The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1896-11-12
THE CASTLE TRIAL
1T RESULTS IN THE CONVECTION OF
MRS. CASTLE.
Mr.. Castle Is Acquitted but His Wife
Is Sentenced TO Three onths
imprisonment D~istressfng
Is PrOnounced-EGorts to Secure
"a R%eprisve.

~ H' ic'D, HSoo'ldltu 1IeSS.
London, Nov. S.-The trial of Mr.. and
Mrs. Walter NJ. Castle of San Fran
cisco, charged with shoplifting. took
place to-day and resulted in Mr.. Castle
being acquitted and Mrs. Castle being
sentenced to three months imprison-
ment without hard labor.
There was much interest taken in
the case, especially among the mem
bers of the American colony, and sew
eral ladies We're in court. They in
cluded among their number the wife
OF Chairman Mcconnell, Of the Clerk
enwell sessions and a Miss Chapman
or Kentucky. 1t was noticed that
there were quite a number of Hebrews
present and also a gOodly number of
newspaper artists.
with the view Of possible challenges
and in order TO expedite matters as
much as possible, three juries were
summoned. Quite early many of the
seats usually occupied by justices
were filled with we'll dressed ladies.
Mrs. Castle, when she came into the
u room with the prison attendants
and professional nurse who had her in
charge, was given a seat in the dock.
The jurors were of what is known
here as the middle class, mainly shop
keepers. The case was opened with
the names of the Castles being called
by the clerk of the court to surrender
their bail of S150,00O. Then counsel for
the defense took the floor, although
Charles Matthews, senior counsel for
the prisoners. was not present. The
dcCOrOuS quiet Of the court room was
broken by the sound of hysterical sob
bling by Mrs. Castle, whose husband
supported her in the dock.
Both prisoners were attircd in black
II seemed to be weighted down with
sorrow. Traces of deep suffering were
visible on their faces. Mrs Castle, es-
peCially, appeared to have aged con
siderably since her arrest a month ago
at the Hotel Cecil on the charge of
having stolen various articles from
various stores in this city. When Mrs.
Castle had become somewhat more
composed the business of the day was
resumed. Mr.. Castle stood up calmly
as the clerk of the court, in monoton-
Gus tones, read the Indictment and
called upon the male prisoner to plead.
Not guilty" answered Mr.. Castle in
a strong voice, as a flush passed across
his face, only to leave him paler than
ever.
She Pleads Guilty.
Mrs. Castle was then asked to plead,
but Mr.. Clarke arose and said that his
client, Mrs. Castle, would plead guilty
to all the indictments, which We're then
read separately, Afr. Castle pleading at
the same time not guilty 10 each sep
nrate charge. The scene was a dis
tressing one. The sobs Of Mrs. Castle
We're he~artrending in spite Of the eff
forts made by her husband to soothe
her distress. She was heavily yelled
and rocked too and fro. moaning and
Historically sobbirg. She held a hand
kerchief up TO her face throughout.
After long arguments Mr.. Castle was
discharged and Mrs. Castle sentenced
to three months Imprisonment. The
judge said that he passed the SEN
tence with the knowledge that 1t would
be revised elsewhere, and the general
impression which afterward prevailed
in court was that this means that the
home Office will shortly release Mrs.
Castle on her own recOgniZance. The
unfortunate woman, on hearing the
sentence, went into Mysteries, shrek
ing: "Oh, my God; Oh, my God" for
nearly five minutes. She threw up her
arms and staggered about, muttering
1t times incoherently, and then
shrieked in wild agony. There was
40 doubling that she had the full SYM
,athy of her friends and relatives. and
That the court, counsel and the presM
Sg judge were also greatly affected by
ler distress.
Mr.. Castles face turned an ashcn
gray as he witnessed his wife's agony
and all the physicians present hurried
down to the assistance of the suffer,
ing oma
Shortly after. thanks 10 the attention
of the physicians who had admins
tered sedatives to her. Mrs. Castle was
ca4mer but fearful and was able to
enter a cab accompanied by her hus-
band and the chief jailer, and was
taken to the Norwood Scrubs prison.
Ambassador Bayard is in commune
cation with the home office and hopes
to secure an immediate reprieve.