Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-09
Mrs. Martin, Claiming
Ignorance, Elects to
Make No Defense.
A SENSATIONAL SCENE IS
ENACTED in COURTROOM
Closing Act in Famous Case Fit4
ting Climax TO Long
Drawn-out Trial.

-~NN RfCNS
manslaughter meant. Mrs. Caroline B.
Martin at IL o'clock today made that
plea in the Court of Oyer and Ter
miner before Judge Jay Ten Eyck in
connection with the murder indictment
found against her year ago In con-
nection with the death Of her daughter,
Mrs Ocey w. M Snead, in East Or
ange, on November 30, 1909.
The scene when the plea was made
was as sensational as any of those
that have preceded in the case of the
three black-robed sisters of mystery
Mrs. Caroline B. Martin. Mrs. Mary w
Snead and Miss Virginia O. Wardlaw
Arrests Follow Finding of Body.
Following the finding of the nude
body of Oeey Snead In the bathtub of
the deserted North Fourteenth street
house In East Orange Miss Wardlaw
was arrested November 80. 1909. by the
East Orange police. On December l5
Mrs. Martin was arrested at the Hotel
Bayard in New York city, and on the
following day Mrs. Snead was placed
under arrest in house in East
Twenty street. Manhattan.
Miss Wardlaw died in the House of
Detention on August IL, 1910, Mrs.
Martin pleaded non vult to charge
of manslaughter today and the case
of Mrs. Snead will be disposed of by
| a nolle prosecute of the murdsr in
dictment against her within few days.
The plea of non yult" Is an alb
breviation of the Latin sent nee Non
vult contendere" Che doesn't wish to
contend). The prisoners plea really is
| "Nolo contendere, II do not wish TO
contend; but colloquially the phrase is
used in the third person, mon vult."
BY this plea a prisoner does not ad-
NIT his guilt, but valves the right Of
trial and stands as If convicted and
ready for sentence.
Judge Ten Eyck's courtroom was
crowded this morning when Mrs. Mar
tin was brought haltingly in the rear
door at 1890 o'clock. Dressed In the
rusty loose black gown and with her
gve-veils closely drawn around her, she
slowly came before the bar of justice
Once there she looked around without
raising her veil and motioned Consta-
rying a black draped bundle of papers
the size of suitcase. TO place them on
chair.
Then she walked to where Samuel
Kalisch, counsel for Mrs. Snead and
Frank II. Sommer, her own counsel,
appointed by the court, were standing
Plucking Mr.. Kalisch by the arm she
called him one side and held a whis-
pered conversation with him lasting
five minutes.
Uses Envelope as Mask.
Then she sank into seat with Nc
Manus, who was in charge of her,-close
to her side. She raised two of her
wells, but at the same time placed a
blank envelope in front of her face. COW
ering all but her eyes.
No time was wasted i'll getting the
court in session, and Samuel Kalisch
arose and for the first open court pro-
eeeding that will result in Mrs. Martin
being sent to some institution for prob
ably the remainder of her life, was in
operation.
Mr.. Kalisch said: After many con-
ferences with the court and the prose-
cutting officials in this case we have
advised Mrs Martin that she withdraw
her plea of not guilty to murder and
enter plea of involuntary manslaugh-
ter. We understand that this plea will
be acceptable to the prosecutor"
Prosecutor Wilbur A. Mott then said:
"Since counsel for the defense has in
dicated to me that the defendent In
this case Is willing to plead non vult
TO manslaughter-"
Involuntary manslaughter, please,
sir" exclaimed Mrs. Martin
Turning toward her and standing di-
rectly In front of her Prosecutor Mott
fairly thundered, "Manslaughter,
madam"
Mrs. Martin sank back in her seat
and Mr.. Mott continued: After con-
sulting with the gentlemen for the de-
fense I have come to the conclusion
that 1t is advisable to accept the plea
OF non vult to manslaughter. I am
moved TO do so in this matter by the
age of the woman and the fact that l
believe the ends of justice can be
served by an acceptance of this plea"
Judge Ten Eyck then called attention
to the fact that he could not accept a
plea of involuntary manslaughter.
''The plea of not guilty to murder must
be retracted to non yult to man
slaughter before 1t can be accepted by
the court" he said
Mrs. Martin again broke in and in an
inps sssioned voice said 'I never did
anything to my daughter. What is
manslaughter? The slaughter OF such a
lovely little girl as my daughterY
This is not the time for you to
talk" admonished Judge Ten Eyck,
and Mrs. Martin sank back into her
seat from which she had partially
risen.
Mr. Kalisch then explained that the
plea would be non vult to mansiaughter