The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-11-07
GETS THREE MONTHS
MRS, CASTLE Is FOUND GUILTY OF
sHOPLIFTING.

Castle Pleads Not Guilty and, no Evidence
Being Presented Against Him, he Is
Discharged - Medical Experts Make a
strong Case for Mrs. Castle, But all in
Vain-Agonizing scene in Court When
Sentence is Pronounced - Verdict OF
Guilty Not Expected = Prospect That
the Sentence Will be Set Aside.
Copyrighted by the Associated Press 1880
london, Nov. 6.1Tbe trial of Mr. ana
Mrs. Walter Castle of San Francisco,
charged with shopiifting. took place in
the Sessions house at ClerkenweI To-Day
and resulted in Mr.. Castle being acqult-
ted and Mrs. Castle being sentenced TO
three months Imprisonment without
hard labor.
There was much interest taken in the
case, especially among the members o.
the American colony, and several ladies'
arrived in court together at 9:43 a. N.
They included among their number the
wife of Chairman, Mcconnell OF the
ClerkenweIl Sessions, and Miss CHAP
man of Kentucky. 1t was noticed that
there were quite number of Hebrews
present, and during the morning good
iy number of artists representing differ
ent newspapers put in an appearance
for the purpose of making sketches Of
the Castles in their strange surround
ings.
With the view Of possible challenges
and liz order to expedite matters as
much as possible, three juries were sum-
Inoned. BY 1G:f5 a. m many OF the seats
usually occupied by justices were flied
with well-dressed ladies.
MRS. CASTLES ENTRANCE.
Mrs. Castle, when she came into the
court room with the prison attendants
and a professional nurse, who had her
in charge, was given a seat in the dock.
Soon afterwards, Messrs. Lewis and
Williamson, solicitors for the treasury,
arrived. and a few minutes later the
magistrates fled il. Among the late
arrivals was Mr.. Z. p. Clarke, 4 son of
Sir Edward Clarke. Q. c., ex-solicitor
general, who had been engaged as addi-
tional counsel in behalf of Mrs. Cas-
tie.
The jurors were of what is known here
as the middle class, mainly shcpkeepers.
At 1890 a. m. the case was opened with
by the clerk OF the court to surrender
their bail OF $4,000. Then counsel for
the defense took the floor. although
Charles Matthews, senior counsel for
the prisoners, was not present.
HYSTERICAL SOBBiNG.
The decorous quiet of the court room
was broken by the sound Of hysterical
eobbing by Mrs. Castle, whose husband
supported her in the dock. Both prison.
ers were attired in black, and seemed
to be weighed down with sorrow. Traces
of deep suffering We're visible on their
faces, Mrs. Castle, especially, appeared
TO have aged considerably since her ar
,est a month ago, at the Hotel Cecil on
the charge of having stolen various
articles, such as furs. etc, from differ
ent stores in this city. When Mrs. Cas-
tie had become somewhat more COM
posed the business of the day was resum
ed. MIR. Castle stood up calmly, as the
clerk of the court, in monotonous tones,
read the indictment, and called upon
the male prisoner to plead
Not guilty" answered Mr.. Castle in
a strong voice, as flush passed across
his face, only to leave him paler than
ever.
PLEAS ENTERED.
Mrs. Castle was then called upon to
plead, but Mr.. Clarke arose and said
that his client, Mrs. Castle, would plead
guilty to all the indictments. which were
then read separately. Mr.. Castle plead
ing at the same time not guilty TO each
separate charge. The scene was a dis
tressing one. The sobs of Mrs Castle
were heart-rending in spite of the ef-
forts made by her husband to soothe
her distress. She was heavily yelled
and rocked to and fro, moaning and hys
7erically sobbing. she kept a ilandker-
chief up to her face throughout, con-
cealing her features from the inquisi-
tive searching glarces of the newspa-
per artists and others present in court
TO illustrate or describe the proceedings.
CASTLE GOES CLEAR
After the wearisome work of reading
the indictment had been completed.
Horace L. Avory opened the case for the
prosecution. He said he appeared in
behalf of the public prosecutor He
said, after careful consideration. unless
his lordship expressed view to the con-
trary. there appeared to be no evidence
against the male defendant, adding:
4 shall proceed on that assumption
and shall not offer evidence against
him. At the police court we were
obliged to proceed against both prison
ers, but now, the wife pleading guilty,
permits a withdrawal of the evidence
against her husband"
The judge thereupon replied: II have
read the dispositions and can see moth
ing in them inconsistent with the hus-
bands innocence. Therefore. | am pre-
pared 10 accept the prosecuting counsel's
view OF the case
The judge tbereupon directed the jury
that they could not convict a man