The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-03-03
Or. Mitchell CONVICTED
OF 2E2FoaMIN5 CRIMINAL MALPRAc-
TIcE ON SADIE L. BEAL.
Motion for New Trial Filed.--The DR.
Released on Bail Pending Argument

DIR. William T. Mitchell. an educated
and cultured gentleman, who has attain
cd high rank in his profession during the
thirty years of his continuous practice at
| Addison, a mem ber of the local board OF
pension examiners, man of honorable
ancestry and excellent social position WAS
ON Friday found guilty by jury, of
having performed malpractice upon Sa-
die +. Beal, at the Hotel Vannear. on
December S0th, and who died seven days
later in the Allegheny General Hospital.
The trial of the case consumed the
greater part of three days and was ably
conducted by skillful and experienced
members ofthe bar. The jury retired at 10
o'clock Friday morning and at O'Clock
in the afternoon rendered their verdict.
When the court house bell rang an
nouncing that the jury had agreed upon
! verdict there was a wild rush on the part
of the people on the streets for the court
| house. Dr. Mitchell and his brother,
Rev. Silss Mitchell, of Braddock. Pa,
who sat by his side throughout the trying
ordeal, were among the first 10 arrive.
The Dr. took seat at his cOunseis' table
and faced the jury. His expression was
unchanged and he betrayed no sign of
nervousness during the painful minutes
! before the members of the bench came
into court. The grave countenanees of
the jurymen boded i'll for the Doctor.
| When Judge Longenecker directed the
clerk Of the courts TO take the verdict
there was deathlike silence throughout
the court room. and when the question.
i Gentlemen of the jury have you agreed
upon a verdict?'' was asked, several of
the jurors replied in an undertone, Gull
| fy.- The clerk then read the formal
! question "In the case of the Common
| wealth versus DIR. W. +. Mitchell, what
say you. guilty or not guilty p to which
the jury replied in chorus, Guilty"
Counsel for the defendant asked that
the jury be polled and each juror arose
rs his name was called and in reply to the
usual question 10y the clerk, said Guilty"
Counsel for the defendant then asked
leave to file motion for new trial and
Judge Longeneeker made an order Civ
ing them ten days in which TO do so.
Robert +. Ross entered bond in the
sum of 81 900 for the defendants appear
| ance at court, and the Doctor left the
court room and returned to his hotel,
where he remained until Saturday morn
| ing, when he left for his home.
Rev. Mitchell was greatly affected
when he heard the verdict. and was as
sisted to the library room. lie is report
ed to have expressed his Willingness to
! be substituted for his brother and bear
the penalty the Court will impose, in
case the verdict stands.
DIR. Mitchell stoutly maintains his in
nocence, and has many friends who be-
lieye that the testimony offered in his de-
| Tense should have created sufficient doubt
| in the minds of the jurors 10 warrant an
acquittal.
SELECTING THE JURY.
The time of the court from Monday
until Wednesday morning was consum-
ed with the trial Of petty criminal cases,
and the large number OF witnesses aud
spectators We're anxious that the trial Of
/ Dr. Mitchell should begin. At 10 o'clock
! Wednesday morning the decks were clear
/ ed for action and the work Of selecting
/ jury in the Mitchell case was begun. The
caution that j. usually observed in sift-
| ing jury in an oyer and terminer case
was not lacking on this occasion and it
I was i o'clock before twelve OF the honest
yeomanry of the county had passed
muster.
District-Attorney Colborn and +. J.
Kooser, Esq. conducted the case for the
| Commonwealth, while Coffroth & Rup-
| pei. KOOntz & Ogle, John X. Scott and
John II. Uhl appeared for the defendant.
Mr.. ColboTn opened the case in a fifteen
| minute address to the jury in which he
faithfully outlined the facts which the
| Commonwealth expected TO establish and
on which they would ask for a conviction.
Mrs. Maggie L. Madore, pretty young
matron, clad in black, was the first
witness called. She testified that
| SADIE L. Beal, her sister, came TO her
! home at Scott Haven. Pa, on October sth
and continued there until about hslf-past
| seven o'clock on the morning of Decem-
Der Goth. when she left, saying that she
was goirg to hospital in Allegheny for
the purpose of undergoing an operation
| for chronic trouble. She described the
! clothing worn 10y her sister and identified
a duplex rebate ticket found in Sadie's
pock etbook after her death, a satchel and
a number of other articles she had taken
with her.
Miss Lizzie Thomas, who has charge of
the postofIice at Scott Haven, testified
that during the latter part of December
Sadie Z. Beal had given her two letters
to mail, one of which was addressed to
"Dr. Mitchell, Somerset county, Pa"
Witness was unable 10 say to what point
the letter was addressed.
Miss Lizzie Bellman and Miss Florence
Cummins, telegraph operators for the Il.
& o. at McKeesport and Confluence re-
! spectively. testified in regard 10 a tele-
! gram. Will h turned out to he enc Of the
most important fsciors in the ease. Miss
Bellman said that about Il minutes Of
eight O'Clock on the morning oi December
! 3Hh. a woman dressed in black and heayi-
ly veiled, flied a message with her lMcs
sage shown witness and identified. Il j.
addressed 70 Dr. Mitchell and reads ''Will
De on No. 8 instead Of No "a. Meet me-"
an 3 Is signed -. 4. B. Andrews. The
first three letters are the initials Of Miss
! Relrs name.~l Miss Cuminins testified
% hlving receivei the IA as,tgs anl t. 4 e.
li,ering e. % Dr. Mitchell just ~ he was
about g. step on train NJ. ~ az Coaila-
elce.
Conductor Waite Of ths Somerset q
Cambria r. r.. identified a duplex re-
bate ticket which he had given to a
young woman who rode ON his train
from lockwood 10 Somerset on the
morning Of December 3gih. The same
woman returned 20 lockwood on the af-
| t.rnoon train. kir. Maite's attention
wa attracted To- the woman by her APP
parent distressed and troubled expres-
sion. She was the only passenger hav-
ing ticket for Pittsburg ON the after
noon train.
Conductor Murray, OF the West New
ton accommodation, testified that he
knew Miss Beal 10y sight aud that she
made occasional trips on his train, the
last one being week or ten days before
her trip to Mekeesport on Dec. Goth.
l.. w. Yannear, clerk at the Hotel
yannear, testified that a woman dressc d
in black and heavily veiled, came to that
house about noon on December 50th, reg
istered a .'Mrs. Keim, Elk Lick, Pa"
and was shown to room No. :. She a. k
ed if DIR. Mitchell was stopping at the
/ 4. ,1f