The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1911-10-20
The Circuit Court


its third week and it will not adjourn
until some time next week. Judges
Briscoe and Camalier returned on Tues
day and have been on the bench with
Judge Beall since then.
Edward Schuchardt was found guilty
of murder in the first degree for kill
ing his wife at Collington on Septem-
Der oath. The jury deliberated about
three and one-half hours before render
ing its verdict. He was sentenced to
life Imprisonment on Wednesday after
noon. The Court said he would be
spared the extreme penalty of the law,
which is death, because the evidence
tended to show that his mentality was
slightly below normal.
John Morgan was sentenced to nVe
wears in the penitentiary for attempt
ing to hold up the Citizens National
Bank of Laurel. The charge of having
stolen 81, ,O5O from Herbert A. Gill, in
Hyattsville, two years ago, was dis
missed by the Court. the evidence be-
ing too weak to convict him. In spite
of the pleadings of his sister, Miss
Gertrude Morgan, a trained nurse IN a
Baltimore hospital, and the requests
of the bank officials that leniency be
shown the youthful holdup man, the
the court ruled that he should be
punished.
The jury in the Philbrooks case,
which began on Tuesday morning,
brought in a verdict of manslaughter
Wednesday afternoon. Harry W. Phil
brooks killed his employer, Frederick
Springman, at the home of the latter
near the District Line, on Wednesday
of last week. The trial and conviction
is one of the speediest on record here.
Philbrooks was put on the witness
stand Wednesday morning and made
good witness in his own behalf. He
told of the wandering, sea-faring life
he had led, during which he went as
steward on varions coasting vessels
from Bangor, Maine, as far as South
America. The States Attorney forced
him to admit having had quarrel and
fight with cook on one of the vessels,
in which fight Philbrooks had defeated
his man by throwing him down; but
this victory Philbrooks ascribed chiefly
not to his own strength, but to the
rocking motion of the ship, to which he
was accustomed while his opponent
was not. Philbrooks gave long and
detailed account of the fatal encounter
with Springman in the barn, and of his
own subsequent conduct in first trying
to resusitate the dead man and then
going to the house to tell Mrs. Spring.
man of what had occurred.
The Court sentenced him to ten years
in the penitentiary.
The Grand Jury adjourned last Fri,
day after making the following report
To the Honorable Judges
of the Circuit Court:
We, the Grand jurors of the October
s1911l term of the Circuit Court, beg
leave to submit the following:
The Grand Jury has been in session
eleven days; have examined 80 cases
l48 witnesses; made 26 presentments
and found rs true bills.
Several cases were submitted for oul
consideration. but on account of in
sufficient evidence to maintain prims
facfe case were dismissed.
we visited the Jail in a body anc
found II persons confined threin,
white males, 10 colored males, no fe
males. We found the interior of the
Jail IN a clean, sanitary condition, fol
which credit is due the keeper. We
find that the furnace needs repairs ane
looking after. We find that the wells
give insufficient supply of water fol
gest that the well be made deeper.
We trust that the County Commits
sioners will give these matters theil
immediate attention.
Owing the fact of their being 81
many witnesses to be examined. ant
the lack of system in getting the wit
nesses before the grand jury, we wisf
to express our thanks to the State''
ATTORNEY, Sheriff and particularly tt
Deputy Sheriff Suit for the assistance
they gave US III ndIiuliuS LhSoe W..
nesses. We would suggest that there
be deputy sheriff appointed for th'
sole purpose of informing the gran'
jury of what witnesses are present ant
the case they are connected with.
We regret to admit that our session
has been prolonged on account OF ou
large docket.
We would further suggest that hook
10 ,Joood in tha GRAND i1rV room fO
the coats, hats, ETC., of the jurors.
We append hereto the report OF tn
Committee on the Aims House.
Having finished all business called t.
our attention, we respectfully beg t
be discharged.
GEORGE A. GUIDE,
Foreman.