The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-19
THEY WILL NOT HANG
PATERsoN's TRIO CONVICTED IN
SECOND DEGREE ONLY.
MAXIMUM PENALTY 80 YEARS.
JURY REACHED VERDICT AFTER
FOURTEEN BALLOTS.

The Conclusion Oh stnc Irt0i AeSter-
day-Judge Dixon's Summing Up
of the Evidence Practically Re-
auired n Conviction - Prisoners
Exhibited Neither ElRtion Nor he
lief at the Verdict-The Sentence
Not Yet Pronounced.
New York, Jan. 1S.--Walter c. McAlis-
ter, Andrew ]. Campbell and William A.
Death. three of the four persons indicted
for the death of Jennie Bosschieter,
mill girl of Paterson, N. j., who was
murdered on the night of Oct. is, last,
were tonight adjudged guilty of murder
in the second degree. According to the
New Jersey law, the maximum penalty
for the prisoners is thirty years impris-
onment.
The jury took fourteen ballots, and after
reaching a verdict and summoning Judge
Dixon and the prisoners, filed into the
court room.
The prisoners appeared very nervous,
McAlister seemed more excited than any
OF the others. He sat biting his lips while
waiting. Campbell thrust his hands into
his trousers. pockets and clinched his
fists in them. Death looked anxously
about the courtroom for a moment, and
then assumed the same attitude as Camp
bell.
When the verdict was announced the
prisoners exhibited neither citation nor
relief.
Judge Dixon thanked the jury and said
he believed the verdict just one. He
then dismissed the jurors until Monday
morning. The court then rose, and the
prisoners were taken back to the jail.
The defendants were brought into the
courtroom at 10 o'clock this morning
Ex-Judge William L. Hoffman immedi-
ately began the closing address for the
defense. Mr. Hoffman briefly expressed
his pity for the fate that had befallen
Jennie BosSchieter and sympathy with
her parents and contended that there Is
no legal proof that she died from choral
poison or that rape was committed If
the accused had Choral where did they
get 1t? The state had all the machinery
to find this out He ridiculed the testi-
mony of the experts.
Public Prosecutor Finley pictured the
enormity of the crime and attacked the
testimony of the defendants. He said
their meeting was no accident and cited
incidents in connection with the order
ing of the drinks and of the hack to show
it was prearranged
Judge Dixon then charged the Jury
Citing the counts in the indictment, he
said:
You may find some of the defendants
guilty or some not guilty of murder, or of
rape or you may find them innocent.
Each defendant is entitled to the benefit
or any reasonable doubt. If he be proved
guilty of the higher crime, 1t is murder
in the first degree. If there is a reason
able doubt he my be convicted of the
lower grade of crime or acquitted The
mind must be clear, regardless of the con-
| sequences. L call your attention to the
occurrence on the Gofie Road, where the
| girl was taken from the hack The state
| contends that she was insensible, and that
| while in this condition she was lifted in
the carriage and placed on the blanket
Because of what was done there, a
| lingering was torn from her cut
finger and a pin fell from her dress.
These occurrences may show some light
on the degree of force that may have
been used The hackman says he saw the
group around the girl, and then he was
asked to crafty his lust. Death also con-
fessed that to the officers. The defendants
deny the assault. 1t is to be considered
whether these men had any motive TO
swear falsely. Had the hackman or the
police any motive to swear falsely? The
conduct of defendants in the saloon and
| after they had gone out throw some light
on this. The legal rule as to the confess
sion of Death is that It is only evidence
as to his own guilt, but cannot be used
against the other defendants. So when
you are weighing the evidence
of Death and Campbell, you
should also consider the testimony Of
the officers. If it be not proven that any
Of these defendants had connection with
Jennie on the rock road then there was
no rape. But II they had, while she was
insensible then they are all guilty even
II only one of them had ravished her. If
She by her voluntary drinking, had made
herself insensible to her surroundings and
anyone took advantage of her condition,
rape was committed.
Now. for the graver charge of murder.
II Is charged that in SAILS saloon she
was drugged so that some one of the de-
PENDANTS might have carnal connection
with her. If at the rock road the crime
was committed, IL is easier to believe that
the preparation for it was made in SAILS