The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-27
is 1T BY HIS HAND?
Poison is Believed to Have Been En-
pIoyed by this Desperate Gambler
in Millions Whose Colossal Manip-
uIations Startled the Bankers of
Two Hemispheres.
(By the Associated Press.)

London. Jan. 26.--At three O'Clock this
to seven years penal servitude. At four
oclock 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 fulfillment. will not be known until
a post -mortem examination is held, but
indications. however, point to poisoning.
The career of this man, who was known
on three continents for his stupendous
financial operations, closed in a startling
tragedy. All London tonight is thrilled
with the news of it. No such human
tragedy has been enacted in England for
many a year.
Until nearly eight o'clock tonight the
Eody of the man who formerly had con-
trolled many Of the worlds markets and
who had been courted by royalty, re-
mained upon the floor of the room where
he fell, for, as a convicted felon, Wright's
person had become the property of the
crown.
The home office finally gave permission
for its removal and the body was given
over to the 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 mag
nificent country home which Wright had
in Surrey.
An examination of the body made at
a late hour tonight, points strongly to the
fact that death was Que to poison. The
post -mortem examination will be held on
Wednesday.
After twelve days trial. the jury in the
Kings Bench division OF the high court
of justice todey found Whitaker Wright
guilty of fraud on all counts, and he was
sentenced to seven years penal servitude.
the severest sentence the law allows.
The trial ended in a tragedy. Within
an hour of being found guilty. the finan-
cier, whose colossal dealings have created
a sensation on both sides of the Atlantic,
lay dead in the ante room of the court
Whether Wrights deaf was due to heart
disease following the excitement of the
by poison, as grimly limited at by his
friends, is still undecided and possibly will
not be ascertained until the coroners
verdict.
Standing with his hands in his pockets
and looking very pale but not SO anxious
as during the judges severe summing up,
Wright heard the judges condemnation
and sentence without apparent excite
merit. He quietly protested his innocence
in firm voice, audible throughout the
room, left the court in company with
his solicitor, and was arranging for the
future of his wife and family when he
suddenly fell and expired without anoIner
word.
According to a court attendant who
was in the ante-room when Wright was
stricken, the latter was talking to Solici-
tor Lewis about his family and giving
instructions regarding their future, while
jailers were waiting outside to take him
to Brixton 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 summonc> doctor.
Wright almost Immediately became un-
conscious and never spoke again The
doctor, when he arrived, said nothing
could be done, and by 1855 p. m.
finaneer was dead. His body was Gov
cred with sheet and laid on the Ooor II
will remain there during the night ana
until legal authorities decide on it's dis
position. The corpse retains its normal
appearance, the fact being little changed
Justice Bigham, in passing sentence,
said he could see nothing to excuse the
crime of which Wright had been convicted
and he could not conceive a worse case.
He must therefore 'allot the most severe
punishment the law permitted.
Wright who had stood UP to receive
his sentence, said in firm voice;
"All / can say is that l am as inno-
cent OF any intention to deceiye as any
one in this court"
The sentence was followed by a commo-
tion in distant part of the court and
the faint cry of a woman in distress was
heard. One man shook hands with Wright
as the latter left the court by the pri-
vate exit, accompanied by his counsel.
Almost Immediately afterwards Wright
was taken suddenly i'll and collapsed in