The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-27
WHITAKER WRIGHT DIES
IN TRAGIC MANNER SOON
AFTER He IS SENTENCED
His Death Creates as Great a Sen
sation as Did His Fnnan-
cial Exploits.
HEART SUDDENLY FAILS
And He Expires in a Room of the
Law Courts-Possibly a Case
of Suicide.

LONDON, Jan. 26.-At 5 clock this after
noon Whitaker Wright was sentenced to
seven years penal servitude. At 4 o'clock
he lay dead on the floor of small room in
the law courts. Whether he took his own
life by poison or whether death in its
natural course robbed the law of its fulfill
ment, will not be known until post-mortem
examination is held; the indications, how
ever. point to poisoning.
The career of this man who was known on
three continents for his stupendous financial
operations. closed in startling tragedy.
Even i'm his life, which. with his rise from
poverty to enormous wealth, was full OF
dramatic incidents. there was nothing that
could compare with the manner of his
death. All London tonight is thrilled with
the news of it. No such human tragedy
has been enacted in England for many
year.
Until nearly O'Clock tonight the body
of the man who formerly had controlled
many of the world markets and who had
been courted by royalty. remained on the
floor OF the room where he fell for as
convicted felon Wrights person had be-
come the property of the crown. The Home
Office finally gave permission for it's re-
jurisdiction of the coroner 1t now lies at
Westminster mortuary, where almost all the
corpes taken from the Thames are laid
OUT. The inquest probably will be held on
Thursday.
AMERICAN WIFE STRICKEN
Mrs Wright. the dead mans wife. is an
American. She now lies i'll at the magnii-
cent country home which Wright had in
oh
a certain ingenious pathos: ''The news of
Whitaker Wright's death has caused much
sorrow. He was well known here for mis-;
acts of generosity, and it was generally be-
lieved that he would be acquitted and re-
turn home again.
The feeling that Justice Bigham's conduct
of the case was not very judicial appears to
grow in legal circles in London. and the
sentence imposed upon Wright would have
In itself furnished england with an unex-
pected sensa ton.
Until counsel began pleading, the actual
trial OF Whitaker Wright scarcely aroused
that keen public interes: which was exhibit
ed when Wright was in the United States
or when Parliament decided he did not
come within the pale OF lawbreakers.
When MessrS. Isaacs and Walton started
to make their appeals 10 the jury the peo-
pie .aHoke to the gravity of the issues con-
cerned Even the government was involved,
for il had taken the stand that Wright
could not be prosecuted. Furthermore II
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 transac ctions
Suspense rciSned. In many quarters while
counsel for the defense made its appeal.
but when the appeal was finished those in
Volved breathed easier and public curiosity
remained unsatished
BlGHAM : SUMMING Up.
Justice BiShim began summing up to-day
and the courtroom was crowded During
several previous sessions Wr'o mt had cone
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