Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-16
SORSBY CONVICTED:
GIVEN LIFE Term
FORMER ASSISTANT POSTMAS-
TER AT CLINTON FOUND GULL
TY OF KILLING PoSTOFICE IN
sPECToR C. FITZGERALD.

Sorsby, charged with the murder of Post
office Inspector Charles Fitzgerald, was
today found guilty and sentenced to serve
a life term in the penitentiary. The jury,
which was given the case shortly before
IL o'clock last night, came in as soon
as court convened this morning and pre-
scented their verdict.
! If Sorsby heard the verdict of the
jury 1t was not evident by his express
sion. He had his eyes %Ved on the wit
ness box and never closed them while the
verdict was being read. Not until Sheriff
Harding gently nudged him after the
Jury retired did he seem to return TO
consciousness. Mrs. Sorsby was sitting
with one arm around the neck of the
prisoner and her pitiful sobbing was all
that broke the deathlike silence of the
court room,
No Scene In Court
The scene in the court room when the
jury returned it's finding was without
sensational incident Relatives of the
prisoner reached the court room shortly
before Judge Potter convened the session
and awaited with much anxiety for the
opening OF court.
The session had been under way but a
few minutes when a bailiff entered and
announced that the jury desired to make
a report.
Let the jury enter" announced Judge
Potter.
There was but mere handful of spec
tators in the court room. The defendant
entered with his wife and took the seat
he has occupied for the past twelve days.
The jury entered in single file and ranged
themselves in front of the clerks desk.
Verdict of Jury
Have you reached a verdict, gentle
men?" Judge Potter asked.
I'VE have" replied the foreman.
Hand your verdict to the clerk" in
stIuoted the court.
The document was handed to the clerk
and on the back was written:
I'VE, the jury, find the defendant gull
ty and fix his punishment at life i'm
p-isonment in the penitentiary."
"Is that your verdict, gentlemen
asked Judge Potter.
1T u.s." replied all of the members of
the panel.
Wife Hears Verdict
Mrs. Sorsby, the faithful little wife of
the defendant, on hearing the verdict,
broke down and cried bitterly, Sorsby
never changed countenance, his face
wearing the same fixed stare that it has
had since the beginning of the trial.
The members of the jury made their
sible. One member of the panel, Mr.. l..
Mott, of Jackson, walked over and shook
hands with Sorsby and his wife and then
quietly left the room.
Only one ballot was taken by the jury
last night and that was taken solely for
the purpose of testing sentiment. Not
more than five minutes were consumed
with the deliberations at that time. 1t
was stated that on the the first ballot the
jury voted two for acquittal, four for life
sentence and six for the death sentence.
Verdict Quickly Reached
No effort was made to reach an agree
ment then. The jurors were tired and
weary after the long day of arguments.
The lights in the jury room were extin-
guished shortly after II o'clock and the
members retired to their cots.
This morning little difficulty was expe-
rienced in reaching a verdict. The jurors
were up early and discussed the matted
before breakfast. Several members who
had stood out for the death sentence ex-
pressed a willingness to recommend life
term in the penitentiary and 1t was not
a difficult matter to bring over the two
members who had voted for acquittal on
the first ballot.
Judge Potter thanked the jury for their
faithful service and directed that they
be finally discharged.
Immediately afterward, Sorsby left the
courtroom to have an interview with rel
atives. Counsel for the defendant an
nounced that they would file a motion
for new trial which is preliminary to
taking an appeal to the supreme court.
Shortage Caused Killing?
Sorsby was assistant postmaster at
Clinton, Miss. On September % last,
Fitzgerald checked up the accounts of the
Clinton office and found shortage which
was attributed to Sorsby. Sorsby follow
ed the inspector to the train and shot
him at the station. Fitzgerald was plac-
ed on the train and hurried to a hospital
at Jackson, where he died that night.
Sorsby escaped but was later captured.