Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-26
Whitaker Wright Drops Dead
in Court Room.
STUNNED BY SENTENCE
NO APPARENT INTENTION OF
SUICIDE ANY TIME.
Justice Declares Wright's Transactions
Exceeded in Enormity Anything
Ever Known in English Courts

LONDON January 2G-The trial of Whit
aker Wright ended in a tragedy. Within
all hour of being found guilty and SEN
fenced to seven years penal servitude, the
most severe sentence the law allows for
the fraud of which he was convicted the
finaucier. whose colossal dealings have ere
atet Il sensation on both sides of the At
lantic, lay dead in the ante-room OF the
corr. Whether Wright's death was due TO
heart disease, following the excitement OIL
the trial, as announced by the doctor, or py
poison, as grimly limited by his friends, is
still undecided and possibly will not be as
certained until the coroners verdict.
Standing with his hands in his pockets
and looking very rale. but not SO anxious
as during the judges severe summing up
Wright heard the judges condemnation
and sentence without apparent excitement.
He quietly protested his innocence in firm
voice. audible throughout the room, left
the court in company with his solicitor, ana
was arranging for the future of his wife
and family, when he suddenly fell ana eX-
pired without another word.
His solicitor, George Lewis. jr, who was
with him at tie time, said to representa-
tive of the Associated Press:
Wright seemed to be stunned by the
sentence. but he did not give the slightest
indication, either before or after his SEN
tence. of an intention to take his own life.
''Of course added Mr.. Lewis. no one
can really tell the cause of death until the
post-mortem examination.
Defendant Guilty on ALI Counts.
After twelve days trial the jury in the
kings bench division of the high court of
justice found Whitaker Wright guilty Of
fraud on all the counts and he was sem
fenced to seven years penal servitude.
II J,a
would ask the jury to find a general verdict
of guilty or not guilty If they were salts
fled that Wright was guilty of one or more
Oh these charges they must not be deferred
from finding a verdict OF guilty by the sug-
gestion that such a verdict would cast a
SUR on the memories of Lords Duferin and
Loeb. 1t would not do anything of the
kind. Their conduct was consistent in their
having honestly made mistakes.
Dealing with the evidence, Justice B1ng-
ham described as singular the way in which
thousands of pounds sterling became mil
lions on paper, SO far as the Lakeview
shares were concerned. The London and
Globe and the Standard companies were
gambling concerns which excited his in
dignation. In the course of his long ex-
perience Justice Bigham had never before
heard of anything like the transactions
which preceded the hopeless bankruptcy of
the London and Globe financial corpora
ton.
Millions in Worthless Shares
Justice Bingham concluded his reference
to Wright'S career by referring to posi-
tions which the defendant claimed to have
occupied in New York and Philadelphia.
and said Wright had built up fine posi-
ton for himself in two or three years. and
if it was necessary to seek motive for his
actions it would be found in his desire to
maintain this position. At the same time
it was said that after the crash of the
London and Globe Financial Corporation
he found himself with 81, 800, coo to So, 600, =
900 in worthless shares.
According to a court attendant who was
III the ante-room when Wright was
stricken. the latter was talking to Solicitor
Lewis about his family and giving instruc-
tons regarding their future, while jailers
were waiting outside to take him to Brix-
ton prison, when Wright suddenly stumbled
and fell forward. Mr.. Lewis and the court
attendant caught him and put him IN a
chair, placing his feet on another chair
They then summoned a doctor. Wright
almost Immediately became unconscious
and never spoke again. The doctor. when
he arrived said nothing could be done, and
by 3:J5 pm. the financier was dead. His
body was covered with Il sheet and laid on
the floor. 1t will remain there during the
night and until the coroner and legal au-
thorities decide on it's disposition. The
corpse retains its normal appearance the
face being little changed.
Wright ate fairly good lunch during
the midday recess and said nothing about
feeling ill., None of his relatives has thus
far arrived.
Curious crowds are thronging the pre-
cincts of the court.
The general opinion tonight is that while
Wright fully deserved the verdict OF
guilty, the judges whole conduct of the
case was most partial, and that while none
of his co-drectOrs was punished, Wrigh,
alone had to bear the entire punishment.
Mrs. Wright. the widow, is in England.