The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-27
DEATH COMES WITH VERDICT Whitaker Wright Dies.
 Very Suddenly. SUICIDE IS SUSPECTED Noted Promoter Sentenced for
 Seven Years. To Loss of Position and Business Integrity, It is Believed, the
 Prisoner Thought Death
 Preferable.

London, Jan. 26-At 8 o'clock this after noon Whitaker Wright was sentenced to seven years penal servitude. At 1 o'clock he lay dead on the floor Of small room in the law courts. whether he took his own life by poison or wheth- CT death in It's natural course robbed the law of It's fulhllment will not be known. until a post mortem examination Is held; the indications, however, point to poisoning.
 The career of this man, who was known on three continents for his stupendous financial operations, closed in start ling tragedy. Even In his life, with his rise from poverty to enormous wealth. was full of dramatic incidents, but there was nothing that could compare with the manner of his death. All London to- night Is thrilled with the news of 1t. No such human tragedy has been enact- ed in England for many year. The inquest probably will be held Thurs day.
 Mrs. Wright an American.
 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 a certain ingenious pathos:
 ''The news of Whitaker Wright 8 death has caused much sorrow. He was well known here for his acts of generos- ity and 1t was generally believed that he would be acquitted and return home again.
 The feeling that Justice Bigham's con- duct of the case was not very judicial, appears to be growing in legal circles of London, and the sentence imposed upon Wright would have in itself fur nished England with an unexpected sem sation.
 Until counsel commenced pleading. the actual trial of Whitaker Wright scarce ly aroused that keen public interest which was exhibited when Wright was in the United States or when Pariia- ment said he did not come within the pale of law breakers.
 When Messrs. Isaacs and Walton start ed to make their appeal to the jury, the people awoke up 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 driv- en into a corner he would tell who had profited by his transactions.
 Suspense in Many Quarters.
 Suspense reigned in many quarters while counsel for the defence made theiI appeal, but when the appeal was fin ished those involved breathed easier and public curiosity remained unsatisfed.
 Justice Bigham began summing up to- day and the court room was crowded During several previous sessions, Wright had gone to sleep. He had adhered 'tC his conviction that he could not possi bly, be found guilty and it was upon this conviction that he, against the advice Ol his lawyers, insisted upon returning from the United States to stand trial. As Justice Blgham emphasized the points against Wright, expatiated to the jury upon the immortality in issuing mis- leading balance sheets and the doubt fulness of the transactions of the Lon- don and Globe Financial Corporation un- der Wrlghts guidance, the prisoner showed intense interest, yet when the jury retired. Wright still retained con- fidence in his acquittal. He reiterated that he had done nothing which was mol done every day in the city.
 For an hour Wright awaited the yer dict meanwhile talking cheerfully with his counsel.
 Verdict of Guilty.
 When the jury filed in at o'clock. Wright showed his first signs of nervous ness. PeerIng through his glasses, he leaned forward to catch the foremans answer. At the word guilty" which broke the tense and expectant silence, Wright did not even finch, but sticking his hands deep down into his pockets and gazing rather grimly at his judge, he stood up to receive sentence.
 To the cry of woman that came from the back of the court. and to the realiza- ton that his career as a man of business and honor was ended, Wright seemed utterly obllvious. He sat down mechanl- cally while MT. Walton made a plea for mercy. As Justice Bigham, in sharp and remorseless tones, answered MT. Walton, Wright was peremptorily ordered to stand up.
 "Whitaker Wright" said Justice Big ham, fin my opinion the jurymen dould not on the evidence have arrived at any other conclusion than that wuich they have expressed in their verdict. con- fess I see nothing that in any way ex- cuses the crime of which you have now been found guilty, and cannot conceive of worse case than yours. Under the sections of the act or parliament upon which you have been indicted, and which define the offenses in these circumstances, do not think that I have any option save to visit you with the most severe penalty which the law permits, and that you go into penal servitude for seven years.'
 The crowd in court gasped in surprise. Wright was almost the only person pre- sent who appeared to be unmoved Then. turning to the reporters in the room, rather than to his judge, he cried out in firm voice:
 Still Protests Innocence.
 'All can say is that am as innocent of any intention to deceive as any one fin this room.'
 It was apparent that he would have said more. but two ripstaffs took him by the arm and led him out of court.
 For some twenty minutes Wright dis cussed his family and the disposition of his remaining money. He frankly ex- pressed his amaZement at the verdict and still more so at the sentence, but George Lewis, Jr.. his solicitor. tells the Asso- riated Press that he spoke rathar aa a