The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-01-26


WHEELING, w. VA. Jan. 26.-At
noon to-day, nineteen hours after they
retired and after nearly seven hours
of actual elaboration. the jurors In
the Schenk poisoning case apparently
we're nowhere near q verdict. Court
was adjourned until 1890 T. NJ.
The only indication of the trend Of
the discussion was when a note came
this morning from the jury room to
Judge Jordan asking for the testimony
of Florence Coleman, Mrs Schenk' s
colored laundress, and a States wit
ness. The court called the jurors in
and ordered the stenographer's notes
OF the testimony transcribed, This
copy had not reached the jurors at
noon recess.
Florence Coleman testified that on
the occasion of an auto party. in
which Schenk, his wife and Alma
Evans, the nurse, participated, there
we're two women left in the house
with her. The defense attempted to
establish the impression that these
women were detectives. leaving the
assumption that they had plenty of
time to put poison into the rich pack
er's drinking water. This was a part
OF the plan to prove family con-
spiraCy against Mrs. Schenk.
Mrs. Schenk spent most of the
morning In her cell. When she came
In TO meet the jury at noon she was
In her usual pleasant spirits. The
only trace of the hysteria she showed
while Prosecutor Handlan was clos
ing the case yesterday was in her
slightly swollen eyes.
Il don't suppose I look the bees, In
the world" she said. II don't think
I slept a wink last night. was too
nervous"
A big bunch OF vioiets came to the
prisoner to-day. On the card attach
I'D were tho words. With the sympa-
thy OF Wheeling women"
In the stack of correspondence this
morning the prisoner received let
ter from Pittsburg. in which the
writer expressed the hope for her ac-
auittal. and urged that the jurors be
''tarred and feathered IL they dare
send you up
Attorneys familiar with court GUS
toms in this county predict that Judge
Jordan will keep the jury out the rest
OF the week before permitting mo
verdict report.
Juror Asks Question.
The Schenk jurors reported at A.
NJ. and were sent TO their room. Juror
Heyman asked Judge Jordan IL he
could ask a question. The Judge told
him to put 1t in writing
Ii In reported that Heyman il among
the four holding out for conviction.
Mrs. Schenk came INTO court with
her accustomed smile. There were
no traces 81 the emotion that nearly
drought breakdown yesterday while
Prosecutor Handlan was arguing be-
fore the jury.
At s;45 the jury again came into
court following note from three Ju-
naL ix,xr Ex.x - ~ NJ
George Coleman. Mrs Schenk's laun-
dress. The court ordered her testi-
mony transcribed for the, jury.
- The court r.oAfa h@4ae O cofnpara-
lively small crowd this morning.
Prosecutor Handlan was not in
court when the morning session con-
vened. neither was Attorney Frank
O'Brien, of Mrs. Schenk's counsel. Az
torney J. ]. p. o'Brien, of the de-
tense. expressed confidence in the re-
suit of the jury consideration.
ITS either acquittai or disagree
ment." he said. Nothing else to it,
Mrs. Schenk spent the first hour
going through her usual big batch
OF letters and postal cards.
II didn't sleep so very we'll last
night" she said. 1T was an awfu..y
long night. My lawyers seem to think
things look all right. and so do l."
Jury Takes Recess.
AT 1880 the Schenk jury was called
into tho court room and instructed to
recess until 1890 and q transcript OF
Mrs. Schenk's iaundress will be ready.
They will then resume their deiibera-
lions.
The principal charge on which Mrs.
Schenk was tried was administering
poison with intent to kill her husband.
The minimum penalty fs three years
and the maxium Is years imprison-
ment