Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-11-02
Mccormick Facing Losing
Battle Remains. Cool
Lawyers Talk to jury
The Closing Testimony in
Great Murder Case.


Great Murder Case.
A. III. Mccormick was found guilty
Of murder i'm the first degree on the
charge of poisoning his wife, Ida Jen.
after less than an hours actual de
liberation. Thursday evening.
There was but one formal ballot
taken. 1t was for conviction. The
jury had discussed the question for a
time and were ready to answer TO the
court Albert Thorsen was foreman
He haaded the written verdict to the
court Judge Quinlan looked it over
and then handed it to Clerk of Court
w J. KermOtt. He read it to a court
room of silent hearers. The jury was
not pOlled.
Mccormick Shocked
The convicted man sat at the table
where he has watched the case as it
went backwards and forwards for the
past sixteen days. When he knew
the verdict he was stunned for a mo-
ment. His elbow had been resting on
the arm of his chair AS the verdict
was given he let his hand fall heavily
to the table and his head went forward
his chin i'll his chest.
1t was the end. Ahead only the
walls of the penitentiary at Waupun
behind. only the dead miserable past
Motions for new trial. pleas of at
tOrneys, appeals to a higher court
all were now mere makeShifts to stay
the final Day of Judgment here on
earth. \ jury of his peers, his neigh
bOrS and fellow citizens had found him
guilty of crime which places him
among the criminals with whom he
must walk and talk and live and die, a
pariah and an OutcaSt.
There was no dramatic closing OF
the trial. The last act before the jury
went to its room to its final judgment
with the whole future of human be
ing in the hollow of their hands, had
been the charge of the court read tC
them by the Judge They had listened
and gone away.
There was no evidence of worry Oh
anxiety on the part of the little ole
man of 81, as to the future. With the
supreme egotism that seems to domi
nate his every act, he cOmplimented the
charge made by the judge. and the pos
Sibility of conviction of him. A. III
Mccormick, appeared to be remotes
in his thought.
The trial began with the selection o.
q jury at . o'clock on Tuesday Oct
Ober IS. Ii ended at a few minute!
after six o'clock OH Thursday. Nov
ember l. 1917. Those days will be re
membcred so long as Rusk county eX
lists. They will be mile post of Time
Things will date from before or afte
the case. Never had there been 81
many days used in any trial, never 81
great interest, never SO great q Grimm
al at the bar.
I0a Mccormick Cleared
And out there in the cemetery a
White Cloud. what is still mortal of he
who was Ida Mccormick, will neve
know that she has been avenged, an'
that from her name the stigma of self
murder has eternally been removed.
There were few people present whel
the jury came in. The usual motio
for new trial was made by the dc
Tense through Mr.. Stebbins. TIL
court court said il would he heard o
e. FaN, II
argument, Mr.. StebbillS having gone t
his home at Milwaukee, on ThurSda
night
Up to the very closing hours of tn
trial there had been no great climaXe:
no SensatiOal scenes, no theatricals
had been trial marked by the cold dt
liberations of business. The usus
dramatics were not present. Even til
testimony of the accused was but so
did tale carrying more wonder tha
conviction to the hearer.
1t remained for the last moment
of the trial when Attorney Stebbil
with bitter invectives was assailing
woman witness for the state, to injet
into the case moment of tenSeneSS
the collapse and Mysteries of that w,
man and to gain for himself the equa
ly bitter resentment of many present
the seats of the spectators.
There was no member of the fami
of Ida Mccormick to hear the verde
of the jury. They had not expecte
it so soon. Strange, ironical fate. Al
now the remnants of the estate of Da