Milford chronicle., 1904-01-29
WHITAKER WRIGHT
h DIES SUDDENLY
london Promoter Was Convicted Of
Fraud and Sentenced to Seven Years.
PROBABLY POISONED HIMSELF

ssaa-
london. Jan. 27.-Whitaker Wright
Ras sentenced to seven years penal
BeFutude, and an hour later he lay
dead on the floor Of a small room in
the law courts. Whether he took his
bWE life by poison, or whether death
IN its natural course robbed the law
Df ITS fulfllment, will not be known IN.
ell a pOstmortem examination is held;
the indications. however. poiRt to poi.
sOning.
The career Of this man. who was
known on three continents for his stu
pendous financial operations, closed in
. startling tragedy. Even in 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 is thrilled with the news
Of Il. No such human tragedy has been
enacted in England for many year.
Mrs. Wright. the dead mans wife,
ts an American. She now lies i'll lat
the magnificent country home which
Wright had in Surrey. Dispatches from
there say, with a certain ingenious
path0s, "the news of Whitaker
Wright's death has caused much sor-
FoW."
When the jury filed in. Wright /
showed his first signs Of nervousness.
Peering through his glasses, he leaned
forward to catch the foreman's an.
sWer. At the word guilty" which
broke the tense and expectant silence.
Wright did not even finch, but, stick.
ing his hands deep down into his pock-
cts and gazing rather grimly at his
9udge, he stood up TO receive sentence. 1
To the cry Of a woman that came from
the back of the court. and to the realf.
cation that his career as a man of
business and honor was ended, Wright I
seemed utterly oblivious ,
Whitaker Wright" said Justice
Bigham. "in my opinion the jury could
not have arrived at any other conclu-
sion than that which they have ex- S
pressed in their verdict. I confess I f
see nothing that in any way excuses
the crime of which you have been a
found guilty and I cannot conceive of f
= worse case than yours. I do not il
think that I have any option save to
visit you with the most severe penalty "
which the act permits, and that is that o.
you go into penal servitude for seven D
years"
The crowd in court gasped in sur al
Prise. Wright was almost the only per- T
ION present who appeared to be IN 0C
moved. Then, turning to the reporters
n the room. rather than to his Judge. 81
le cried out in a firm voice: "All | ru
an say is that I am as innocent of any er
Intention to deceive as anyone in this
ocm."
It was apparent that he would have Isl
aid more. but two tipstaffs took him tit
y the arms and led him out Of court. ia
friend pressed forward to offer him
ondolence. oh, never mind" said trs
Wright, 81 don't mind a bit" and with Oh
firm step and looking in perfect an
ealth, the convicted man strobe to
le consultation room to take farewell trc
his solicitors. For some 90 min pri
-es Wright discussed his family al Wa
lirs and the disposition of his remain ME
g moneys. He frankly expressed I
IS amazement at the verdict, and still old
ore so at the sentence. die
Suddenly Wright fell backward. as if tau
bad tainted. The officer who was sey
aiting to take him to Brixton prison.
n to Kings College hospital, which 5
nearby, for doctor In the mean gril
lille the unconscious man was prop S
d up on two chairs. The doctor Ind
me quickly His first thought was stal
At Wright had fallen in an ordinary I
oplectic fit. but it was noticed that ing
heart began gradually to give out, dea
before another doctor could arrive hon
litaker Wright, within one hour of "
time he had been sentenced, was ries
ID. vett
In examination of the body points Jose
ongly to the fact that death was Il
to poisoning. - Sha
eral
vvorl