The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-12-18

is not expected the relatives OF
the dead man will contest her
right to the weapon.
Minneapolis. December 12.-Men
and women to the number OF thirty
and more in the last decade have
listened in the Hennepin county dis
trict court rooms while jurors read
the verdict that condemned them to
life Imprisonment for murder. Some
of them have wept. Some in a
frenzy of hysteria have shouted Of
their innocence Some have collapsed
CT. plet' ~.
Yesterday woman, Mrs. Char
lOtte Sharpless, sat in the district
court before Judge Leary and heard
the verdict read which branded ner
as the slayer OF her husband, Learn
ing Sharpless. Not by 80 much as q
flicker of an eyelash did she betray
emotion OF any kind. Stolid and sto-
ical as she has been throughout the
trial the woman sat unmoved. hardly
seeming to hear as Deputy Clerk Of
the District Court Knight read. I'VE
the jury find the defendant guilty as
charged i'm the indictment"
Many Women Spectators Gasp.
Scores OF women who had attend
cd every session of the woman's
trial aud who had all but cried out
aloud for her liberty. gasped as the
verdict was read which sealed her
fate. Many murmured I'm pity for
the creature who few hours be-
for they had condemned. Men. old
attorneys who had seen scores of
murder trials. muttered beneath
their breath as the verdict was read.
or all the persons i'm tho courtroom
AIRS. Sharpless alone sat unmoved.
No line of the white. marble-like face
relaxed or frightened. Slowly Sue rose
TO her feet and followed closely by
Mrs. Nels Clausen, county Jail ma
tron, she walked from the room and
through the Gordon OF awe-strucx cur
ious women who lined her path
back TO the Jail elevator.
81 Am Innocent" She Said.
In her cell she smiled family when
asked what she thought Of the YER
dict. Il have nothing to say" she
said, In the same even. dispassionate
tone that for hourse had replied to the
questions Numbered at her ON the
witness stand, except that ! am in.
nocent" Then, without word OF
surprise or anguish. the woman who
could not weep even at the sight of
her husbands body as u lay on the
slab at the morgue, began TO eat her
supper.
Mrs. Sharpless was taken immedi-
ately TO the penitentiary at Still
water. IL Is understood that her at.
torneys will not ask for a retrial.
Only one sentence. that of life i'm
prisonment, can be imposed for the
crime of which the woman was found
guilty.
Never In the last decade has a
murder case jury returned a verdict,
either of acquital or conviction. with
the speed which characterized the
decision of the twelve men who tried
Mrs. Charlotte Sharpless. At lis
the jurors were charge by Judge
Leary and retired. Immediately after
the adjournment OF court they were
taken TO lunch.
On the Third Ballot
II was more than an hour before
they returned TO the jury room.
Then, before celebrating on the
case. they elected foreman. On
the first ballot one man stood for &C.
quital and eleven for conviction
Two more ballots were taken before
the count stood unanimously against
the woman on trial. Then two more
ballots were taken TO determine the
degree of murder that should be
stated in the verdict.
Shortly after four O'Clock Deputy
Sheriff Quinn announced that the
jury had agreed. A hush fell over
the courtroom as the jurors silently
filed in. each man taking particular
pains not to glance toward the silent
woman In black, an infallible sign
court attendants say. OF a verdict adj
verse To a defendant. Not whisper
was heard In the room as Mr. knight
was heard In the room as Mr.. knight
asked: Gentlemen OF the jury. have
you agreed upon a verdict?" Ever,
person In the room save. Mrs. Sharp
less leaned forward with bates
breath as the signed verdict wa'
handed TO Judge Leary and exam
ined by him and then passed bacl
10 Mr.. knight to De read.
Verdict In Record Time.
II has been eight>years since Thu
last woman. Mrs. Stella Brennan
was convicted I'm this county Of muir
der. She was found guilty az KILN.
her own children. In her case. the
jurors deliberated for more thar