The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-01-27
WRIGHT'S EVENTFUL CAREER
HAS SENSATIONAL ENDING
Dies Suddenly an Hour After Being Sentenced to
Seven Years Serytude For Fraud
Suicide Is Hnted a-Inquest win Be Held thursday Startling
Tragedy ShFs All London.

leaned forward to catch the foreman s
answer. AT the word guilty, which
broke the tense and eXpsct2nt silence
Wright did nor even fliEch, but sticking
gazing rather grimly at bis Judge ne
stood I'D 10 receive sentence
To the cry ct "a woman that came from
the back OF the court and TO the reailzd-
ton that his career as q man Of business
and honor was ended. Wright seemed Ut
feFiy obliviOils He sat down mechanic
ally. while AR. "A alton made plea tof
mercy AS Justice BiZham. in sharp apr
TcmCrseIess tones. answered Mr.. WaltOr,
Wright was peremptOTily ordered 10 stand
up.
Severe Arrangement CT Judge.
Whitaker Wright" said Justice Big
ham. lin my opinion the jury could not
on the evidence, arrive at any other con-
ciusion than which they have expressed
in their verdict. / confess I see DotnluE
that in any way excuses the crime OF
which you have been found guilty. and I
cannot conceive of q worse ease than
YOURS. Under the sections of the act OF
parliament. upon which YOU have been
indicted and which define the offenses- IS
these circumstance. ] do not think that
/ nave any option save 70 visit you WIN
the most severe penalty which the act
permits. ana that Is that No} 60 into
penal servitUde for seven years
The crowd in court gasped III surprise.
right was almost the only person VINO
appeared MnfNQhEll. linen. turning 10 EftE
reporters In the room, rather than 10 his
judge. he cried out in "a firm voice:
All ] can say is that ] am as innocent
Of any intention to deceive as any one IN
this room
1t was apparent that he would have
said more. but two tipstaffs took him by
the arms and LED him out of court \
friend pressed forward to offer his con-
dOlenceS-
ION. never mind. said Wright u
don't mind a bit and with a firm step,
ana looking In perfect health. the con-
victed man STROBE. 10 the consultation
room 90 take farewell Of his solicitors.
Dead Within an Hour.
For some twenty minutes Wright dis
cuSsed his family affairs and the dispo-
siti9u of his remaining moneys. He
frankly expressed his amaZement at the
verdict and StiN more 50 at the sen
tence, but George Lewis. il, his So
hcitor, tells the Associated Press that
he spoke rather as q man prepared 70
grin and bear II than as a person WhO
contemplated suicide.
Suddenly Wright fell backward. as il
he had tainted. The officer who was
waiting to take him 80 Brixon prison ran
to Kings College hospital, which is near
by. for a doctor. In the meanwhile the
unconscious man WAS DrODDed up on two
chairs. The doctor came quickly. His
first thought was that Wright had faiieU
in on ordinary apoplectiC fir. but fl was
noticed that his heart began gradually to
give CUT, aio neIOfe anOtner doctor could
arrive Whitaker Wright. within one
hour of the time he had been sentenced,
was dead.
An examination of the body made at q
late hour tonight points strongly 10 the
tact that death was due to poison. The
post-noTtem eAamina ton viii b. held
Wednesday.
Throughout the evening a crowd of GU
rious people fingered around the law
courts, and In order to avoid scenes thg
body OF Wright had to be taken out by a
side entrance and conveyed almost by
stealth TO the mortuary.