Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1913-06-19
Jury in Second Trial Of Denver
Slayer Reaches Verdict AZ
ter Being Out Some Hours
Recommends Death Penalty,
PLEA OF DEFENDANT
WAS SELF DEFENSE
Attempted to Prove lustifica-
ton fol KilIingSyIvester Won
PhuI and George {, Cope
land in Bar Room,

Denver June lS.-Thc jury la tho
second trial of Harold f. lenwood,
for tho killing of George T.. Copeland,
returned a verdict OF first degree
murder late this afternoon and pre-
scrihed the death penalty.
When the verdict WIS read before
The defendant, attorneys and court
room crowded with curious men and
women. lienN0od palcd slightly, but
in no other manner betrayed his emo
ton. Attorney John I. bottom, for
the defense, instantly demanded the
Jury he polled After each Juror had
acknowledged the verdict as his decl-
sion of the testimony. Bottom asked
IA stay Of sentence for ten days, pend
ing motion for new trial. II was
granted Then the prisoner was led
back to the jail through the private
corridors OF the court room. and the
trial which had created 80 much in
tcrest and which had continued for
three weeks with no abatement of
tension, was over
Judge Z c. nutor who had pre-
sided throughout the trial personally
thanked the jurors for the service
they had rendered the state. aud Dis
trlet Attorney Rush exclaimed.
Gentlemen / thank YOU, YOU have
vndieutod sylvester Won phul. and
punished the guilty man.
Attorney Bottom declared after the
secession in court that he would carry
the case to the supreme court in the
event that Judge tiutier upnlod him
the now trial which he win ask
This verdict lie said. comes TO
me az thunderclap from clear
sky. j have heard that there were men
on the Jury who said they would hang
llenwood or he would hang them. !
don't know that this II 20.
Jurors william IT, Seltaer and IT, r.
Morton are said 10 have been the ones
who delayed the agreement because
OF their opposition to the death pen
atty
lIenwood shot Geofse E. Copeland,
Sylvester L. Won phul. OF 81. Louis
and James W Atkinson in the bar
room Of local hotel on the night Of
May "a, 1911. Copeland and Atkinson
were bystanders and were hit by stray
bullets. Copeland and Non phul died.
In the first trial. flenwood was con-
vlcted of murder in the second de-
gree and sentenced to imprisonment
for llfe. The Colorado supreme court
on February 2. 1919. reversed the
decision and rcmandcd the case for
"A new trial
Following this decision of the su-
preme court attorneys for IIcnwood
secured the dismissal of the inforna-
tlon charging the murder of Won
phul on the ground that the case
had not been brought to trial within
the time limit fixed by law An at
tempt to have the Copeland case dis
missed on "a plea OF former jeopardy
failed
In both trials. Ilenwood tool, the
stand us the principal witness for the
defense He admitted the killing and
pleaded self-defense Henwood testi-
lied that his quarrel with Won Phul
resulted from an attempt he made 20
secure letters which had been written
10 Won Phui by Mrs. John w. Spring
en- d Denver society woman and wife
Of wealthy bunker aud stock rais-
cr Mrs Springer was divorced hy her
after the shooting In the
second trim just closed, Springer
took the stand in behalf OF ilenwood.