The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-04-12

District Attorneys Summing UP Was
a Comprehensive Review of the E.vi-
denco-Pronounced the Killing of
Stanford Whit ca Common. Cow
ardhg Murtier-Case Went to Jury
at 547 Yesterday Afternoon-Thaw's
Counsel Deny the Best They Hoped
fos is "a Hung Jury.
NaW York, April 10-Harry Ken
dali Thaw's fate is is the hands of
the jury. The trial, which had been
in ssregress since January %, came
10 an end at 5:17 o'clock this after
noon when the twelve men who are
30 pass upon Stanford Whites slayer
retired to deliberate upon the verdict.
The impression prevailed that a de-
sision weuld be reached before morn
ing. After considering the case for
an heAr and a half the jury was
Sakea ito the Broadway Central Ho-
BED in the meantime Justice Fitzger-
aid adjourned until o'clock He did
not then indicate how late he would
setnain at the courthouse. In the life
OF Harry Thaw this will go down as
the most trying he has ever expert
sxced. From the opening of the court
aadl the jury retired, the fates dealt
unmercifuiiy with him. Beginning
With District Attorney Jerome's final
argument and throughout the judges
Charge Thaw had to listen to
scathdng attack upon his character
and to narrative drawn from the
evidence which was meant to strip
his deeds of the halo of chivalric
sfsCy which his own attorneys had
thrown about them.
The Judges charge lasting about an
hour, was a concise outline of the
law aud gave to the pury the al
tentative Of rendering any one of the
following four verdicts: Murder in the
degree; murder in the second degree;
OK, not guilty on the ground Of insan-
itE.
The statute governing the plea of
insanity was defined clearly, much
stress being laid on the fact that fr-
resistibIe impulse to kill had no place
in the law.
Although the charge while consist
Jag principally OF a complete expla-
natisn Of the law was considered by
those who have followed the trial as
adverse to the defendant. The at
todneys for the defendant took ex-
aeptions because the judge had failed
20 Include any of their prayers.
Thaw was much depressed by the
judges words and could not suppress
hbs feelings. He left the court room
detected.
lhe district attorneys Stunning up
was a comprehensive and forceful re-
view of all the evidence adduced. He
declared at the outset that romance
and sentiment did not enter into the
issue; it was not a question of Stan
ford Whites character or Evelyn
Thaw's sufferings, it was plain mat
ter of fact homicide.
"a common, oowardly tenderloin
murder" as he termed it. The novel
view of dementia among Americans
made by Delmas at the very close OF
his argument was attacked by the at
borney and he referred to it in tones
of sarcasm.
Jerome dealt mercilessly on every
point and Thaw whom he termed al
ternity. "St. George" and "Sir Gala
had
The atmosphere about Thaw and
his family was heavy with gloom dur
ing the judges charge. The defend
ant sat in a detected mood, his head
BOWED his face pallid and his entire
appearance denoting a nervous appre-
Aensive state of mind. It seemed as
though every vestige of hope had been
taken away from him All the conf
dence and cheerfulness which were So
strong in evidence yesterday had dis
appeared.
Fear and doubt had suppianteS
Uaea.