Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1904-01-27
LONDON THRILLED
Sudden Death of Whitaker
Wright Causes Intense
Sensation.
POINTS TO POISONING
just After Receiving Sentence to
Penal Servitude Celebrated Pris-
oner Dropped Dead.
A Remarkable Career Ends in Pub
lie Disgrace eliminating in
Tragedy.

Tragedy.
London, Jan. 27.-Late yesterday af-
ternoon Whitaker Wright was sentenc-
ed to seven years penal servitude.
An hour later he lay dead on the floor
of a small room in the law courts.
Whether he took his own life by poi
son or whether death in it's natural
course robbed the law of its fulfill
ment will not be known until a post
norton examination is held; the indi-
cations, however, point to poisoning.
The career of this man, who was
known on three continents for his stu
pendous financial operations, closed in
a startling tragedy. Even in his life,
which with his rise from poverty 20
enormous wealth was full of dramatic
incidents, there was nothing that could
compare with the manner of his death.
All London is thrilled with the news
of it. No such human tragedy has
been enacted in England for many a
year.
Until nearly o'clock last night the
body Of the man who formerly had con-
trolled many of the worlds markets
and who had been courted by royalty,
remained upon the floor of the room
where he fell, for as a convicted felon,
Wright's person had become the prop
erty of the crown. The home office
finally gave permission for its remov-
II ~
jurisdiction of the coroner. 1t now
lies at Westminster mortuary, where
almost all the corpses taken from the
Thames are laid OUT The inquest
probably will be held on Thursday.
Mrs. Wright, the dead mans wife, is
an American. She now lies i'll at the
magnificent country home which
Wright had in Surrey. Dispatches
from there say with certain ingen-
uous pathos: "The news Of Whitaker
Wright's death has caused much sor-
row. He was well known here for his
acts of generosity. and it vas gener-
ally believed that he would be acquit-
ted and return home again"
The feeling that Justice Bingham's
conduct of the case was not very jul
dicial appears to grow in legal circles
of London, and the sentence imposed
upon Wright would have in itself fur
nished England with an unexpected
sensation. Until counsel commenced
pleading the actual trial of Whitaker
Wright scarcely aroused that keen
public interest which was exhibited
when Wright was in the United States
or when parliament decided he did not
come within the pale of law-breakers.
When Messrs. Isaacs and Walton
started to make their appeal to the
jury the people awoke to the gravity
of the issues concerned. Even the
government was involved, for it had
taken the stand that Wright could
not be prosecuted. Furthermore, it
was an open secret that many great
and even royal names were indirectly
involved in the proceedings. Friends
of Wright had said that if driven into
a corner he would tell who had profited
by his transactions. Suspense reigned
in many quarters while counsel for the
defense made their appeal, and when
the appeal was finished those involved
breathed easier and public curiosity
remained unsatisfed.
Justice Bingham, in passing SEN
tence, said he could see nothing to
excuse the crime of which Wright had
been convicted, and he could not con-
ceive worse case. He must there
fore allot the most severe penalty the
law permitted. Wright, who had stood
up to receive his sentence, said in a
firm voice: All can say is that | am
as innocent of any intention to deceive
as anyone in this court" Wright was
then removed in custody Suddenly
Wright fell backward as if he had
tainted The first thought was that he
had fallen in an ordinary apoplectic
fit, but it was noticed that his heart
began gradually to give out and before
q doctor could arrive Whitaker Wright
within one hour of the time he had
been sentenced. was dead. An exam
nation of the body points strongly tn
the fact that death was due to poison.
POLITICAL INTEREST