Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-06-15
A MISDEMEANOR.
Involuntary Manslaughter is
Confessed in the Musgrave
Case.

The Sentence of the Court il Nix
Months in Jail aud Fine of Fifty
DOllars-Verdict is Acceptable to All
Concerned The State was at Very
Treat Disadvantage and Had the case
Come TO Trial Would Have Been
Hard Pushed to Get as Much ms they
Did-The Sentence Has now Begun
and the End of This Case is i'm Sight.
Public Opinion is very Different from
What ii Was Few Years Ag0-Vhe
Closing Scenes of the Trial are Very
Dramatic and the Attendance is Very
Large-The Verdict is More than the
People Expected rs a Result of the
Trial.
Wednesday morning there was a
considerable crowd in the court
room to hear the e.opening of the
celebrated case of State VS. Mus
grave The spectators seemed to
take great deal of interest in all
the preliminaries although the lapse
of time had taken the sensational
features in great measure from the
case.
The preliminary matters were
soon disposed of and the judge asked
if there was anything else to be
transacted No one answered and
hush fell over the court room. wv hat
about the case of State VS.. David
Musgrave' was asked Again there
was no reply. Turning to the sher
iff the Judge directed that official to
bring David into court.
He soon returned with the prison
er whose appearance created the
first mild sensation of the trial.
He had changed slightly since the
first time he was arraigned before
the bar charged with the murder of
his wife. His bronzed face was now
somewhat paled from long confinc-
ment in jail where he gets but little
sunlight. A beard covers his chin
which was formerly free from such
adornment. His father was in court
and they exchanged greetings.
Through the whole case and dur
ing all the years of suspense the lat
ter has stood nobly by his son in all
cases and is still firmly convinced
that the accused is innocent.
Soon after the defendant was
brought into court it began to be
whispered about that compromise
of some kind was on foot. The coun-
sci on either side and the prisoner
were seen to be in consultation.
Finally at ten o clock the defense
by Hon. Geo G.. Sturggiss appeared
before court and after reciting the
facts in the case as seen by the de-
Tense he stated that Musgrave was
willing to confess to involuntary
manslaughter which is simple mis-
demeanor and to accept jail sen
tence.
Following him came l. G. Lazzelle
the prosecuting attorney who ac-
cepted the offer of the defense.
The court then reviewed the mo
ton and the facts as he knew them
and stated that he had no reasons
to refuse to accept the compromise
and to pass sentence accordingly.
He then turned to Musgraye and
gave him a most eloquent talk. He
reviewed the fact that the past three
years and half had been terrible
period for the prisoner. That the
punishment inflicted had been a ter
rible one if the prisoner were limo
cent. He referred in strong language
to the feeling of the people of the
county and exhorted the prisoner
to so conduct himself after the ex-
piration OF his sentence that no one
will feel that he were guilty.
At this point Musgrave reiterated
his innocence but the court told
him to be silent and proceeded with
the lecture.
After some more eloquent and feel
inc remarks he imposed sentence of
six months in the county jail and a
fine of fifty dollars
Musgraye was then taken back
to his old quarters with the end of
his Imprisonment in sight and he is
now serving out his sentence.
The sympathy of the crowd was
was with the defendant and the ex
preston was heard on every side
that the sentence was heavier one