The record-union., 1897-07-30

and Forced to Sit Down-His
Attempt to Commit Suicide.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 20. - The
steamship Alameda, from Sydney, ar
rived this morning at O'Clock. The
Alameda left Australia before the ex-
ecution of Frank Butler for the muir
der of Captain Lee Weller and others.
but she brought news of the Butler
trial and the passing of the death SEN
tence on the prisoner. The scene in the
Jail the night before and the day on
which the case was closed, was one
| which the people Of Sydney will long
remember. Butler turned demon after
all his months of enforced calm, and
for the third time tried to take his
own life. The conclusion of the trial
was on July 10Th
When final proceedings were an
nounced as pending, Butler was called
TO go INTO court. The prisoners de-
meanor changed to one of almost de-
monlacal ferocity. He fought with his
captors like tiger all the way up to
dock which led to the gaoI precincts.
Then he refused to take his seat, strug-
Cling, biting, cursing the ConstabIes in
| charge. He was manacled and forced
TO sit down. His clothing was torn
| and deranged.
But all of this was merely the flick
erlnS out of mighty struggle which
mad taken place in the passageway be-
low. The prisoner had made his third
attempt to take his own life. When the
court adjourned the previous evening
Butler was taken to his cell, and there
remained until 8 o'clock the following
morning, when he took from a plug of
tobacco small tin tag and went to
work on his throat with this crude
piece or metal. He hacked his throat
unknown to his jailers. His palIid
face and queer expression attracted the
attention of his guardians, and the
prisoner was seized and the Prison
Surgeon summoned. The doctor found
a lacerated wound across the murder
er's throat, from which the blood was
pouring in a stream Apparently he
had torn the flesh with both tin and
fingers.
While the wounds We're being dressed
Butler struggled violently, and it took
hve or six strong men to hold him.
1t was 1920 a. m. before the murder
er could be brought into the court. and
While the struggle was going on in the
corridors below the excitement in the
crowded courtroom was tremendous.
Detective Mclean and two Constables
suddenly appeared, struggling desper-
ately with their charge. The effect on
the spectators may be imagined. WO-
men spectators tried to get out of the
courtroom, but could not, and it was
almost twenty minutes before order
could be restored.
Lawyer Edmunds, for the defense
made long plea, basing his defense on
the assertion that Weller had commit
ted suicide, and Acknowledgement
Want replied for the people, review
ing the horrors of the Blue Mountain
crimes.
When the prosecution finished it's
case, Butler was asked if he had any
thing to say. The murderer was in a
state of collapse, apparently, and the
court adjourned until the afternoon to
give him chance to recover. He then.
IN low tone, made a rambling state
ment that he started for the mines
with Weller at Weller's solicitation. On
the way Weller acted queerly, and
when he displayed a pistol. Butler
thought that Weller was going to shoot
him. Instead, however, Weller placed
the pistol to his own head, and when
Butler grabbed it in the endeayor to
take it away, the weapon was dis
charged and Weller was shot through
the head.
Butler said he had used Weller's
papers to enable him to ship as sailor,
as he had no papers Of his own
The jury was then charged by the
Chief Justice, retired, and after an alb
sence of twenty minutes, returned with
a verdict of Guilty"
Butler, who presented the appearance
OF being on the verge of physical and
mental collapse, stood up to hear the
verdict announced. His features
twitched convulsively, his head nodded
once or twice and his lips moved But
not sound came from the condemned
to break the silence of the densely
crowded courtroom. Finally he said
something to his lawyer, who in turn
addressed the court and said that But
Ter denied shooting Weller. and that
since the trial there had been too much
public clamor for vengeance.
Sentence was then passed in the usual
form, and concluded with the words:
And may the Lord have mercy on
your soul"
And may the Lord have mercy on
your soul,' repeated Butler in low, sui
len tones.