The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-18

Two important cases are set for trial
during the present week in the criminal
branch of the Supreme Court of the Dis
trict One OF these is the trial of James
Lanctun, charged with the murder OF Mrs.
Bette Wrenn. in March last, which will
be presided over by Justice Clahaugh in
Criminal Court No. 1, and the other, the
trial of Frank Turner, and six others, all
colored, charged with making criminal
assault on Dora Linkins, in July last,
which will come up for hearing before JUS
tice Cole, in Criminal Court No 2. what
is known as the Standard Oil Company
case, which has been on the equity docket
for over three years, will also come up for
final hearing on Tuesday before Justice
Barnard, in Equity Court No. 2.
James Lancton is the only prisoner In
the District Jail awaiting trial on the
charge of murder. There are. however,
five prisoners confined in the Jail who have
been tried and convicted OF murder, and
sentenced to be hanged between now and
July e. next They are Benjamin Smell and
Frank w. Funk, sentenced to be hanged
June 20. Nelson Vale and Arthur Landon,
both oolored, sentenced to be hanged on
July 6, and Charles L. McUin, sentenced
to be hanged on July q. In the cases of
Vale and Landon, strong petitions asking
that their sentences be changed from the
death penalty to imprisonment for life
have been forwarded to the President. and
it is confidently, expected by the friends OF
the prisoners that their sentences will be
committed.
In the case of Funk, sentenced to suffer
death for the murder Of William II.
Brooks, on June %, 1898, it is expected
that the date of execution will be post
poned. When the Court OF Appeals for
the District affirmed the judgment OF the
trial court, the prisoners counsel, Messrs.
Baker and Wolf, announced their inten-
tion to apply TO one of the justices OF
the Supreme Court OF the United States
for a writ of certiorari to have certain
constitutional questions raised passed upon
by that court. In view OF this IT Is Iikeiy
there will be some change made IN the
day set for execution.
James Iancton will be the third white
man to be put on trial in the local courts
during the last year for the murder OF
white women. Horton. who was convicted
of the murder OF Mrs. Jane Nicholson. was
hanged in December last, and benjamin
H. Smell is now under sentence TO be
| hanged a week from next Friday for the
| murder Of Lizzie Weisenberger, IN Au-
| gust last.
The manner in which Mrs. Wrenn came
| to her death was entirely different from
| that of the victims of Horton and Smell
| In the latter cases the crimes were, &c
all appearances, deliberate. In the case OF
Mrs. Wrenn, however, it is alleged tha'
| her death was the result OF an assault
made upon her by Lanc;on about twe
weeks before she died.
Mrs. Wrenn had been employed at
pension agency in + Street ana Lahctoh
| who is about fifty-four years OF age, was
n client of her employer During vista
| to the office Lancton, it is said, gained q
| sneaking acquaintance with Mrs. Wrenn
| He If is said. made advances to her which
| she repulsed. This. however, did not de-
| ter him and he would frequently wait II
| the neghborhood of her Office and when
she would leave. after business hours, de-
| spite her protests, would accompany her
| to her home at ga E Street southwest
| On the night of March u last, while under
! the influence of liquor, 1t is said he caileo
| at Mrs. Wrenn's home and made a pro-
| posal of marriage to her. This she de-
! clined and Lancton thereupon, it is al
| legged. assaulted Mrs. Wrenn brutally
beating and bruising her. AS result OF
the injuries sustained by her 1t was nee
/ essary for Mrs. Wrenn to be removed &c
| the Columbian University Hospital, where
| on March 10, she died of paresis and COM
plications. Lancton was arrested on in
| formation given the police by DR.. G. G.
Morris, who attended Mrs. Wrenn from
| the time she was assaulted until she died
In the case of Turner and the others
charged with assaulting Dora Linkins. the
| coming trial will be the third time the,
have been called to answer for the crime
with which they are charged. At the frs
| trial, which was had in February last, al
| the defendan tsa were convicted and sen
fenced by Justice Cole to thirty years ea,l
in the peniteDtiary. Some time afterward
however because of newly discovered ties
timony, the prisoners we're granted a nev
| trial This, however, resulted In the jur.
which heard-t tho evidence being unable t
agree upon verdict Alexander II
Semmes. Assistant District Attorney, VIII
represented the Government. will agaii
conduct the prosecution on Wednesta
next.
In what is known as the Standard CT
Company case the litigation was begun Il
January, 1897, by John G. Oeser and vii
liam j. Downey, who filed petition in tn
Supreme Court of the District, asking tina
the Standard Oil Company be enjoined fro
completing certain oil tank on its prem
ises in Southwest Washington. The ma te
come up for hearing before Mr.. Justic
Hagner. who issued a temporary iljanct o
restraining the defendant from erectin
the tank in question. During the last 81
months both parties to the su,s have Tee
taking testimony and this will he submit
ted to Justice Barnard. The c. mrlainant
are represented By C. Maurice Smith ar
Edwin Forrest, and the Standard Oil Com
pany by a. S. Worthington and Clarence
Brandenburg.