New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-12
THE TOERNER JURY AGREES.
FINDS THE ARTIST GUILTY OF MURDER
IN THE SECOND DEGREE.
A VERDICT AFTER FIFTY-sEvEN HOURS OF DIS
CvssION-THE LONGEST JURY DE1iBERA-
TON IN RECENT CITY TRIALS.


CUssION-THE LONGEST JURY Df'ldhN"N
TON IN RECENT CITY TRIALS
After having been out for over hfty-seVeh noun -
the fury which has been endeavornS TO aB''e a. -
,ho nit or innocence OF william J. Koerner' the
newspaper artist who Is on trial for the mur'e' %
his sweetheart brought in verde. Of guilty III inc
eocord degree at 80 o'clock this morning Al miu-
night the Jury after being out hfty-seven hours'
seemed TO be as little able 10 agree on Ne'u'0' "
NJ any other time in the trial Recorder CON ",
was still in the building, was about 10 re'ie loi ''
richt vvhon word was brought in that the jury was
ready 10 come into court. The verdict was quickly
.o,,r,od and the turvn,en were soon on their way
home. -
The jury retired on Wednesday afternoon 10 con
s,dor its verdict It has broken ali records IN
recent jury trials IN this city. The longest time
that Jury has been out before this In recent years
was when Recorder Frederick Smyth' now Justice
of the Supreme Court, kept the jury out thlrtyS'A
hours TO decide the guilt or innocence OF Fo'lce
Caniain William S Deyery. now Deputy Chet. TN
Wednesday night their first nigh; out, the koerner
uryIncn stayed up most Of the time taking 10 each
other about the weight of certain testimony They
came into court once on Wednesday. but 1t was only
TO ask for information point Of law. Then they
retired again. and when It seen that they could
not agree Recorder Goff adjourned court until 1879
O'Clock on Thursday morning.
The Jurors came into court again then but 1t was
only TO ask TO have the testimony OF certain wit
nosses read TO them. and then they retired once
more The Recorder waited little while, and then
adjourned court until o'clock in the afternoon.
Just before going out supper the jury filed
into court and wanted 10 know II the defence had
admitted that Koernor had purchased the revolver
with which he shot Rose Redgate the girl who
had refused to marry him because Of his habits.
on the day Of the shooting. The Recorder replied
that no such admission had been made. Several
Of the jurors asked permission then to communi-
cate with their families. This accepted as an
indication that the jurors had made up their minds
10 hold ont for their private opinions as 10 the
defendants guilt or innocence.
The Jurors then had their supper. and again re-
tired for the night. and a very sorry time they
had Of It, They were all in fairly bad humor yes
terday morning. At los O'Clock yesterday after
noon they sent M some written requests for in
formation They wanted know whether they
could conscientiously and legally find the defend
ant guilty Of murder in lesser degree than thai
for which he was indicted. The Court read parts
Of the charge to the jury. in which they were in
formed that they could do
At 51s O'Clock last evening the jury filed into the
courtroom, and the foreman asked the Recorder II
It was lawful for any member of the jury to com
muncate with The Judge without the communica-
ton passing through the forcman's hands Re
corder Gof replied that the individual members OF
the Jury hal the right 10 communicate at any and
all times with the Judge. The foreman asked II he
might put another question. and the Recorder init
mat ted that it would be more acceptable II the Jury
would retire ana send any communication in writ
ing The Jurors then filed out again. each man
looking AZ II he was at enmty with all mankind.
Al Gl0 D. a messenger took another communi-
cation 10 Recorder GOff. II 10 the effect that
the jury unable to agree. The Recorder or
dered tho twelve men TO come In As each took his
seat his expression gave further proof that the duty
becoming distasteful
Tho foreman Informed the Court Of the disagree
meat and Recorder Gof said that he was OK
tremc;y sorrs and spoke q the four long weeks Of
the trial ana the great expense OccaSloncd by II.
lie told the jurors IL was their plain duty. II pos
sblc in any way 20 reconcile their differences and
have a mistrial. He cautioned them however.
not 10 change their opinions on account Of any
thing he might say juror. he said. had a
sacred right form opinion and hold it forever.
on the other hand, the law required that every
reasonable effort should be made to agree on YER
dict.
After permitting one juror TO hold a few min
utcs' conversation with his wife. the Recorder in
siructed the jury TO retire once more and try TO
come to an aGrcsn ent. and once more the wedried
twelve slowly marched their way TO tho jury-roOm
each looking though there was no change In The
situation.
The trials Of Koerner have already cost the state
$4,000 and another trial Will cost additional
s.00r. William j. Koerncr murdered Rose Alice
Redgate on the sidewalk at Scvcnth-ave. and Four
h he AZ az