The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-01

rect buG ne Lied to save Htmself-
Learns the Verdict Without Apparent
Emotion-Jury Out Three Hours.
New York, November SO.-Martin
Thorn, whose trial for the murder of Will
liam Guldensuppe has excited great
deal Of interest in this city. during the
last three weeks, was today found guilty
of murder in the first degree by Queens
county jury in the Long Island court
house.
At the request of his counsel, Lawyers
Howe and Moss, the passing of the death
sentence was deferred until next Friday
morning.
Thorn heard the jurymen po.led on
their verdict. listened to each of them
YES" gazed at each one Of them and ap-
peared to be less impressed with the
solemnity of the occasion than any one in
the jury box. His face never changed
color during the trying ordeal, but with
his lips firmly compressed and jaws hard
set. he faced the judge, jury and court
room full of spectators with the well
surely is.
About three weeks ago, Thorn's first
trial ON the charge of murder was begun,
but owing to the illness of Juror it
had to be abandoned after three days.
A second trial opened a week ago last
Monday and counting out three days on
which the court did not sit, the Queens
county officials made an excellent record
of completing such an important murder
trial in six working days.
District Attorney Youngs of Queens
county was assisted in the prosecution
of the case by District Attorney Olcott
of New York, and these with corps of
assistant lawyers wove "a web of guilt
around Mrs. Mack and Thorn which the
most as5ute criminal lawyers in New
York tried to rend.
Mrs. Nack's evidence during the mis-
trial. compelled Thorn's lawyers to
change their line of defense in the second
trial. The woman's confession was an
awful setback to Messrs Howe and
Moss, and they adopted the only plausible
defence that could be conceived under the
circumstances. They insisted that Mrs
Nack's alleged confession was lie, and
that she herself was the instigator and
Thorn was ignorant of the killing until
Guldensuppe had been shot by Mrs. Mack
The woman was not produced during
the second trial, but Thorn went on the
stand and substantiated all the assertions
made by his lawyers as to the midwife's
guilt.
His story, If anything, was more
dramatically told than that of Mrs. Mack,
bug it did not have the desired effect
upon the jurymen.
When the court opened this morning,
Lawyer Howe began a summing up in
behalf of Thorn. He made a most earn
est, thoughtful and impressive appeal 10
the jury for his client.
Mr.. Youngs followed and while his
eloquence was not as forceful as that of
Mr. Howe, he seemed to hold the atten-
tion of the jurors throughout his speech.
Judge Maddox's charge was carefully
prepared and we'll delivered.
1t was acknowledged by the lawyers
for the prisoner to be lucid, fair and i'm
partial.
The jury remained in deliberation just
three hours when they sent word to the
judge that they were ready TO render
a verdict. The fact of their remaining
out SO long gave hope to the defence, but
as each one of them took his seat in the
jury box his facial expression told very
distinctly the result Of this three hours
conference.
sGuilty of the charge preferred" were
the ominous words which fell from theIlips
of the foreman of the jury and attn ough
this verdict was not one unexpected
it hit the defendants counsel very hard,
as they had built up hope of a disagree
ment or verdict in the minor degree.
Thorn lawyers moved for new trial
on the ground that the verdict was not
in accordance with the weight of evil
deuce, but the motion was oyerruled.
After Thorn is sentenced next Friday
there is scarcely any doubt that his
lawyers will appeal and the execution of
the death penalty in the electric chair
at Sing Sing will probably be delayed
for long time and possibly be prevented
altogether.
just what will become of Mrs. Mack
has not yet been made known by the
Queens county authorities, for it is gem
orally thought that the people will accept