The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-12-24
The jury Finds John Andersen GuIIiy of
%S 49,
kurdef; Of Mate Saunders.
JuOGE GoFF STERN BUT pITIFUL
His Impressive Words TO tho Prison.
cr-March Is fixed as tho Dato of
the observation-disclosures Displays
ell Lille Emosion-Motion for
New Trial Ovcrrnlcd.

mate of the schooner Olive Pccker on the
and under the sentence of the court must
be hanged on the 18th day of March,
next, unless the Supreme Court of the
United States in the meantime inter-
poses 10 save his life or prolong his eX-
iStcnce
at the conclusion of the argument
Of counsel Wednesday evening the jury
were sent to their room to deliberate,
the court remaining in session half an
hour. The jury then returned and said
that the time was too short for proper
consideration of the case; whereupon
the court took 1 recess until 10 O'Clock
yesterday morning. the july meanwhile
being semitic their rooms at the Atlantic
Hotel. being excused from further de-
liberation upon the case until the re-
assembling of court 1t was an hour be-
hind schedule time when court was
opened yesterday, Judge Con- having
been delayed by a slight mishap to the
steamer Hampton Roads at Old Point
Immediately upon the opening Of court
the jury were sent to their room. at ten
minutes past twelve they came into
the, sieounr6pIISand, announced their
verdict as folioWs:S
I'VE. the jury, find the prisoner, John
Anderson, alias John Andersen, guilty
as charged In the indictment"
The prisoner, who had exhibited all
imaginable moods during the progress
of the trial, heard the verdict with out
ward composure, almost with apparent
Indifference.
Mr.. George Mcintosh, counsel for the
prisoner, Immediately made a motion
for new trial. At the afternoon ses-
sion the motion was argued.
The grounds assigned for the motion
were ten. onG of which related to n
motion made. before the trinl to quash
the vcnire for the petit jury for the
reason that the writ did not state the
purpose for which the jurors were sum-
moned. Another related TO the testi-
mony of a witness who gave his opinion
In regard to the. opportunity man at
the wheel house aft had 10 see what was
going on at the forecastle, the schooner
carrying deck load of lumber, and be-
| Ing. under sail. The witness was one of
the owners Of the vessel being familiar
with her construction, but not having
seen her when loaded for the fatal voy-
| age. The defense excepted to the .tes-
| timony, hut 1t was admitted. The other
grounds of exception related to the ex-
ciusion of evidence offered for the de-
Tense tending to show the character of
the captain and the cruel conduct of the
mate. especially an alleged attempt of
the decensed to throw the prisoner over
board the night previous to the homi-
| eide.
Mr.. Mcintosh argued the motion at
some length. saying that lie had great
! confidence In his grounds for exception.
| The court overruled the motion, after
| brief argument In reply by the Dis
| trict Attorney and Judge Cofr then SEN
fenced the prisoner. concluding in the
following impressive language:
| IT ~ the most painful duty OF my
| lie. l pity You as I never pitied a
man before, The judgment is that you
be taken by the marshal and confined
IN close custody In the Norfolk Jail ill
Friday, March 49, 1898. and that Won
then he taken by the marshal to some
suitable place in the district. and that
between the hours of and in the after
noon OF that day you be hanged by the
neck TIL you are dead"
| Whlle the sentence was being pro-
nounced Andersen showed little or no
emotion, but aftcrward, while talking
with his attorney, broke down and cried
q little. 3d.,
T,hus ended trial, which, on account
OF the unusual circumstances of the
crime, was one of the mos. rema -ka Bile
cases eyer trleq in Norfolk There were
no features in the progress of the trial
especially worthy of note, exccpt the
dramatic conduct of the prisoner. which
mas been narrated in the daily Ieuor:s
as IL appears to an unpreiudiced nh.
server, the trial was most fair and inn
partial throughout. Judge Golf held tha
scales or Justice evenly poised, giving
the defendant every reasonable oppor
tunity to establish his innocence. The
government was exceedingly liberal to
Inc defendant. providing him with able
counSei ana bringing witnesses to testify
IN MS behalf from distant States with ,ut
eApehSe. Every facility was affordr 4
h,c. io' the prisoner 10 prepare for
MS defense. All the documenlsry ana
other evidence in the possession of .hn
District Attorney was placed a; the
disposal of the prisoners counsel Every
point IN the prosecution was carefully.
suardeu 10 avoid surprising the defend
am, or taking him unawarcs As Dis
lr!ct Attorney White observed after IN
tlai, there was no other govcrrma nj
IN the world that would do all thc.e
Things or the prisoner. while many that
are called enlightened would have done
none OF them. For instance. there w,s
no express authority for bringing IL ;,
oeiehuahts witnesses here at the ty-
pehSe OF the government; but the IN =:
was stretched in the prisoners favor a,s
me presence of witnesses from Boston
and other distant points .-nows.
me crime of which John Andersen
stands convicted is 80 we'll known that !
Driei summary will recall the fac.s
me prisoner was cook of the olive
recker, three masted America
schooner. that sailed f:om Roa;on on III.
so.h OF June last, with a cargo of lumhe,
ae' eouth American port. On the S;!,
OF August, when off thu coas+ of nr,,;i
Andersen killed Captain whitman -,
the schooner, and Immediately after.
ward killed Saunders, the mate The
Dod!es OF both men were thrown over