The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-24
SENTENCED TO BE HANGED.
HARRY SWEAT FOUND GUILTY OF
THE MURDER OF O'NEILL.


Jury Was out Two Hours and n Half.
Prisoner Heard the Verdict and
Sentence StOicaIIy-Lighted n Gig
arctic Outside the Court Room,
Broke Down As He Passed with
the Constable Through the Colon
faI Cemetery-Attorneys for the
Defense Filed Notice of n Mo-
ton for New Trial of the Case.
Harry Sweat was convicted Of murder
in the Superior Court yesterday and was
sentenced by Judge Falligant 20 be 'hang-
ed Feb. 10 in the county jail between the
hours Of 10 and o'clock. If the sentence
OF the court is carried out Patrick
o'Nenrs death will thus be avenged by
the law.
At 4.30 o'clock the jury brought in IT'S
verdict To many 1t was a surprise, as it
had been thought not improbable that the
finding would be with a RECOMMENDATION
to mercy.
a motion for a new trial will be made.
A notice to this effect was filed at once
by the attorneys of the accused.
When Foreman Richard E. Brown of
the jury read the verdict it was not re-
ceived by Sweat with any degree of emo
ton As he was being taken from the
court house to the Jail, he stopped just
outside the court room in which the evil
dence was given that forfeited his life and
struck a match to light a cigarette.
This nonchalance of Sweat's must have
been assumed. however. for the officer
who conducted him back to his cell said
he was greatly affected on the way. 1t
was when the Colonial cemetery was
reached that the condemned man broke
down. There must have been something
TOO trying for his nerves in the passage
through the city of the dead on his way
back to prison with a sentence of death
hanging over him. The thought that less
than fifty days might see him as one of
those past whose graves he was walking
pierced his armor of stoicism. Breaking
down completely, Sweat wept Between
his sobs ne said, 1t is related, that it had
been his own follles that had brought him
to the unfortunate pass in which he found
himself.
The court opened al 10 o'clock in the
morning, when the case that had already
been in continuance for two entire days
was called. The evening before, the lead
ing counsel for the defense Mr.. w. NJ
Hayward had announced that there were
some points remaining that he wished to
address the jury upon. He had already
spoken for two hours then. This time
added to the hour and half of his adj
dress yesterday made his entire speech
one of three and a half hours He was
followed by the solicitor, who spoke for
two hours, concluding at 1870 o'clock
Judge A. II. MacDonell associated with
Mr.. Hayward for the defense, spoke day
before yesterday for two hours and half
so that there were eight hours spent in
the argument of the case.
The arguments of counsel and Solicit
tor Osborne were all exhaustive of the evil
dence. Every detail upon which a point
for or against the prisoner could possibly
be made was taken up and carefully hand
led. Upon both sides there was astuteness.
and there was doubt in many minds as to
what the verdict would be.
The solicitor made a strong case against
the accused. His Characterization of
Sweat as the murderer of O'Neil, the plot
ter against his life, and the lover of his
wife was impressive. He said II had been
the most filthy case in which he had ever
been engaged. and that for this the O'Neill
woman might be credited. IL was the ma
ture of her llasions with Sweat that made
the case particularly revolving and caused
those who heard the evidence to sicken
with disgust to know that human beings
could descend to the depths to which it
was shown the principal actors in the
| tragedy had sunk.
There was large crowd in the court
room to hear the solicitors scathing de-
| nunciation of the accused and see the
masterful manner in which he handled the
| states side. II was only a little more than
ten minutes after he had finished his
! speech that the judge made his charge
| Judge Falligant instructed the jury in
the law defining murder. voluntary man
! slaughter and self-defense. The members
were told TO apply the evidence to the law
| and render their verdict in accordance
/ with the result as il presented itself tc
/ their minds They, he sad, were the
| judges of the law and of the facts. The
argument was brief, clear ana forceful.
! The jury retired Immediately after the
| Judge had delivered his charge. 1t required
more than two hours and a half for it tc
make up its verdict.
Sweat is the first white man in MANY
| years TO be convicted out and out of muir
der. Ii has usually been the case that the
finding of the jury has been ACCOMPANIED
by a recommendation 10 the mercy of the
! court.
ELECTION IN COMPANY A.