The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-15

This was the verdict of the jury In the case against Frank A Bissett. Jr, for the murder of Mrs. Maggie Patterson, his wife's sister, rendered after a delber- ation of four and half hours yesterday, and 1t decided the fate of the man who On June 2S, 19O6 shot and killed the woman who had given protection to his wife and who at the time of the shooting held his own child in her arms.
 The scene in the court room when the verdict was read yesterday afternoon was very dramatic. The jury filed in at 8 o'clock and announced that they had ar rived at the decision. When the fatal words were pronounced the defendants wife gave @ heart-broken shrielx and pitched forward upon the floor, where she lay moaning while her husband en- deavored to raise her up and soothe her. Considerable excitement prevailed for a short time, but order was soon restored and after a short consultation between the judge and counsel the convicted man was remanded to the custody of the jailer and the weeping wife was led away.
 Judge Greene's Charge.
 Judge Dan A. Greene delivered the charge to the jury in the Bissett case yesterday morning at the opening of court in a brief though admirable summary Of facts as presented to the jury and the law by which the jury should be guided in arriving at it's verdict. At the outset Judge Greene said that the burden of sf "A a man is guilty of murder, and continued his charge as follows:
 ''The defendant however, does not deny the killing, but sets up the chm that at the time he committed the deed he was insane, as the result of a mental dis l ease, and in consequence thereby should not be held responsible for that act Section 1888 of the code of Alabama reads as follows:
 :" Section 493S: Presumption in favor Of sanity; burden and measure of proof of insanity: Every person charged with crime is presumed to be responsible for his acts and the burden of proving that he is Irresponsible is cast upon the &C., cused. The defense of insanity in all criminal prosecutions shall De clearly proved to the reasonable satisfaction of the jury
 In reference to the law on insanity Judge Greene laid down the following principles:
 "The principles of law in regard to insanity are well settled and clearly de- fined in this state and leave to the jury the determination of the following ques- tions:
 '1. Was the defendant at the time of the commission of the alleged crime. as matter of fact, afflicted with a disease of the mind so as to be ither idiotic or otherwise insane?
 ''2. If such be the case did he know right from wrong as applied to the parti- cular act In question? If he did not have such knowledge he is not legally respon- sible.
 8. If he did have such knowledge he may nevertheless not be legally respon- slble if the two following conditions con- cur:
 '1. If by reason of the duress of such mental disease. he had so far lost the power to choose between the right and wrong, and to avoid doing the act in question, as that his free agency was at the time destroyed.
 "2. And If, at the same time, the alleged crime was so connected with such men tai disease in the relation of cause and effect, as to have been the product of it solely"
 Insanity Plea Had Little Weight.
 It was learned yesterday from state ments by the jurors that the plea of in- sanity had little or no bearing upon their verdict as evidenced by the five ballots taken In the jury room. It was stated that the jury, immediately following the election of foreman. took ballot and voted eight for murder in the first degree and four against. The second ballot re- suited eleven for murder lin the first de- gree and one against 4 vote was then taken upon the penalty result in eight for a life sentence, three for a death sen tence and one for acquittal on the in- sanity plea. The fourth ballot was nine for life Imprisonment and three for a death sentence. The final ballot. after a short discussion, resulted fin the agreed verdict
 It Is believed that an appeal will not be taken but that the verdict will be &C., cepted by counsel for the defendant