The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-18
MURDER In SECOND DEGREE
JOSEPH COLOMBO WIZ NOT PAY
THE DEATH PENALTY,

The Jury Out Eight Hours and Twenty
two Minutes-Prisoner viii be Sem
fenced on Tuesday-He Manifested No
Emotion When the Verdict Was Rem
dered.
The trial Of Joseph Columbe. charged
with wife murder in the Superior court,
criminal side, ended yesterday at
11:42 .. M, when the foreman of the
jury announced that a verdict or
guilty of murder in the second de-
gree This judgment was formed af-
ter a deliberation, which lasted
through eight hours and twenty-five
minutes, the case having been given to
the jury at 3:20 p. m.
The prisoner was remanded into the
custody of the sheriff to await SEN
tence by Judge Shumway who, after
thanking the members of the jury for
their patient attendance upon their du-
ties during the long and tedious trial,
discharged them until Tuesday morn
ing at 10 o'clock.
The prisoner received the verdict
with the Indifference that he has man
ifested throughout the whole trial. If
he was thankful to the twelve men
who had sat in judgment upon his
case and returned verdict which
saved him from the hangman's rope,
he did. not show it. There were but
fa1 Aoto fnrt- ", tha Mh
the verdict was announced, because of
the -fateness Of the hour.
Attorney General Williams and Mr..
Fowler, counsel for the prisoner, who
had been waiting all the evening for the
verdict left the court room immediate
ly after it was announced. When the
case went to the jury, it was the
Judgment of those who had attended
the trial that it would not take long
for the jury to come to a conclusion,
and but few expected a verdict of sec
ond degree.
At 10 o'clock Judge Shumway or
dered supper for the Jurors, which was
Furnished by Sheriff Spiegel from the
Berkshire restaurant on State street.
It was soon after this that those who
had stood for a verdict of first degree
came to the majority, which had IA
vored the verdict found, and the jury
returned to the room.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS.
State Attorney Williams made the
opening statement on the part of the
state Thursday afternoon and Charles
H. Fowler, the able counsel for the de-
fendant opened his plea on behalf of
the accused at 10 o'clock.
1t was d most able one and lasted
over two hours The counsel went
again over the occurrence of the night
of July 16, emphasizing his contention
that Columbe would never have even
assaulted his wife if he had not been
driven to desperation by her persist
ent refusal to retire to her bed as he
had several times requested her to do.
He reviewed their married life. holding
UP the love which the husband had at
various times demonstrated towards
his erring wife, and with an acute
analysis Of the medical testimony
which no one but a well-educated
medico-legal man could be capable of.
He logically and clearly tried to
show the jury that the woman would
not have died had she received the
proper medical treatment, and that
the accused should be held RESPONSE
the BILE only for an aggravated assault.
His appeal to the jnrymen on be-
half of the man whom he described as
being devoured with the demon of
jealousy and under the influence of
liquor at the time the assault was COM
mitted, was verw pathetic, and scared
up to the very height of eloquence.
Mr.. Fowler concluded his argument
at IL o'clock, and after a recess of five
minutes State Attorney Williams made
the closing argument on behalf of the
state.
In scorching, burning words he went
again over the testimony, holding up
the strongest points against Columbe
and picturing the man as human
monster. The state attorney claimed
tht it was the duty Of the jury, on the
evidence they had heard, to bring in a
verdict against Columbo for murder in
the first degree. He spoke for over an
hour. and then the court adjourned
until 2:30 o'clock.
At that hour Judge Shumway COM
menced his charge.
Farewell to Athens.