New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-28
,Jurv. Out Hour and %
Minutes, Decides on
First Ballot.
SIAYER'S GRIN
DOOMED HIM
"A Relief" He Says Gayly;
Father Weeps; Wife Calm;
No Appeal Expected.

W. |hH
Dr. Arthur Warren Waite, damned in
the end by that same smile which had
Won him 90 heiress bride and a chance
20 get ,jeh by the poison route was
soyrd cailty yesterday afternoon OF
,,o r,prder Of John +. Peck, Of Grand
papids his wealthy fathor-in-lsw.
More than anything else more than
.so whole steel structure of evidence
:, vbicn the state had penned him.
rore than the cry Of blood for blood
,ba. came from his broken wife; more
than his betrayal on the stand by his
.oo well trusted hearts desire, the
singing Mrs. Horton II was the DEN
as,'s own friendly grin which con-
victed him.
Waite's Smile Brings Death.
That rr;n Waite wore most Of tho
time as. star witness in his own de-
fence. ne catalogued the evil accom-
rr.hnents Of the habitual criminal
ia. he has always been under his
suave exterior.
qet ne look into a mans eyes" he
tss told ono Of the alienists employed
bv his counsel. "Let me only smile at
him. and he is forever my friend
with those who in the old days
found MIN so pleasant partner and
en- generous an opponent on the ten
MS CONT. the look and the smile
worked their charm. But the twelve
mo, N the jury box were not to be
en- onenanted, listening as they were
IN bis oold-blooded confession oil a
,old-blooded murder.
Although the jurors we're out almost
,- hour and a half. they needed 70
tste only one ballot TO reach the'r
vsrdic;-"guilty as charged" The res,
of The time for Waite's manner had
made T. possible for them TO send him
- his punishment without loss OF sp-
peute-they spent in attacking, front
fsnk and rear. great platters Of sand
uieles and urns of coffee provided by
me state.
Court Balks Insanity Plea.
+. was 1:2o O'Clock when the jury
retired. instructed by Justice Shean
10 disregard entirely the defence's plea
Of moral imbecility." At 2;45 they
we're back. 4 few minutes later DR..
Waite. brought back from the Tomos
bv the E.ue baldheadcd Sherif's Depu-
~ who walks at his heels and sits at
tis SIDE. had heard his fate.
His iaunty air was gone as he waited
for the verdict. For once he was
serious and without even flicker Of a
smile. But it was as the emotionless
egomaniac his alienists described him
that he received the words which meant
he was 20 sit, after ell. in "la chaise.'
Thus he had frivolously and facetiors-
~ referred in a letter 90 Mrs. Horton,
written after his arrest, TO the swift
death which lies on the other side Of
the Sing Sing door that is painted
green-"la chaise" "the chair"
Confident 20 the last that no jury
Of gentlemen could fail TO be lenient
With so polished an exemplar Of .he
proper thing, he had told his songbird
sweetheart IL would never be 'le
ehaise' for him.
Yet. surprise though it may have
been. the jury's decision made no great
er an impression on his consciousness,
apparently. than would a pin prick on
the skin Of a side show ossifed man.
Spiritually ossifed. physically con
fessed coward. but with nerves that
seemed to register no tromor, he stood
and listened as the verdict was read,
DIS eyes on the floor.
Well on His Way 10 Chair.
A moment more and ne was swing
lne. with that stride that keeps his
ominutive guardian on the trot, along
nc runway which leads TO the Bridge
o. Signs swinging past his white
barred weeping father; past his loyal
brothers; past the lawyers, the re-
porters and the spectators; swinging
toward the Little Green Door and "la
ehaise" beyond, with his lips pursed
as II in readiness 20 whistle his own
merry dead march.
From the Tombs reports of Waite's
Conduct out Of the spotlight came later.
ne had shistled, even as he crossed the
sndge. lie had strolled in the prison
nrd. talking and acting as cheerfully
h If the unpleasant incident in the
solrtroom were already forgotten. He
had smackcd his lips appreciatively
over a big wedge of chocolate cake;
had drunk a cup OF strong, black coffee,
aple!ning and complaining that a
ave luncheon had made heartier DIN
htr unthinkablc And finally he had
'ilred into his cell. No. l3S, on the
@Rt tier. and opened a neighborly con-
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