Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-28
VERDICT OF A JURY TODAY
Shortest Trial for Murder Id History
of District.
GOVERNMENT Hosp
Defendant Will Be Deprived Of His
Liberty and Treated for
Mental Condition.

| Otto seelhorst, an artist, thirty-three
| years of age, will spend the remainder Of
his days in the Government Hospital for
the Insane, as the result of the verdict OF
a jury in Criminal Court No. about noon
! today, which declared him to be not guilty
of the murder of Frederick Won Iterson, at
| the National Museum January 16 last, by
| reason of insanity. The prisoner was re-
| manded to Jail to await the preparation OF
| the necessary papers certifying to the Sec
rotary of the Interior the jurys verdict. On
| the receipt of the notice Secretary Garfield
| will sign an order committing Seelhorst to
the Government Hospital for the insane.
| The trial, which lasted about one hour and
| a half. was probably the murder hearing OF
shortest duration on record IN the Dlstrlct.
1t was proceeded with in due form of law,
| although the prosecution admitted at the
outset that Seelhorst is insane:
| Throughout the proceedings the prisoner
| sat with hands folded on his lap, apparent
| ly oblivious to all that was going on about
| him.
| No sign of emotion was evidenced by him
until after the verdict had been announced
| when, as he was being led away, just as
| he reached the place where his sister was
seated, he stopped, and, throwing his arms
| about her, held her in a loving, lingering
1
| manned silent. He then released his sister
| and walked unconcernedly with the deputy
marshal to the cell in the basement OF the
city hall, whittier Miss Seelhorst followed
| The case was called about 1O:45 o'clock
| and a jury was Immediately secured, one
| only of the men called into the box being
| challenged for opinion expressed. The
following jury was then 1mpaneiea: ,o Mn,
| Fitzgerald, Jacob Spiedt, George Eller-
brook, John A. Pierpont, Charles E. kai-
denback, Robert L. Pendleton, Harry M.
| Ellis, Edward Stunkel, Michael A. Grlnn
| and Alexander Jackson.
| Statement to Jury.
| Assistant United States Attorney Charles
H. Turner made the opening statement for
the government, telling of the trip of Seel-
horst from Philadelphia to this city and his
visit to the National Museum, his inquiry
| for Won Iterson, who was employed there'
| and the shooting of Won Iterson by the de-
Attorney A. A. Birney, for the defense,
| told the jury he would expect an acqulttai
| by reason of insanity. saying that he ex,
| pected to show that Seelhorsts nina mao
| been affected since July l, 1905. During
| nearly the whole of last year. he said, the
| confined in a sanitarium, from which he
| returned to his home in Philadelphia last
| October He stated that the prisoner was
| insane when the shooting occurred ana Is
| now mentally deranged.
| Edward w. Harvey, an employe of the
| National Museum, was the first witness
| offered by the prosecution. He saw Seel-
| horst talking with Won Iterson January 10
| last and in few minutes heard four shots,
| and, looking, saw Won Iterson on the floor
| and Seelhorst standing over him holding
the barrel of gun, the stock OF which was
resting on the floor. He heard Seelhorst
| say: He won't interfere in my domestic
affairs any more"
| DIR. NJ w. Lyon. assistant curator OF the
| %oIl orC &c vic 70 tic n
flee, where he inquired for Van Herson
DR.. Lyon pointed out the man he was seek
ing Joseph Koran, watchman at the
| museum testified to the arrest of Seel-
horst, who still held the rifle in his hand
| Sergt. Robert Yates was next called. He
| detailed conversation with Seelhorst at
| the station after his arrest. The prisoner,
| he said, admitted the shooting, saying he
had come here for that purpose, because,
ne said, won Iterson ought to be killed so
rs to protect other young men from his
| prdctlceS .
| The conversation of the defendant, the
| witness said, was disconnected and inco-
| herent After an hours effort, he declared,
he wrote down what ne had gathered from
the conversation. Asked for his opinion he
| said the prisoner was unquestionably in
sane.
SYMPTOMS of Mental Disease.
After Dr. Glazebrook, deputy coroner had
detailed the result of the autopsy the gov
eminent closed its case at II 80 o'clock.
The defense called Miss Ida Seelhorst of
Philadelphia, sister of the defendant, who
said that the first symptoms of mental dis
ease in her brother had been noticed In
July, 1905. She also told Of his being sent
to a sanitarium early in January. 1906,
where he remained until last October.
Richard Chivers Of Nazareth. Pa. a male
nurse at the sanitarium mentioned, testi-
fed that he had been in charge of Seel-
horst who was suffering from dementia
and melancholia. In his opinion the de-
PENDANT is insane.
oscar F. Roller manager of the art
department Of the Ketterlines Company of
Philadelphia next testified. He had known
Seelhorst since the latter was fourteen
years of age. He had employed him and
said that the dead man had also worked
in the same establishment In the sum-
mer of 1905, he stated, he had first noticed
Seelhorst acting Queerly. and had sent him
home, advising rest. Witness heard
that the defendant had been sent to san
itarium, and in November last Seelhorst.
he said, returned to the shop and asked
for work He took him back the witness
declared. but put him on merely mechan-
ical work as he was satisfied his brain
| was impaired.
Shortly after the first OF this year, he
said. when they were rushed with work.
Seelhorst had stayed away fer two or three
davs and when he had taken him to task
about 1t Seelhorst the witness said calmly
remarked that he had become interested in
| book and stayed home to read it.
The testimony of the lay witnesses as to
the mental condition of the prisoner was
| corroborated by DIR. White, superintendent
of the Government Hospital for the Insane,
and by Dr. P. c. Hunt, local alienist.
The defense rested, and as neither side
| expressed a desire to address the jury JUS
tice Barnard charged them. Without leav-
ing the box the foreman promptly an
| nounced that the twelve men had agreed
that Seelhorst Is mot guilty by reason Of
insa nifty"
GENERAL AND PERSONAL