New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-01-26
Jury HAS SCHENK CASE
ALLEGED Posoner COIIapSes Under
Prosecutors InveCtlve.
PORTRAYED AS FOUL HAPPY
Women Prominent in Wheeling
Society Watch Trial from Hid
ing Place as Judge Weeps,


ling for four hours and a quarter during
an afternoon and night session, with the
evidence in the case Of Mrs. Laura Farms
worth Schenk. charged with poisoning her
husband. John o. Scherk. the jury vas I'M
able 70 reach an agreement. and AT Il
clock tonight Judge Jordan ordered II
locked Up for the night.
The jury will resume consideration TO-
morrow morning. though T. is possible In
formal consideration will 10 continued dur
ing the night. In case OF an agreement
being reached. however. 1t would not be re-
ported until the converting Of court to-
morrow morning. Predictions Of disagree
ment are general. though some followers OF
the case believe a verdict finally will be
reached.
Counsel for both sides made statements
tonight.
II feel certain that We will get a con-
viction.' said Prosecuting Attorney Hand
Ian. II believe the verdict will be reached
early tomorrow morning.
J. J. P. OB1en. chief counsel FOR Mrs
Schenk. said.
There is now no chance OF conviction.
Every hour the jury is out helps our cause
We feel sure that the jury will return a
verdict Of innocent within 2 few more
hours"
Just i've minutes after Prosecutor Hand
Ian finished his argument ard as tho jury
was retiring Mrs. Schenk collapsed and
was led from the courtroom between J. J.
p. O'Brien. her attorney. and Deputy
Sheriff Thomas Kelly.
Her face was swollen and distorted al
most beyond recognition uy day Of CON
slant heavy sohbing. showing constant
fortitude all during the taking Of testi-
monv II was only when the argument
were begun YESTERDAY, when sympathy va:
asked for her by her attorneys, that sh'
gave way She had regatned her com
posure during the scathing comments or
the states witnesses nv the last Of heI
attorneys 10 speak. $. o. Boyce but AGAR
she gave wav az the rain Of bitter invec-
tive and fierce arraignment Of Prosecutor
Handlan. The accused woman fell heavily
forward on the table early IN his argument
Shaken by her sobs, she presented a pitt
able spectacle.
Mr.. Handlan asked the jury 70 SHOW no
mercy to a woman who had deliberately
violated her marriage vows. sharing Young
Dan" Phillips With her wlles. and had
then coldly. calmly plotted 70 kill BY slow
poisson the husband who had given her a
name. had lavished upon her automobiles
costly clothing. jewels and everything
which the heart OF woman could desire.
Her heart IS tlint." he shouted. Utterly
Incapable Of human sympathy. love or ar
lection Give her back "a her children that
She may contaminate and degrade them
with her presence? Ny God. gentlemen.
you know this woman is guilty as hell it.
self. and there is but one place FOR her
"One OF the most horrible things il has
ever been my lot as a lawyer 10 come In
contact with was whom this woman looked
upon the murder 81 her husband in the
coldblooded light Of a simple business prop
osition When unsuccessful herself, she
offered another 5000 70 do her vile work
for her When coldly, calmly, fiendishly
she asked the woman OF whom she would
have made a tool 70 place the poisoned
medicine beside her unsuspecting husbands
bedside that ne might reach out in the
dim light OF the sick room in The night and
swallow II himself.
But even this was not the climax OF the
fendishness OF that woman sitting there
That came when she contemptuously re-
ferred 10 the Sisters OF Charity at the hos
pital where her husband was lying at the
uoint OF death. who were going about or
their errands OF mercy and charity, as
black yelled hypocrites' That was the
acme Of all. a foul-mouthed harpy such a.
She TO speak Of those as far above her as
Heaven is above the underworld. as 'hypo-
critics while they were doing all in theiF
power for the husband whom she sought "a
slay."
: o. Boyce finished the arguments FOL
the defence at the morning session and
dwelt principally at that session upon The
unreliability Of circumstantial evidence, a.
we'll as speaking In scathing terms Of wit
nesses whom the state had brought into the
courtroom to convict an innocent woman
with tissue OF lies
From a point OF vantage in the clock
tower yesterday, II IL stated. number Of
women prominent in Wheeling society took
up positions where they could see and hear
all that was going on In the room, but
Judge Jordan did not notice trem. He va:
busy listening 10 the address OF J. j. p
O'Brfen. and there were times when hi:
handkerchief came from his pocket and h,
surreptitiously sought TO wipe away tears
as did many others in the audience Of men
sensation developed here to-day whel
II became known that Washington, through
the select committee Of the Senate TO in
vestigate the administration Of crimina
loyv by federal officers. had taken a hanC
in the case OF Mrs. Schenk II has beer
maintained by the defence that third de
gre" methods have been used by the au
thorities for the purpose Of extorting al
legged confessions or testimony against th'
defendant
The prosecution asserted last Saturda,
uorning that n had Mrs Scheuk's own con
f.ssion in part. This the defence charac
terized as an untruth. As the result o
the publication Of this statement II th'
prosecution and the rctort Of j. J.
O'Erien. the latter early sunday received Z
telegram from Louis J. Carmody, attorney
for the senate committee. in which he ask
,bether there Is anything TO show rhirC
degree methods used by the prosecution q
force this alleged statement from YOU
client. Am watching this case carefully
and viii appreciate anything you may do tC
help me
Mr. O'Brien sent the following reply
Unable 20 answer telegram until now
vyo,,td not advise Investigation until aftel