Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25
VERDICT IT TWO HOURS
HERMANN AND ToMPKINs FOUND
GUILTY AT HAGERsTOWN.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
HAGERSTOWN, Md. March 24.-F. Will
liam Hermann, a young drug clerk, and
Dr. John H. Tompkins, negro physician
Of Cumberland, Md. under indictment for
manslaughter in connection with the death
of Miss Jean Maxwell at Cumberland last
June, were convicted in the circuit court
here this afternoon. verdict of guilty on
the first count. which charged Tompkins
with committing the crime and Hermann
with aiding and abetting, was returned at
3 O'Clock, after the jury had been out just
two hours. The punishment for both or
lenses Is the same, the maximum penalty
being ten years in the penitentiary.
When the verdict was announced the
wife of Tompkins became hysterical ana
later tainted, remaining in a semi-conscious
state for some time She had to be re-
moved from the court house in a cab. I'M
mediately afterward Hermann and Tomp-
kins, who have each been out in the sum
of $4,000 bond, were taken back TO jail
by Sheriff Deibert. Sentence Will not be
imposed until next week.
The ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS case has been
one of the most remarkable ever tried IN
Washington county. Miss Jean Maxwell,
for whose death the two men were charged
with being responsible, was the daughter
of Joseph S. Maxwell wealthy manufac-
turer of paving brick. Miss Maxwell died
from blood poisoning, following criminal
OPERA ion alleged to have been performed
by Dr. Tompkins at the instance of Her
mann. At the time of he&Tdeath Hermann
was engaged to be married to Miss Max
well. Following their indictment by the
Allegany county grand jury the traverSers
asked for a removal of the case. The trial
was TO have taken place here last Novem-
Der, but at that time Dr. T. w. Koon, the
states star witness. was Ill with blood pois-
Cning and the trial was postponed until the
February term.
On March the first trial began here and
resulted in hung jury. During the second
trial.. which was begun Tuesday OF this
week, 1t developed that one of the jurors
at the first trial had been bribed, or at
least he had been offered 81 900 If he would
bring about the acquittal of the accused,
and according to the testimony he said he
would do what he could to that end.
New testimony, some of which was OF a
most sensational character, was introduced
by the state at the second trial, and 1t was
regarded as foregone conclusion when
the case went to the jury this afternoon
that verdict of guilty would be returned.
Hezekfah Snavely. the juror who Is al
legged to have been hribed by Hermann.
through a third party before the first trial.
and who mysteriously disappeared Wednes-
day evening, Is still missing.
There were runlors this evening that q
motion would be made for a new trial and
that the case might wind up In the court Of
appeals, but this is not regarded as pos
Sible.
A serious landslide today on the Cumber-
land extension of the Western Pennsylva-
mia railroad near dam No. 9 blocked all
traffic until late this evening. An east
bound freight crashed into the obstruction
and the engine and several cars were
wrecked. Members of the crew escaped
serious injury. At the point where the land
slide occurred there is a steep hillside and
quantities of earth and rock shot clear
across the railroad track into the Chesa-
peake and Ohio canal.