The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-17

The jury in the case of the state vs.
Stewart Webb, charged with the muir
der of William Larson, shortly after
midnight, after being out seven hours, re-
turned verdict finding Webb guilty Of
manslaughter in the first degree, with a
recommendation to mercy.
The crime of which Webb was convict
ed was the shooting of Larson in coal
office on Washington street, near Third,
Dec. 2. The office was conducted by the
father of Webb, and, according to the
claim of the state, Larson, accompanied
by friend, called at the place and en-
gagged in an alteration. Webb took a
shotgun from behind desk and shot
Larson, inf1icting wounds from which
death resulted.
The jury retired shortly before clock
in the afternoon and arrived at a YER
dict about II o'clock. Judge Jaggard was
summoned and arrived at the court room
at Has. The jury was called in, and
court opened before midnight, and then
the foreman read the verdict
Former Judge Egan, for the defense,
objected to the verdict, that it was i'm
properly dated and that no court was in
session on Feb. 16. SO far as the verdict
was concerned.
The foreman, Charles Bentley, in hand
ing over the verdict explained that the
jury had attached the recommends ton
for mercy because'of the youth of the de-
PENDANT, and his previous good record
At the trial yesterday the principal fea-
ture was the testimony of Webb. He
said in substance:
II was born in st. Paul twenty-three
years ago, and returned to the city on
May 1. My father and I returned to-
gether and first went to the house of w.
j. Smith, on the West side. Smith intro
duced me to William Larson AT that
time l was working for the ST. Paul
Carriage company, of which Mr. Martin
was the superintendent. Smith had told
me that Larson was quarrelsome man
and had been prosecuted for a crime
committed on the West side and had been
arrested for lesser crimes in various parts
of the country. l saw Cornell few
times. He lived with his mother on State
street on the West side, but | did not
associate with him.
ION the afternoon of Dec. had been
in the office about twenty-five minutes
when Cornell and. Larson came in When
they came In father was in the office,
and they asked him if he wanted to sell
out. He told them he did not Cornell
was very drunk, and staggered about the
office. Father went out and told me to
watch them and not let them tear every
thing up; that they were thieves.
There was q colored lady sick in the
back room, and Cornell asked who was
there said it was only sick lady, and
he said, INTRODUCES me- Il told him /
didn't care about it. and he went into the
room. He asked If the lady was Name
Webb, and said no, and then he went
over to the telephone and began pounding
on the receiver.
'I told him not to do that, and Lar
son said, You're looking for trouble ]
said, No, 1 wasn't and opened the door
and told Larson to take Cornell out for
he had brought him there and to go out
himself. They talked some and swore a
little and finally Larson went out. About
the time [ opened the door, Cornell said:
Webb. give me S12. l told him I didn't
have any money. and Larson said, Give
1t to him you - Of a - Lar
son went out and Cornell started out and
at that time I had my left hand on Cor
nell's shoulder. Larson threw basket
into the office.
Then Larson rushed back and pushed
rs back from the door. He said Who
the r. do you think you are putting
out; - d you, I'll give you all you're
looking for II you think you can put me