The Red Cloud chief., 1896-02-07
DuESTROW is CONVICTED.
Is Found Guilty of Murder in the Second
Degree.

Degree.
tSioN. Mo-, Feb. 1.-The celebrated
case of DR.. Arthur Duestrow, the 1T.
Louis millionaire who has been on
trial during the past month for the
cold bloo1cd murder of his wife and
baby boy two years ago. ended ycstcr-
day. the jury returning n verdict OF
guilty in the first degree.
After arguments that took up tho
greater part of Saturday and lasted
until almost midnight, the case was
given to the jury, the members OF
which went to rest without consider
ing it. Yesterday morning the jury
took up the case and on the first bal
lot unanimously found the defendant
guilty of murder in the first degree.
The result was reached without much
trouble, each member of the jury seem
inglv having settled the cast in his
W mind in the interval between
midnight and morning. This verdict
= received with almost universal sat-
istactiOn.
This is the second trial that DR..
Duestrow has had IN the charge of
murder, the first one resulting in II
hung jury last year.
The terrible crime with which he
was charged was committed in Feb
ruary. lS3L. one day that month his
wife and child were ut home awaiting
his coming to take u drive. When he
,wmc into the house. Ducstrow, Sho
was drunk, began To abuse his wife,
and finally shot her down in cold
blood. He then picked up his 3-ycar-
old boy, a beautiful child, aud, hold
ing il at arms length, killed it with II
pistol shot through the head. Ills
wife fingered for several days ana
finally died.
After his arrest. Ducstrow. with the
help of his fortune. tried to cvadc the
consequences of his crime. Ex-tiov-
crnor johnson who is credited with
being one OF the finest criminal law
ycrs OF this state. was entrusted with
the charge OF the case and was as
sisted by Colonel Nat Dryden, Charles
Noiand and i. Wesley Booth. Pros
ecuting Attorney Iachritz of st. liotis
was assisted by Judge l;oltc, prosccut-
ing attorney of franklin county;
Judge Gallcnkamp and Lee Mcrri.
wcJhcr.
Counsel for the defense cndcavored
to establish Il plea of insanity, but
after two inquiries held before jurics.
iii which much expert testimony was
heard on both sides, it was given up
and the case came to tylnl in Union, u
change of venue hayt4t been tiscn
from -. Louis. The ruNtt trial ended
in n hung jury. Throughout the last
trial before Judge Hirzel, Governor
johnson and his assistants kept up the
insanity idea and were ably
seconded by the defendant. who
c~ndcavorcd to create the impression
that he vas crazy. A. during the
" inqucsts and the former trial, the
defense put on the stand a number Of
the most prominent physicians in the
state rs experts to prove Ducstrow'S
insanity. Equally eminent experts
testified on behalf of the State, and
throughout the trial there was an
almost constant warfare between the
opposing counsel.
Arguments were finally begun on
Saturday morning in u crowded court
room. Those present were disappointed
that the eloquent Governor johnson
did not speak, being confined TO his
room with Il spraincd ankle.
When the result of the jury's de-
liberations was made known DucS,-
rows counsel said an appeal to the
supreme court would bc made.
Ducstrow received the verdict CAIN
~. He sat smoking a cigarette rs the
Judge read the paper handed in by The
jury. As far as external appearances
go, he was the coolest man among the
twenty-five lawyers. reporters and
citizens assembled in the court room.