The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-27
VERDICT OF GUILTY
IN SHRATHERS' CASE
Convicted of Murder for the
Second Time.
jury Does Not Recommend Life
Imprisonment,
Prisoner 10 Remain i'm Jail Until
Justice Cole Summons Him for
Sentence of Death.

William NJ Strathers, colored. was last
night. for the second time within twelve
months, found guilty by jury Of the
murder Of Rosa Tolbert. The crime OF
which ne was convicted was one of the
most brutal ever committed in the DISTRICT
not even the accused himself having made
any attempt 10 justify the killing except
through the claim that at the time OF its
commission he was unconscious OF the act
The trial, which ended last night in the
conviction of Strathers, was begun on
Monday. the closing arguments having
been made yesterday afternoon. The case
was given to the jury about p. m, and
at SOC p m, just two hours and two min
utes after, a verdict of guilty was re-
turned.
When Justice Cole, who presided at the
hearing, had delivered his charge 10 the
jury. he announced that he would return
10 the City Hall at o'clock to receive its
verdict When that hour arrived Assistant
District Attorney Shillington, the counsel
for the prisoner, and quite number or
spectators were on hand
The court room was but dinly lighted
as the jury filed into court. Ii would have
been impossible to tell what their verdict
was from any outward sign oi llSiI ld' -
Strathers, who was seated near his coun-
sci. shifted uneasily as they silently filed
in and took their positions in front of
Justice Cole. II was 4 solemn moment
and all was as still as death when +. w
Smith. the clerk of the court, after calling
the roll of the jurors, said: Gentlemen
of the jury, have you agreed on verdict
The answer. We have" came quickly
from the foreman. and Mr.. Smith contin-
Il he afgfrf fn
foreman answered. Guilty as indicted
Mr. Shillington then asked that the pris-
oner be remanded for sentence, and JUS
tice Cole ordered that Strathers be re-
moved to the Jail TO remain until sum
moned for sentence. There was q hurried
consultation between the prisoner and his
attorney, and he was then taken to jail
Strathers was convicted of the murder
of Rosa Tolbert on February TO- 1897, and
was sentenced to be hanged in May. His
counsel, however. took an appeal TO the
Court OF Appeals for the District. based
upon an alleged error OF the trial court
which, in August last, affirmed the iudg-
ment of the lower court. Again Strath-
ers' counsel appealed, this time to the
Supreme Court Of the United States.
which, on January last, reversed both
the Court Of Appeals and the trial court,
and the prisoner was granted new trial.
pited by the President till January 5, but
upon learning of the decision Of the Su-
preme Court of the United States extend
ed the time until February next.
During his trial Strathers was represent
ed by Messrs. Samuel d. Truitt, b =njamin
Roodhouse and John L. Taylor, and the
Government by Assistant District Attor-
neys Joseph Shillington and John Z. Las
key.
The testimony for the Government ad-
duced at the hearing which ended last
night was practically the same as that Of
fered at the former trial. The defense re-
lied wholly upon the good reputation
which the prisoner bore, and introduced q
large number of Witnesses who gave evil
dence of his record for peace and good
ord6--. The greatest hope of the counsel
for the defense was TO obtain verdict
recommending imprisonment for life in
stead OF the death penalty.
On this point the charge of Justice Cole
was very clear. lie instructed the jury
that under the law, it could qualify its
verdict by adding without capital punish
ment." II was matter, he said, over
which the court had no control. II is :
power which the law confers upon them.
The crime of which Strathers was con
yicted was committed at dawn on th'
morning of October j.. 1887. in the LITTLE
two-story frame building at 1873 Franklin
Street. There ne lived with Rosa Tolbert
the woman he murdered. his wife. The
evidence at the trials showed that shortl!
after he arose from his bed, he went int
the yard and there procured Ratchet
returned 10 his room and literally hacker
his companion TO pieces. II was adduceC
IN testimony that there were as many "a
six mortal wounds found upon the hea,
of the woman. In his own defence
Strathers claimed that the TolbeTt woman
attacked him with a bottle and that h
inflicted the fatal wounds in self-defence
Edward Smith, another one Of those witt
was convicted OF murder and was granted
a new trial at the time the decision o
the lower courts was reversed in th'
StTathers case, Will be again put on tria
on Monday next