Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-01-26
MRS. SCHENk'S FATE
IN HANDS OF JURY.
The Alleged Prisoner Co||apses Under
SCathing Words Of Prosecutor in
Arfaignment Seldom EQuaIIed for
Severity--The Verdict Today.

Wheeling. W. Va, jan 25.-After
| wrestling 4h hours, during an after
noon and night session, with the evil
dencc in the case of Mrs. Laura Farms
worth Schenk, the jury was unable to
reach an agreement and at IL o'clock
tonight Judge Jordan ordered the l.
men sent To their hotel to be locked up
fer the night. The jury will resume
consideration of II verdict al o'clock
Thursday morning. though it is possi
bic informal consideration Will be con-
tinued during the night. In the event
of an agreement being reached. how
ever, il would not be reported until the
convcning of court tomorrow morning
Predictions Of disagreement are gcner-
al. though some followers OF the ease
believe verdict finally will be reached.
After the jury had been excused
for the night crowd numbering thou
sands packed the street and sidewalks
in the vicinity OF the court house. The
crowd came from an adjoining square
where it had stood from 30 o'clock
until TO- \ squad of police and all
the available deputy sherifis had to
be called upan to clear the streets
before the jury vas taken out of the
court house.
court house. Hundreds preceded the
Jurors II their hotel, while many more
flanked the line OF deputies at either
side of the men. Many women We're
in the crowd
Counsel for both sides made state
ments to The Associated Press to-.
night:
j feel certain that we will get con
viction," said Prosecutor Handlan. I
believe the verdict will be reached
early tomorrow morning
j. p. O'Rrien, chief counsel for Mrs.
Schenk, said;
There is nav no CHARGE for con-
yiction. Every hour the jury is out
helps our case. We feel sure the jury
will return a verdict of innocence
within a few more hours"
When Prosecuting Attorney j. B.
Handlan concluded his argument to
the jury at 3.5S this afternoon, the end
of the trial of Mrs. Laura FarnsWorth
Schenk, charged with poisoning her
husband, john O. Schenk. had been
reached and from that moment her
case was in the hands of the jury,
which Immediately retired to consider
a verdict. At 5 o'clock the jury had
not returned a verdict and when a
deputy sheriff went to the jury room
to take the jurors to supper. he found
them with their coats off and appar-
emily in the height of heated discus
r..I. I1,l ItNtN
more before going to supper, in which
time they expected to reach some de-
cision. At the end of the half hour,
they had no definite answer to submit
to the court and were taken out to the
evening meal with instructions from
Judge Jordan to return at 40 and
continue their deliberations. Judge
Jordan announced he would wait until
10 T. NJ. at which time if no verdict
was reached the jury should be locked
up for the night, and deliberations
would he resumed in the morning.
Just five minutes after Prosecutor
Handlan finished his argument and as
the jury was retiring Mrs. Schenk col
lapsed and was led from the court room
between her attorney, j. j. p. O'Brien
and Deputy Sheriff Thomas Kelly. Her
face was swollen and distorted by n
day Of heavy sobbing. Showing con-
stant fortitude all during the taking Of
testimony, 1t was only when the argu-
ments were began yesterday when
sympathy was asked for her by her
attorneys that she gave way. She had
regained her composure during the
scathing attacks on the states wit
nesses by the last of her attorneys to
speak, 8 O. Boyce, but she again gave
way during the bitter invective and
| fierce arraignment by Prosecutor
Handlan. The accused woman fell
| heavily forward on the table early in
| his argument and shaken by her sobs
she presented pitiable spectacle.
Mr.. Handlan asked the jury to show
| no mercy to "a woman who deliberately
violated her marriage VOWS, sharing
| young Dan Phillips with her wiles and
then coldly. calmly plotted to kill by slow
| poison 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 flint he shouted TT
! terly incapable of human sympathy. love
| or affection. Give her back to her chill
| dren that she may contaminate and de-
| grade them with her presence? My God
gentlemen, YOU know this woman i,
guilty as hell itself and there is but one
| place for her.
Zone of the most horrible things it has
ever been my lot as a lawyer to come II
contact with was when this woman look
ed upon the murder of her husband II
| the coldblooded light of simple business
| proposition. When unsuccessful herself
she offered another $1,000 to do her viii
work for her. When coldly, calmly, fiend
ishly, she asked the woman, of whom SHE