brought into court ana
the clerk Of the court announced tina.
Ella Castle had been convicted upon ali
of the seven indictments against her.
Chairman Mcconnell said: '"fhe court
has had great difficulty in dealing with
an exceedingly painful case, upon whlcn