The evening times., 1899-05-24
HORTON MURDER Case
APPROACHING an END
Prosecuting Attorney Laskey
Addresses the Jury.
Killing Of Mrs. Nicholson Described
in all Detail.
Argument Over Requests for In
Observation-Disclosures ms to De-
fendant's Mental Condition.

The announcement that the arguments
to the jury in the case Of George w. Hor-
ton, who is charged with murder, would be-
gin this morning had the effect of attract
ing q large audience to Criminal Court No.
1. AS the trial was drawing to an end
the parties Immediately interested seemed
more serious. The only difference in the
appearance of the defendant, however, was
that during part Of the proceedings he
wore spectacles.
The first witness called was Joseph Car
ter, a member of the Metropolitan Police
force for about twenty-five years. He
states that he had known Horton for some
time before the defendant was dismissed
from the police force. From his CONVEX
sations with Horton and what he knew Of
him he was Of the opinion that the defend
ant was of sound mind.
James l.. Pugh jr., prosecuting attorney
in the Police Court. stated that he knew
the defendant. Horton, very well. Horton
had been before him as police trial officer
on the charge of intoxication. The witness
also stated that Horton as an officer often
appeared in the police court as the prose-
cutting witness for the Government and
from his knowledge OF the defendant, Mr..
Pugh said, he is satisfied that Horton Is
of sound mind.
AT this stage of the proceedings Assist
ant District Attorney Shillington announc-
ed the Governments case closed, and the
counsel on either side submitted requests
to the court for instructions to the jury as
to the law governing the case.
Three requests for instructions to the
jury were submitted by the defence and
two by the prosecuting attorneys. The
attorney for the defence states that the
tsr11.
the same as the prayers admitted by JUS
tice Cox, in the Guiteau case. Assistant
District Attorney Laskey differed with the
counsel for the defence. claiming that the
instructions were not the same as those
submitted in the Guiteau case, but were
rath,- a compilation made from the charge
to the jury by Justice Cox, in the trial
referred to.
After brief discussion of the prayers
there were some changes made in the con-
struction of the wording by the court. and
the requests then admitted as submitted.
The opening address TO the jury on be-
half Of the Government was made by As
sistant District Attorney Laskey, who, in
the beginning, related the circumstances
under which the murder was committed.
Reviewing the details of the killing of Mrs.
Nicholson on the afternoon Of June "a last
by the defendant, he told of the meeting
Park, a few minutes after 6 p. m. He
then described the relations which are sup
posed 10 have existed between them for
several years before the killing. Mr.. Las
key recited the narrowing details of the
murder, telling how, after stabbing the
woman 10 death, and when life was actual
ly extinct. the defendant pounced upon the
PROSTATE form of his victim as it lay in the
roadway. and again mutilated her body and
face by infiicting severa! ugly gashes. He
described how Horton inserted his fore
finger under the jugular vein of the woman
and raising it, severed IL with the knife,
which he still held in his hand. Next he
told of Horizons actions during the opera
tion Of the killing and Immediately after
ward.
The story of the crime as developed by
the testimony was related by Mr. Laskey.
After the woman had fallen to the ground
he again attacked her and not until the
last spark of life was extinct did he cease
his fiendish work. As he rose from the
PROSTATE form of the dead woman Horton
looked at her for a moment and said:
Good bye jamie, you'll never deceive me
again"
At the conclusion of Mr.. Laskeys argu-
ment, Mr.. Robert W. Wells began the
opening argument for the defence.