The Red Cloud chief., 1896-11-13
PRISON FOR THE LADY
SHE PLEADS GUILTY TO
SHOPLIFTINC.
Sentenced tn Serve Three Months In "a Lon
don PeDiicntiary- Castle Himself Es-
onsrated by the Prosecution-The
Woman Breaks Completely Down.

LONDON. Nov. THE trial OF Walter
W. castle and wife, wealthy citizens of
san Francisco, on the charge of shop
lifting, was set for to-day in the Clerk.
enwell sessions. Tho quiet vi the
courtroom was broken by h~ysterical
sobbing by Mrs. Castle. whose husband
supported her. Both prisoners were
atti d in black.
Castle stood up calmly as the clerk
of the court read the indictment and
called upon him TO plead. Not
giilty, he answered In a strong voice,
as q Hush passed ucros, his face.
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.
Mrs. Castle sohhcd violently, in spite
of the efforts of her husband 10 soothe
her. She rocked to and fro. moaning.
Horace T.. Avory opened the east in
behalf of the public prosecutor. Ne
said that, after careful consideration,
unless his lorl,lIip expressed u view to
the rtrary. there appeared Ia he no
cyid, ace against the male defendant.
The judge thcrcupon directed the
jury that they could not convict Il man
against whom no evidence wus pre-.
Scntcd.
Mr.. Avory for the prosecution re-
counted the cast as it presented itself
against Mrs. Castle.
Mr.. Clark, for Mrs. Castle, said: Il
do not complain of the prosecutions
statement. III the law in this ountry
stood as IL did up to 1883, | should have
advised her not TO plead guilty. hut
the extra act passed in 1883 provides
that If | can satisfy the jury that She
was not responsible, then the jury is
not bound to convict. The facts which
the prosecution has recited suggest
that there must he something extra.
ordinary to account for them. In five
or six days this lady, who had no pos
sible temptation. goes about London
and takes articles under no pres.
sure of need. When arrested
she had plenty Of money. Mr..
Castle had started from home
with Il credit of $4,000, of which $3.50
was not exhausted, and his wife also
had plenty of money. Your lordship
must have noticed the testimonials to
the Castles character and how instant.
ly this vast mount of bail was found.
A man or "A ON in such circum.
stances did not need more money and
did not need to steal in order to get il.
Suddenly this lady takes To these prac.
tees of taking things and packing
them away. The insanity Of these
proceedings is proved clearly by her
handing to one tradesman a fur with 4
private mark upon it. Insanity is
further proved by her taking the toast
racks, etc, of the Hotel Cecil. Clearly,
then, some explanation is required Of
these extra circumstances, and we are
prepared to call medical witnesses"
DIR. William Chapman Grigg. a noted
specialist: DR.. Leonard Gabriel Of the
Royal College of Surgeons, and DR..
Scott, medical officer of Holloway Jail,
testified that Mrs. Castle was afflicted
with an ailmcnt which was always ac-
c%ompanied by great mental disturb
ancc, causing responsibility, and de-
claring hat imprisonment would have
serious effects, mentally and physic-
ally.
The magistrates, who numbered
Twenty-Five, besides the presiding
judge and Colonel Rotten. General
Birch. Mr.. Davis, Sic John Micks and
the deputy judge, Mr.. Lovcland. then
retired, and after Il brief absence re-
turned and Mrs Castle was brought up
from the cell sobbing violently. she
staggered to the front Of the dock and
touched the rail, while the clerk of
the court read the indictment. to
which she pleaded guilty. She then
sank upon the chair placed in the
dock.
The Judge said that the court had
.-..s ,..l1. - l-.ts-. i'll Al.
difficult cast. which sympathy was
almost interf, lg with justice. What.
ever sentence l., might Iass would be
any danger to the prisoners mental
against. lie then passed sentence of
three months imprisonment, without
hard labor, upon Mrs. Castle.
The unfortunate woman went into
Mysteries, s%hrieking: 'Oh, my God!
Oh, my Cod" for nearly five r,inutes.
She threw up her arms and staggered
about, muttering Mt times in~cohercntly.
All present in the court remained mo-
tionless and silent while she was being
assisted out of the dock and down the
iron stairs by n nurse and two prison
wardens, her shrieks becoming
gradually fainter and fainter.
Castles face turned an ashcn gray
us he Witnessed his wife's agony
and all the physicians present went to
her assistance, At AIS she was calmcr
but fearful, and was able to enter a
cab, accompanied by her husband and
the chief ~jailer, and was taken to
NORWOOD Scrubs prison, where she
was placed in n womun's hospital.
Bernard Abrahams, one of the coun-
sci for the defense, remarked: Meas.
ures have been taken to secure a
repricve; ! cannot state what they
have been, however,"
A Judge Carries Out an Odd Wager.