The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-06
Jury Was Not Long in
Arriving at a Decision.
Deliberations Lasted only
Fifty-Five Minutes.
Crime OF Which He Is convicted
Was Numbering His Father.

ALFRED, Me-, June Erred J. Hurd
has been found guilty of murder in the
first degree, for causing the death of his
father, James NJ. Hurd, at Biddeford, on
Dec. z. 1896. This verdict was reached
by the jury In the case, after consulta-'.
tion OF only 45 minutes duration, this
morning.
The court opened promptly at 8 o'clock
and Senator Frank nj. Higgins, counsel
for the prisoner, addressed the Jury for
about an hour. He urged that the Jury
consider carefully the tendency to intan-i
ity shown by the prisoner and pointed
out the testimony given by DIR. Shnborn
and others bearing on this matter.
Attorney General Powers for the State
spoke strongly for about 45 minutes, re-
viewing the evidence in the case, point by
point, but dwelling chiefly upon the
damaging testimony given by the
prisoner at the coroncr's inquest. During,
the attorney generals address, Hurd
seemed to be moved more than at any
previous time during the trial. Several
times he made ghastly efforts to smile and
actually laughed as the States attorney
described the horrible scenes attending
the murder of his father.
When Attorney-General Powers had
finished, the judge proceeded to deliver
the charge TO the Jury, occupying about
an hours time. Then tho jury retired
end in less than an hour returned their
verdict. fhe sentence will be pronounced
later.
The crime OF which Hurd has been
found guilty Is one OF the most cold
blooded murders in the history OF the
State. On the morning of December Z,
1885, young Hurd came down stairs o
break fast at the usual hour aud ss his
father had failed to put In an appearance
hy the thine breakfast was quite ready,
Alfrcd's mother sent him ups airs to find
out what was the matter. When tho SON
returned few minutes later he told bis
mother that his father had committed
suicide, and he Immediately started to
notify the coroner, to whom he told the
same story. The police were.also notified.
When they reached the house the body OF
the old gentleman was found with cash
in the head inflicted by carpenters
hatchet and with the throat cut from ear
to ear with n razor. Both OF these imple-
ments, smeared with blood, were found
later, and through the finding OF them,
as well as on account OF conflicting
stories told by Alfred Aurd, suspicion fell
on him as the one who had committed
the deed. lie was placed under arrest, a
jury was summoned and an inquest was
held, the verdict of the Jury being 10 the
effect that "James M. Hurd came to his
death by means of blows dealt with an
axe and with a razor IN the hands OF
Alfred b. Hurd, his son."
At preliminary hearing which fol-
lowed and at which Judge Charles Hamil
ton, then Mayor of Biddeford acted as
counsel for the prisoner, more evidence
was brought out, apparently sufficient to
fasten the crime upon the son beyond
shadow of doubt.
Hurd was telegraph operator, form.
erIy employed at Somersworth, N. H. For
some time previous to the murder. be
had been idle, and 1t Is stated his fathers
censure of his shiftlessness was the mo-
tive for the crime. He is q good looking
fellow of ordinary height and build, and
about "a years old.