The sun., 1905-12-07
NICKES IS FOUND GUILTY.
Jury CALLS THE "LEWTS JARVIS"
LETTERS BLACKMAIL.

defendant Keeps His Nerve, but His Young
Wlfe. All but Breaks DOwn-PAtriok
Hears the Verdict-Delos McCurdy
Pleads for Freedom on Seven Counts.
Thomas Parmalee Wickes, the lawyer,
was convicted yesterday of blaokmail In
writing the Lewis Jarvis" letters to Com
nodore Edward Weston. Tho jury was
out less than an hour. Wiokes was re-
nanded TO the Tombs-he has been out
on bail-for sentence on next Wednesday
His counsel will appeal
Wickes's young wife sat next to him
when he heard the verdict In the Supreme
Court. Criminal Branch. A few feet away
aat Albert T. Patrick, brought down from
Sing Sing and awaiting resentence for the
murder of William Marsh Rice.
The verdict apparently had no effect on
Uickes, but his wife seemed stunned.
Her face flushed and she clutohed his coat
seeye. but it was not until she was leav-
Ing the court room with her husband on
his yay to the Tombs that she showed gns
of breaking down.
In the back room three young women
war, sitting. They looked like her school
friends. One Of them had been crying
They nodded to Mrs. Wiokes and smiled at
her. Then the tears came, but the door
closed and few saw them.
crowded court room listened to Delos
McCurdy plead for Wickes and to Assist
ant District Attorney Rand call the writer
~ the Lewis Jarvis" letters a crook, an
impostor and a disgrace to his profession
Hr McCurdy asked Justice Rogers TO
instruct the Jury to acq,it Wickes on seven
grounds that Wiokes had made no sPeolho
demand for money; that there was no tnIeae
in the four Lewis Jarvis letters; that
Weston wasn't accused Of any crime; that
there was no proof that Wickes had pub
hshed or threatened to puohsN hpel,
that the letters were privileged that tIey
contained the truth in regard 20 wIeLas.: the Dr;
Grinnell-W Weston suits, and that Nlckess
legal rights had not been preserved. =,
Justice Rogers denied the motion, ana
then Mr.. McCurdy made a bitter attack
on Commodore Weston, He questloneo
his motives in the suits, accused weston
of bad faith, attacked his veracity and
then said that Wiokes had legal right to
write the Lewis Jarvis letters
Upon your verdict in this case, SAID
Mr.. MtCurdy, w! depend whether l. or
any other lawyer can do business III tnis
CITY; whether you or have right to speak
and write what we feel upon any suojeot
in which we have an honest interest," TO
sponsible only for an abuse OF that right-
the defendant has done nothing 10 abuse
those rights. D., !.
Assistant District Attorney Rand de-
cared that Mr. McCurdys attack on com
modorc Weston was false ana unproies-
siOnal " ..,
Il saw that what Wickea did was furtive,
sneahing and wholly dishonoraole, salo
Mr.. Rand. An you have to say is whether
Wickes sent those letters to Commodore
Weston with view to frightening him
Nickfs had - far lost all sense Of profes-
eional honor that he was not only wlllln
10 slEdtag Commodore Weston, but ne
was aso willing TO sell out his own client
for something on the side.
why did Wickes maintain post once
lock box for six years under false pretences
Why did he get lot Of expensive letter
paper with the heading Lewis jarvis
Thesa facts ought to be enough to show his
intent to commit blackmail,
Mr. Rand said it depended on Jur1es
whether the name lawyer would be kept
honorab BILE in this city
Justice Rogers charged for more than an
hour, The jury took the Lewis Jarvis
letters to the jury room. The foreman
wanted to take the original indictment
against Wickes with him, but Mr.. Rand
remarked that it was against the usual
practice of the court. Justice Rogers said
that little irregulanty might cause good
deal Of trouble and he denied the foreman q
request. although both Mr.. Rand and Mr.
KtCurdy said they had no objection. .,
HThen Wickes was called to the bar after
conviction to give his pedigree he said he
was SO years old and moderate drinker
He spoke in voice loud enough Tor ever
one in the courtroom to hear.
Wckes has practised in the courts mere
FOR number Of years and was once an AS
sstant Corporation Counsel.