Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-05-28
CRA|G'S FATE IS
TO REST WITH
THE JURY TODAY
Assistant Prosecutor Demands
First Degree Murder Verdict
in Opening Argument.

Hiram e. Craig, of Jersey City, al
legged murderer, probably will know
his fate tonight. The case will go to
the jury this afternoon
Craig IS charged with the murder
of Mrs. Mamie Clark in her home. S52
! South Orange avenue. on the morn
Ing of February 20 last. He has al
ready been convicted of second de-
gree murder for killing Hetty Reeve
at the same time.
Assistant Prosecutor Andrew Van
Blarcom, in opening his case to the
jury. asked for a verdict of murder
in the first degree. He asserted Craig
by his own story had admitted his
guilt of The murder and the attempt
on his Own life. He pointed out that
it was Utterly impossible for Hetty
Reeve to have shot herself or for
Mrs. Clark to have ended her own
life. But it was very plausible, he
asserted, that the shots were fired by
Craig, VINO then attempted his own
life.
The summing up occupied the en-
tire morning session OF court.
Frank Nj. McDermit, Craig's. chief
State had failed utterly to prove be-
yond a question of a doubt that Craig
was guilty OF deliberate, premeditat-
ed murder. lie pointed to the testi-
mony of DR.. Frank o. Stockton and
other physicians placed on the stand
by the defense. who swore that the
bullet wound in Craig'S head could
not possibly have been self-iniicted.
Craig was Visibly moved by the ap-
Ia l,s l,f !r, he i11-
Tears filed his eyes and he buried
his face in his Handkerchief and
sobbed audibly.
Mr. McDerinit vigorously attacked
the testimony OF Or. Aurello CASTLE
who yesterday swore Craig had adj
mitted 10 him that he had shot him
self in the head. He characterized as
absurd the statement that was pro-
duced in court by DR.. CASTLE. IT was
written three days after tho witness
took it. Mr.. McDernit pointed out
He pointed TO the likelihood of error
creeping in such g record.
This man Craig has been ruth
lessly pursued. like a hound after a
rabbit. The prosecutor has gone after
him with a gun, figura lively SPEAK
ing The state, smarting under q sec
ond degree murder verdict in the for
mer tfial. determined that they would
make another effort-a supreme effort
Ito send Craig to the electric chair.
"The State has been most unfair to
Craig throughout this whole affair
Even when he lay in the hospital they
sent their agents to Craig TO try to
wrest from him 3 statement thai
would send him to the electric chair
And ! say TO you, tlse-as4 as4e4ssYho nsf
such tactics as those, are a set o1
dogs. and dogs is the proper word. !
Joseph r. Woodruff aud William
Azzolli, of counsel for the defense,
handed up TO the court nearly thirty
requests to charge the jury.
says Craig Admitted shooting Self.
The State dealt a hard blow TO the
defense yesterday afternoon when it
produced witness who sMore Craig
told him the bullet wound III his
head was self-inficted. The witness
was DR. Aurello CASTLE, assistant
house surgeon at the City Hospital.
The witness produced in. court a
statement he had taken from Craig
three days after the defendant was
admitted to the hospital In it Craig
had said he shot himself but at the
time was under the influence of
liquor. lf
Throughout this trial Nand the one
in. which Craig was convicted of the
murder Of the Reeve woman. the
defense contended that the wound
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