The evening world., 1909-03-27
SLAYER WEBSTER
FACES HIS SECOND
TERM IN PRISON
Once Prosperous Bookmaker
Who Shot Goodwin Is
Held for Assault.

Inc arraigmment Of a bedragglel
broken stumbling old man before Judge
Grain, In the Court OF General Sessions,
to day, on a charge OF assault, brought
back TO the old.tImers around the Grim
!nal Courts Building memories OF the
most famous murder trial OF the early
ninetes. The prisoner vas Burton C..
Webster, who on Aug l.. 1891, shot and
Killed Charles f. Goodwin in a fight
over Evelyn Granville. and was later
convicted OF manslaughter and SEN
fenced to nineteen years In Sing Sing.
lie served his term and, with good
time deducted from his sentence. was
discharged about five years ago. After
leaving prison ne hunted up some old
friends who had been loyal to him
through his trouble. and they supported
him until Feb. % last. when. in a rage,
ne assaulted William S. Cleveland, the
theatrical manage in the latters office
IN the knlckerbocker Theatre Building
Nv" TNTIlIS, " 10 SIdIIHCu.
Webster went to Mr.. Cleveland's Of
nee after money. His reception did not
please him, so he drew knife and, It
Is said, attempted to stab the manager.
Other persons in the office disarmed
MIN and handed him over to police
man. He was arraigned In Magis-
trates Court and held in $1,000 bail.
At the time OF his arralgnment he
was not recognized, and bond. fur
nished by an old friend. was accepted.
An indictment was found against him
yesterday, and he was arrested last
night.
When he was lined up before the
Central Office detectives this morning
Webster was Immediately recognized,
and the officers who arraigned him in
court tod Judge Grain Of his record,
The charge was made assault, second
offense, and under the law, as second
offender, he must he sentenced, II found
guilty, TO term OF at least ten years
in prison. Al the discretion Of the Mag
istrate, the term can be made twenty
years. Even ten-year sentence VIII
probably mean that Webster will die IN
prison as he Is tOrty-eight years old
and his health is shattered.
Judge Grain fixed bail at S.rn and
held Webster for trial No one APP
peared to offer bond for him, and he
was committed n the Tombs. where h.
was the star prisoner In Murderers ROW
seventeen years ago.
Twenty wears ago Webster was n
young. handsome and popular sporting
man. He had made a lot Of money as
a h0okmaker and was a familiar tisure
in the night life that crclei in those
His common-law wife was a beautiful
young woman named EVELYN Granville
Returning To his apartment unexpaCt-
eilv on Aug. u, ISL. he found ner In
the company Of Charles F. Goodwin. a
prominent turfman, y fight resulted, In
the course of which Webster killed
Goodwin.
The tragedy created sensation at
that time equal 10 that o. the killing
Of stanford White by Harry Thav.
Webster set up a plea Of se,f-defense
and engaged Bill Howe, OF Howe &.
Hummel, to defend him. He was tried
before Justice lngraham. in the Court
Of oyer and Term.ner. John F. Mcln-
prosecutors Tire trial was fU'l Of eX-
element and despite the strenuous et-
forts OF the able Howe, Webster was
convicted Of msnslaughter on Oct. 3.
1872. 4 sentence OF nineteen years in
Sing sing was inflicted.
EVELYN Granville lived probably for a
time in the glare Of publicity surround
ing her connection with the tragedy.
Then she dropped from public view
until short time ago, when. after
many arraignments in police courts on