Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1909-12-08
FIGHT TO SAVE
MRS. WILHELM.
FOUND GUILTY
Counsel for Woman Convicted
of Murder Will Ask for
Writ of Error.
TO POSTPONE SENTENCE
UNTIL SICA is TRIED
Slayer of Husband Faces Thirty
Years in Jail on Second
Degree Verdict.

Following the conviction Of Mrs. Mary
". Wilhelm for murder in the second
degree, Prosecutor Mott said: ~I think
that the verdict is a just one. II was
justified under the evidence"
Further than this the prosecutor
would not go, but he made attempt
to conceal the fact that he was i'm
mensely pleased by the verdict.
No sentence day has as yet been set.
and it is possible that it will be post
poned until after the trial of Nicolas
S. Sica, the woman's admirer, who. with
her. is accused of the murder OF her
husband.
Chauncey H. BeasIey, who. together
with Edward S. Black. defended the
woman, said today that he would take
out writ of error In the case.
When L will do that" he said. Il
have not yet decided / will know 5ust
as soon as have consulted with Mr..
Black"
The writ of error viii act as a stay
and keep Mrs. Wilhelm in jail untn her
case has been reviewed by, the upper
courts. If made it win have to be
allowed. as under the law such q writ
is writ of right
We find the prisoner guilty of rnur-
der in the second degree and recon-
mend her TO the mercy Of the court.
sueh was the verdict ttsa. sealed sss.e
fate Of Mrs. Wilhelm on trial for two
days for the murder of her husband.
Frank Wilhelm, February 1 last, iii
their home, AS High street, a stone )
throw from the Cour. House. II saves
her from the electric chair, but as the
maximum penalty for the crime is
thirty years in State prison and Ms
Wnhelm Is about 81 years old, even II
she fails TO get the lirait, she VIII prae-
. tically spend the remainder or her days
behind the bars.
The trial marks a record as TO speed
in this state. as no woman is said to
have been tried and convicted for the
highest crime on the calendar in the
short space of two days There has
been conviction for murder in one
day in this county. that of the negro,
who killed William Rorner, an under
taker. while boarding in the Park Hotel
in Orange
Jary Out Nearly Five Hours.
ii took the jurors four hours and fifty
minutes to agree upon the verdict and
it is said that the only question that
bothered them was the degree of the
prisoners guilt. four holding our for
the electric chair and eight for the de-
gree upon which they finally agreed
It was only when the jury was polied
that Mrs. Wilhelm showed any sign OF
emotion. She hung her head and was
ylsibly affected as juror after juror ex-
pressed his conviction of her guilt
Nicholas 5. Sica, her admirer, who is
how in Jail also under Indictment for
the murder win probably be tried early
during the December term, which opens
next Tuesday. The pair We're jointly
indicted and then a severance of trial
vas obtained by Samuel Kalisch. who
is The mans counsel, together with
Eugene Dotto. It was the understand
ing that If Mr. Wilhelm was acquitted
sica should not be tried
Gentlemen. have you agreed upon 4
yerdict?" asked Clerk Thomas McLel-
and as the twelve men fled into the
room.
Foreman Frederick A Boyle spoke
fol them in the affirmative and then
traGe the return.
As Mrs. Wilhelm was about TO leave
The room her counsel, Edward 5.
Black. stopped her and made his motion
that the jurors be polled When this
mad been done, the woman was taken
away under heavy guard and viii not
appear Ia court again untn sentenced
It has not vet been decided whether
s motion FOR a new trial will be made
The jurors. with the Judges charge
ringing in their ears retired at hair
past four O'clock Ia the AFTERNOON and
Irs Wilhelm created some commotion
by interrupting the court during It's
delivery with the declarat ton that she
wanted TO say something. She was told
that she could have her say at the close
CT The address. One Of her. requests. as
former Judge Chauncey II. Beasley. OF
counsel for the defense, afterward told
the court was to see her mother ana
this was allowed Another was on an
inmaterial point in the testimony.
Judge Ten Eyck's Charge.
IN his charge, Judge Ten Eyck first
reminded the Jurors that the woman
had admitted her moral depravitv IN
regard 10 those things which society
recognizes as constituting good char
acter in q woman. This fact, he told
them, should be taken into considera-
ton III regrrd TO her credibility, and
then he told them that the same was
true as lar as Levy was concerned.
and that he had committed crime and
served time for. il.
A man convicted OF crime may or
may not tell the truth" he said
las to the facts in the case. there
seems 10 be no doubt that a murder
wRs committed and death was due TO
pistol shot wound. Tlrefe seems 70 he
no question that death occurred some
time between 3 and o'clock D. m On
February L.
a cHreful review OF the testimony On
this point followed, and the work a.
the police il connection with the eneu