The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-23
CONVICTED IN
SHORT ORDER
All Over for Horace 6. Eayner
Except the Formally OF
Being Hanged.
MURDER TRIAL IN LONDON
MAN KILLED HAD A BLOT ON
HIS NAME.

London, March 22.-Horace G. Rayncr
who on January q shot and killed VIII
liam Whitley, the general provider' Of
West Bourne was tried today, convicted
and sentenced to death.
Rayner was tried today I'm the Central
criminal court. In his opening statement
r. D, Muir counsel for the treasury
whose assertions were subsequently cor
roborated on the witness stand by Louisa
A Turner, who lived under Mr. Whitelys
protection. disposed Of the fiction that
Rayner was an Hlegitimate son of the
man he killed.
Skeleton in Whitely's Closet.
Mr.. Muir said the prisoner was 8 years
old before any member Of his family be
came in any way connected with Mr..
Whitley. At that time, In 1892. Rayner's
aunt. Louisa. Turner. was given employ
ment in Whitely's store and the follow
ing year she went TO live under his pro
lection. Cecil Whitley. whom the pris-
oner pretended TO be while in the hos
pital suffering from the pistol snot which
he inflicted on himself after the murder.
was n son by this connection and was
born in 1SSs. Rayner learned of the eXis-
tence Of Cecil about 1900 and also Of
Louisa Turner's connection with Whitley.
Continuing. counsel described RayneT $
increasing poverty of recent years and
dial in the life of Mr.. Whitley led Ray
ner to attempt to blackmail him. COun-
sci further alleged that Rayner had pre-
pared the crime with great care and de-
liberation
Confessed Her Shame.
Louisa Turner was then called. She
confirmed MI. Niuir's statement
The rest Of the evidence presented in
behalf OF the prosecution We're merely a
repetition of the police court tStimOny.
George Elliott. counsel for Rayner, said
it was not part Of his case TO prove that
the prisoner was a son of the late MI
Whitley. Rayner, rightly or wrongly. be
leved ne was his son, and counsel was
going to show that RayneT was insane
in the legal sense, that he was a degene-
rate whose mind was tainted. defective.
demented and weakened by the over in
diligence of two generations of his family
in drink.
Prisoners Testimony.
The prisoner. testifying. related the in
terview he had with Mr.. Whitley, Janu-
AIRY p i'm which he suggested that the
merchant furnish him with assistance
Mr.. Whitley referred him to the emigra-
lion bureau and Rayner threatened TO
commit suicide
Mr. Whitley left the room and the pris-
oner followed. He said he felt his blood
surge to his head and then the tragedy
took place.
The lord chief justice in summing up.
said the jury must dismiss any question
of sanity or insanity The jury must find
him guilty of willfuI murder
Before the lord chief Justices charge
TO the jury, counsel for Rayner suggested
n recommendation for mercy and the pros
ecutor said he would not oppose it.
The juTy's deliberations lasted nine min
utes. Lord Chief Justice Alverstone i'm
mediately donned the black cap and pro-
nounced the sentence of death.
According to custom, Rayner will be
hanged within a month. making less than
three months between the crime and the
punishment