Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-16


In the trial of James Smith at Marlboro
Nd. yesterday for the murder of Miss
Marguerite Drown. July g. at Seat Pleas
ant, Md. the prison er was one of the cool
est men in the court room. He was neat
ly dressed in new suit of blue cloth, with
tan shoes, and during the trial dangled
his feet and seemed entirely unconcerned.
He pleaded guilty to the indictment, and
said he had no counsel. The court ap-
pointed Mr.. C. C. Magruder to defend him,
and the latter had the plea Of guilty with
drawn. and jury impaneled. The jurors
sworn were Messrs. Thomas Keech, Thos.
Houston, William Barron, A. H. Connick,
Joseph l.. Martin, John Hyde, ]. NJ. Bowie,
NJ. Duckett. William Wilson. William
Shuler, William Hamilton and w. u.
Pyles.
DIR. s. Clifford Cox, the first witness, de-
scrfbed the fatal knife wound in the
throat of Miss Drown. which severed the
jugular vein and carotid artery, and ex-
tended to the spinal column. Sheriff I'm
derwocd told of Smiths confession while
the latter was being conveyed to the Bal
timore jail. and Deputy Sheriff Warning
corroborated this testimony. Lucy Gar
rett, coloIed, domestic in the house, told
of Smiths actions after the murder, and
then the prisoner took the stand. e5
His voice at first faltered. but soon grew
strong. He said: ION the day in ques-
tioH udU q quarrel Win MISS Drown,
and 1 struck her with my fist. which
knocked her to the floor. I then choked
her. and thinking she might come to,
went down stairs, got a knife from the
window. ard then cut her throat" Smith
then began another statement, saying:
Last May" but was stopped by the
court.
He was asked if he had told all he had
to tell about the murder. and replied in
the affirmative. He was then ordered to
take his seat.
This closed the case. and the jury re-
tired for few minutes. and on their re-
turn. Mr.. Keech, the foreman, pronounced
smith guilty OF murder In the first degree.
AT once Judge Briscoe ordered the muir
derer to stand up. and addressed him in
a few words.
Smith was asked If he had anything to
say before the sentence. and his reply was
that he had not. Then said Judge Briscoe:
You have been tried. James Smith, and
convicted on your own testimony of a
crime the most heincus known to the
courts. In short time you will have to
appear before higher tribunal, when you
will be beyond the help of any one. Dur
ing the short period left you make good
your time"
The Judge then sentenced the prisoner
to be hanged at time to be fixed by the
governor.
Smith was placed in his old cell in "mur-
derers' row" after he reached the Jail He
maintained his composure and when asked
what he thought of the proceedings of the
day, he sad: 1T was fair trial. and they
treated me well. 1 have nothing to COM
plain of. 1t was life for life, and her
life was as dear to her as mine Is to me.
1 am reco nciled to my fate. but am not
prepared to die from a religious standpoint.
1 will, however. do all 1 can to prepare my
self for DEATH"
Precautions Against n Lynching.
As was stated in The Star, Tuesday,
Smith was to be brought from Baltimore
on the morning train and tried the same
day. If the trial was not finished he would
be taken back to Baltimore and brought
back on the following day. The officials Of
Prince Georges county determined to pre-
vent lynching at any cost. And they
concluded to keep as quiet as possible the
day on which Smith would be tried This
was easily done. owing to the fact that all
of the witnesses in the case v ere in jaiI or
were the officers Of the court in easy reach
at moments notice. So 1t was decided
late Wednesday that the sheriff, Thomas
NJ Underwood, and his chief deputy, Nd.
Causin Warning. should go to Baltimore on
the pretense of bringing Richard King into
court to be arraigned. This artifice upon
the part OF the officers succeeded for il
was not until smith had been sentenced
ttat many people knew that he was In
town. While the court room was pretty
well crowded, there would have been twice
as many persons there If they had known
that Smith was on trial There was no ey
element In any way.
The court, in assigning him counsel took
the precaution to select one of the oldest
and most experienced members of the
marlboro bar. The court also looked out
for the states interests. and assigned to as
sist States Attorney Roger E. BELLS. Geo.
c. Merrick, who. at one time was states
attorney for the county,
Although this trial did not consume ova-
an hour, 1t was not railroaded through. and
smith, when he made his confession to The
jury. knew what awaited him, as he was
cautioned both by his counsel and the
court. He made his statement of HE o.,,,
accord. evidently regretting his crime. and
hoping to palliate 1t by not adding to n q
falsehood. This he did without a tremor'
and seemed relieved when it was over.