The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-03-15
.REV. ], E. CORDOVA GUILTY
 OF ABANDONING WIFE
VERDICT OF JURY AFTER SIX
 HOURS DELIBERATIoN.

Accused Minister Greatly Shaken
 will Probably be Sentenced Saturday
 Extreme Penalty One Year-sec-
 ond Indictment Quickly Taken Up Will Now be Tried for Assault and
 Battery on Mrs. Cordova-The Jury
 Chosen in Short Order.
 New Brunswick, N. J., March H. After six hours deliberation the jury which tried J. F. Cordova, the former South River, N. J., minister, who elop- ed with Julia Bowne, one of his choir singers, on a charge of abandoning his wife, came into court tonight with a Iverdict of guilty as indicted"
 Cordova appeared to be greatly shak- en by the verdict. He probably will be sentenced on Saturday. The extreme penalty is imprisonment for one year. As soon as the case was given to the jury this afternoon the second indict- ment against the ex-minister was call ed. It accuses him of assault and bat tery upon his wife. She and her four teen-year-old daughter will be the prin- cipal witnesses. A jury was selected and the taking of testimony will begin tomorrow morning.
 When the trial was resumed to-day Cordova, who was on the stand when court adjourned yesterday, resumed his testimony. He was subjected to a se- were cross-examination by Prosecutor Berdine, who tried to bring out that Cordova in his trips to Philadelphia, Camden, Canada, Mexico and other places was accompanied by Julia Bowne. The efforts to make the former pastor admit that Miss BoWne was his companion on these journeyings were thwarted by the defendant, however, as he declined to answer to this line of questioning on the ground that he might incriminate himself. He appeal- ed to Judge Strong, who said that he need not answer questions that might lincriminate him. MT. Cook, counsel for Cordova, then took the witness in hand and elicited a statement that Cordova had been in the 1 habit of giving his wife all his salary, with the exception of $10 a month. The prosecutor objected to the introduction of letters received by Cordova from his wife while he was in Mexico, and was sustained by Judge Strong, who said: Even if these letters declared that it was not necessary for the defendant to stint himself and to cease remitting funds home, I would charge the Jury, not to allow such a fact to quash the indictment for this is an action brought by the state of New Jersey against the defendant, and does not concern mere ly MT. and Mrs. Cordova alone. For giveness by Mrs. Cordova does not iIn- ply forgiveness by the state of New i Jersey"
 | After Cordova had testified that he directed his wife to sell $7O0 worth Of property and apply the proceeds to her personal needs the defense rested.
 | In summing up Prosecutor Berdine ! scored the former minister unmerciful- ly, and once Cordova leaped from his seat in fury, sinking back again when the spectators 1howled at him and shouted, "Sit down. The close of the prosecutors address was hailed with cheering, which the court officers could not suppress. @sa 4 f Judge Strong's charge was brief, and he emphasized the point that the pris- oner could not be excused because he had sent money to his wife. As soos as the jury had retired Prosecutor Berdine called for the opening of Cordova's trial on a second indictment, charging as- l sault on his wife. Counsel for the pris- oner asked that it be put over until to- morrow, but Judge Strong refused.
 The new jury was quickly chosen and after the prosecutor had made a short address an adjournment was taken un- til 10:30 tomorrow morning. Mrs. Cor dova will be the first witness called by the prosecution. ts -------~----------