New-York tribune., 1901-01-03
WOMAN STOPS TRIAL.
BIER CONFESSION CAUSES TWO MEN To
BE SENTENCED TO EIGHTEEN
YEARS IN STATE PRISON.

Freehold. ~ J., Jan. 2-Justice Fort to-day SEN
tsnced DR.. Reuban p. Thompson, physician OF Sea-
bright and Of ex-Sherih John l. Thompson
ano grandson Of ex-Sherin Joseph /. Thompson.
and Harry Fowler carnage manufacturer Of
Long Branch. each eighteen years in State
Prison az hard labor. for the murder Of infant
child Of which Fowler the father. Within
thirty minutes after the prisoners pleaded they
were sentenced.
DR.. Thompson. Fowler Miss Eta White, the
mother Of the murdered babe. and Mrs. Nellie
Waite. the mother Of Miss White all TO have
been tried to-day upon joint indictment for the
murder OF the infant, but al the last moment the
prosecution presented a confession which Mrs.
Nellie White had made and signed since being in
Jail here, and which implicated Fowler and DR..
Thompson. The fact that Mrs. White turned
States evidence caused great surprise. and changed
the status Of the case. II apparent that.
hedsed in upon all sides. DR.. Thompson and Fowler
could hardly escape conviction Of murder in the
first degree
There was a conference between Justice Fort
Prosecutor Foster and counsel for the defence
lasting over an hour, and ar the end of that time
Dr. Thompson and Fowler were both arralgned be-
fore the mar and pleaded vult 10 murder in the
FIRST degree. Fowler is tall. fine looking young
man. about thirty-two years of age. Dr. Thomp-
son. who is about thirtysix years DID, was suffer-
ing from the gout. and stood with cane Both
prisoners appeared realize the straits in which
the confession of Mrs. White had placed them
In imposing sentence Justice Fort stated that he
considered they had taken the best course in plead
ing guilty. and that the Prosecutor had acted wise
ly in accepting the plea under the facts The
Court wished 10 say publicly that 1t also accepted
Its share OF the responsibility in the acceptance OF
the plea. The crime most serious one, and
under the plea, both were liable TO the penalty
for murder in the second degree-thirty years in
state prison. But. IN view OF the fact that the
prisoners had saved the county the expense of a
trial. had always borne good regulations. and that
the victim was a newborn babe. the Court would
give them what il considered just sentence He
then sentenced the men TO eighteen years in State
prison al hard labor While sentence being
pronounced Dr. Thompson closed his eyes in a
oazeG manner. and clutched the railing. but other
There was a pitiful scene in the court immediate
iy afterward. The mother. father, brothers and
sisters Of Fowler, and the father and other rela-
nyes or Dr. Thompson were present, and the
women especially became hysterical. and left the
courtroom weeping. They had expected that the
prisoners would be acquitted
The crime for which the prisoners held was
committed in May last at Long Branch. Fowler is
a married man. a local physician of Long Branch
attended Miss White. DR.. Thompson would have
been the attending physician. but he arrived too
late. According to Fowler'S alleged confession
the doctor. after his arrival. put funnel in the
infants mouth and poured something down its
throat, which killed IL. The two men then wrapped
II up. tied stone 10 the body and dropped il in
the South Shrewsbury River. The Long Branch
physician became suspicious when he found that
suited. which revealed the body in the river. DR..
Thompson was arrested FOwler's alleged con-
fession. BY good behavior both men can reduce
their sentences to fifteen years.