The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-08-19
GUILTY Of
MURDER IN
tST DEGREE
CONTINUED From First Page.)

timately be pardoned. This, however,
i a wrong impression as il would be
impossible for him to secure a pardon
with the charge of numbering Mr..
Dansby still hanging over him. If he
( is sentenced to life imprisonment this
morning he is doomed to incarcera-
ton until called to face his Maker at
/ the Great Bar of Justice.
The prisoner did not appear to be
/ surprised at the verdict and evinced
no feeling when it was read by Circuit
Clerk Mcmillan. On the contrary, he
/ was unmOved and smiled as he held
out his hands for the bracelets to BE-
| placed upon them.
Building Crowded.
The entire day, up to nearly FIVE
o'clock yesterday was consumed in
arguments by che prosecution and de-
/ :ense, addresses being made by Hon.
"A C. Blount, Judge Lucius J. Reeves,
w. L. Zachery and States Attorney
Hehoe. Argument concluded at FIVE
o'clock and Judge Frances B. Carter
then read his charge. The verdict
was returned by the jury after DELHI
Grating but a few minutes over an
hour.
The greatest rush of the trial oc-
Cured when the doors were unlocked
Gy the bailiff shortly before the con-
vening Of the morning session. Fol-
over an hour previous TO that time the
crowd had been gathering and a large
number Of interested people were
damned into the small hallway QUE
side the doors of the court room much
like sardines packed in a box. Even
the oil was not missing, as it oOZed in
a continued stream down the faces
Of the sweltering multitude.
When the doors were unlocked
there was a crash and the crowd burst
into the room. II resembled the burst
ing Of a dam about as much as any.
thing else, and as soon as the advance
guard gained access to the room, at
ter a scramble in which clothing was
torn and hands and bodies bruised, a
grand scramble for seats began.
Chairs were overturned and thrown
about in the wild stampede and it was
several minutes before quiet could
again be restored. 1t goes without
saying that standing room was ar a
premium several minutes before court
was opened
The Crush Was Great.
At the afternoon session the crush /
in the court room was greater than
at the morning session, but the STAIN /
pede for seats was not as great owing
to the fact that Deputy Sheriff San
ders stood in the doorway and fought |
the crowd back until the first excite
ment had subsidized to some extent.
The rush was great, nevertheless.
and the crowd damned itself into the
rear half Of the court room almost
to suffocatiOn. The great crowd at
the afternoon session was due, in a
great measure, to the fact that most
of the stores in the city had closed
for the regular Friday afternoon holi.
day, thus allowing large numbers of
merchants and their employees to at
tend.
Judge Carter took his place upon
the bench promptly at 3 o'clock and
the jury entered and was pOlled imme-
diately thereafter. The final argu-
ment in the case was then begun.
Judge ReeVes's Magnificent Effort.
During the adjournment in the mid
die of the day many expressions were
heard relative TO the possible out
come of the trial and it was the gen.
cral opinion then that the evidence
in the case warranted 4 verdict of
murder in the first degree and a ma.
iority believed that suc1 a verdict
would be returned. Many, however
believed that the magnifice II effort of
Judge Lucius J. Reeves 20 save Wiz
liams's neck from the gailows vCuld
be a success and that the jury, while
returning a verdict Of gu'.,- of mur-
der in the first degree, would recon-
mend defendant 60 the mercy nf the
court. thus saving his life. Consider
able talk was heard after adjournment
at 1 o'clock as the crowd was .assirg
out of the building to the effect that
the jury might disagree on account OF
some being opposed to either capital
punishment or a recommendation to
mercy, but those expressing this opin-
ion were in a large minority.
Defendants Wife and Mother.
The prisoner sat behind his counsel
throughout the day and paid the clos
est possible attention to the argu-
ments of the opposing attorneys. His
wife sat by his side and his mother
and sister occupied places directly be-
hind him. Mrs. Williams, wife of the
defendant, held a handkerchief to her
eyes the greater part of the day and
at times her slight frame was shaken
with suppressed sobs. She was the
most affected of any of the relatives
gathered around the prisoner. De-
iendant's mother and sister appeared
composed during the early morning
hours but as the day wore on the
strain proved too great and the latter
at times gave way to her emotions.
The prisoner himself was affected,
apparently. the least of any in the lit
tie party sitting directly behind the
attorneys for defense. In the morn
ing be appeared slightly nervous, but
soon had himself under control. He
to be worried and, although
he smiled when friends first greeted
him, soon became serious and
throughout the rest of the day the
smile, which was so noticeable when
the trial began, was entirely missing.
Few Ladies Present.
But very few ladies attended the
trial, and at no time was there more