The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-01-28
WILLIAM THOMAS, NEGRO, GUILTY
OF MURDER In THE FIRST DEGREE

ing the different forms Of verdict OF.
fered, and that which constituted zach
verdict. Ho informed the Jury that
p~remeditated murder must be proven
TO constitute murder In arst degree.
but that generalization NAV come
within the short space OF a few min.
utes. He dealt with the reasonable
doubt proviso In statutory cases. and
said hat the defendant was entitled
TO a reasonable doubt in every in
stance.
Strong Argument
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
george T.. Beneke opened the argu-
ments on the ease for the state at
30 O'Clock His plan was earnest.
forcetul and conclusive. He spoke
with the conviction OF n man who has
achieved that for which he Is fight
Ing. In this case, conclusive proof that
william Thomas was guilty Of a
brutal premeditated murder. and
should be punished. In opening he
said: This case. gentlemen, Is one
OF the clearest that has ever been
presented TO a jury. Without any
doubt II is not involuntary or even
voluntary manslaughter. but a cold
murder
The assistant prosecutor traced,
carefully, the movements OF the muir.
dered on the night OF the crime. How
he went to Mingo. came back home
under the influence OF liquor n en-
tered into a fight with his wife. strik-
Ing her with a heavy glass sugar
bowl. How. later. he had returned 10
Mingo. came back to their humble
hnn-n In nfak1anI De- 81 ~. =
cold blood. murdered her.
This man is now low enough he
continued. by coming before you
twelve men and insult your intelli-
gence by hiding behind the skirts OF
a dead woman and assassinatlng hef
! character to save his worthless neck
from the hHngman's moose. IL this
story OF another man being In this
woman's room were true. why did
Thomas fee after staying her. why
didn't he remain there to see the man
punished, who had wrecked his
homer"
He concluded by saying that n
Z Thomas had shot his wife BY accident,
that he would have stayed al home
20 care for his boys. instead OF flying
the state and taking another name.
For the Defense.
Attorneys Sheridan Moore and At
I torney Graham grew eloquent I'm their
pleas for the life OF the negro. Attor-
ney Moore congratulated the state for
the fair way IL had handled the case,
and the way IL was presented TO the
jury. He said: This case has been
reduced TO m point Of issue. was
Shorty, the Greek. in this woman's
room? Are you to believe this de.
PENDANTS statement that he was? /
know this testimony Is slim. but there
were three persons in hat room. the
dead woman, Shorty and this defend
ant. You cannot escape finding
Thomas guilty Of granddaughter. and
I we do not contend that he is innocent.
Attorney r. =. Graham closed for
the defense and spoke longer than
! either Of the two attorneys before
him. He quoted freely from various
legal authorities concerning the de-
grees Of murder and verdicts. The
attorney was suffering considerable
pain. but insisted on fulfilling his duty
to his clinet. before leaving for his
home in the care Of n physician.
Prosecutor Argues.
Prosecuting Attorney r. VI. Addle-
man closed for the State. His argu.
ments were not o~ratorical. nowery OF
put on. They were clear. concise. and
conclusive. He insisted that Thomas
lied about the disposal Of the gun In
the case and therefore his story could
hardly be believed. From September
10 December was plenty OF time 20
frame this story up" the prosecutor
said.
This negro r. so low that he has
dragged his dead wife into this case
10 save his own worthless. degraded.
brutal life. Not only is ne a murderer
Of the lowest type. n man who dc.
serted his little sons perhaps 10 starvc
but he lies about the woman whose
lips he closed with q bullet. She
can't come here "a defend herself and
deny that she was an innocent. and n
good woman. which che was. Not a
single other word has been uttered
against her This man is a character
ASSASSIN. and II ne could have proven