Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-14
FATE OF NEGROES
IN JURES' HAND
THIS AFTERNOON
Both Elwood Wilson and Cor
nelius Shepherd Murder
Trials Finished

Whether or not Elwood Wilson and
Cornelius Shepherd shall pay the laws
penalty on the electric chair for the
murders respectively of City Patrolman
Lewis c. Nipple and Henry Walker,
was given to Dauphin county turies
late this afternoon to determine.
The final efforts of both men to
save themselves from the chair were
made with the convening of December
criminal court this morning, and by
the noon recess the attorneys for the
defense in each instance had finished
their arguments to the juries.
Attorney Harvey E. Knupp handled
Wilson's case in No. l room before
President Judge Kunkel and Attorney
". J. Carter argued for the defense
before Additional Law Judge McCar-
reIl in No. room. District ATTORNEY
NJ. E .Stroup and Assistant District At
torney Frank B. Wickersham will sum
up the States evidence respectively
in the Wilson and Shepherd cases.
The Moon Gets Into the Case
The only high light in the winding
up OF the Wilson case was offered by
weather Observer f. p. Domain, He
explained upon request of the Com
monwealth's attorneys, that during the
early morning hours of June 23-the
time at which Nipple was deliberately
shot down close to the Market street
subway-the moon rode high in the
skies and helped the electric lights
brighten the streets.
The question of whether or not the
moon shown that morning was raised
by the questioning of the defense of
testimony offered by W. w. First. and
other witnesses for the State.
First, q Pennsy telegraph operator
saw the shooting OF Nipple from his
window in a nearby telegraph tower.
He was able to plainly discern the
two men because the moon made the
night so bright, he said.
Wilson Wears the Murder Can
President Judge Kunkel declined to
permit the jury to visit the scene of
the shooting tonight in order that the
surroundings might be viewed by
moonlight. This was because all of
the evidence has been given to the
Jury.
For a few minutes to-day James
White, who is accused with Wilson of
the murder of Patrolman Nipple, and
wilson himself, strolled about the
courtroom together while the Jury
watched interestedly. The men walk
ed over to the window-while vigilant
deputies looked warily on-so that
the light could fall on their features.
Both took off their coats, stood in var
fous postures-and Wilson repeatedly
put on and removed his cap.
In the Moonlight
The headgear, the murder cap" as
IL has been generally referred to dur
ing the trial, IS the cap that was
taken from Wilson the night of the
shooting and which is identical. ac-
cording to witnesses with the cap that
was worn by the man who fired al
Patrolnan Nipple.
In his own defense Shepherd took
tho stand in No. 2 and admitted that
he had shot Henry Walker during a
crap game at the Brownstone auarries
near Hummelstown. Ell did so, how
ever. because he feared for his own
life, as he declared Walker had re-
peatedly threatend him. Furthermore.
he said, as he stepped into the crap
shooters circle Walker threw his
hand toward his hip and Shepherd de-
clared he thought he meant to draw
gun.
Persuasion
Frank aGtewood, one of the crap
shooters. who sat in the circle, testi-
fed that Walker made no move to
draw weapon, but that Shepherd
fired while his victim was kneeling on
the ground. And before the Jury
aGtewood kneeled to illustrate.
WAGHTNGTON-I Facnouittou of