New-York tribune., 1918-02-09
Paul Chapman Calmly Re-
ceives Verdict Which May
Lead to Electric Chair
Helped Kill Two
In Robbery Attempt
Brooklyn Jury Arrives at
Quick Decision; Judge to
Sentence Later

Sixteen year-old Paul Chapman. until
a year ago wearer of the vestments OF
a choir boy, struggled to repress'
smile yesterday afternoon as the fore
man of jury in Judge Kappers court
in Brooklyn, pronounced him guilty
of murder III the first degree.
Tears streamed down the faces OF
several women as they heard the YER
dict that will mean death in the cleo
trio chair for the boy unless. some
whim of the law or some action OF
Governor Whitman intervcnes to save
him.
His Trial Bored Him
To Young Chapman the days of trial
for the shooting Of Harry Regensburg,
whose cigar store he had tried to ROB
last October. had seemed boresome.. A
conclusion of the period of repression
his LAWYER had endeavored to enforce
in the courtroom was welcome, even IL
it was but pause before the clectrlc
chair. ~:
How far he had travelled from his
choirboy days at st. Bartholomew 3
Church was made evident when coure
bailif, intending to comtort n,la d, 49, ~,
the manner of his kind, slapped HIM on
the back and said that there was
chance of committed sentence yet
"What the hell" good-naturedly re-
piled the boy. "You've got to die some
time, haven't you?" -
1t took the jury forty-onc minutes 10
decide that Chapman's youth was no
excuse for the cold-blooded murutr
that resulted in Regensburg''s DEATH
the killing Of Samuel Regensburg, his
brother. and the shooting of his wiIe'
Much Of this period was spent IN smoK-
ing and preparing for DINNER.
Awaits Verdict Calmly
Meanwhile Chapman smoked a cigar
otto in an ante-room and appeared the
least interested of the group OF court
attaches and curiosity seekers VINO
crowded about him. He paid no atten-
tion to their speculation as TO tne
probability of an acquittal and trleo 70
change the subject to other topics.
Either by chance or design h's
mother, who had been MS consean.
companion and aid during the 'rvins
days of the trial, was absent wnen .he
fate of the boy was announced. But
Chairman, who had made use OF ms
mothers name and presence IN plea
to the jury during his hour on the
witness stand, did not ask for her or
express any curiosity as to her where-
"Well. where do we go from here =
he asked of a bailff, after Judge kap-
ner had said that he would pronounce
sentence next Wednesday, morning. =,
"Back to cell at the Raymond
Street JAIL" was the reply.
Chapman, still wearing the biase ap-
nearance of a man who has seen mcIe
IF lifa than is interesting, led the way
to the door.
The murder for which the boy may
have to pav the penalty in the electflc
chair was coolly planned on Sunday
afternoon last October. Chapman, with
Hugh and Leonidis Davis, according
to the boys own story, went from
store to store until they succeeded IN
purchasing quantity of chlorotorn'
With which they planned to asphyxlate
their victim, Regensburg, while ne
slept in his apartment at o3o farh
Place, back of his cigar store.
Two of the boys entered the rool,t 1tl.l
in which the man slept whlle em.lO
stood lust outside the window, an auto
matte pistol in his hand, to cover trc
victims in the event that the drug
failed to work. Chapman said that ms
nert in the crime was that OF guard
and that he did not fire shot.
But things did not go as planted
Regensburg leaped from bed and re,
ceived two bullets through the heac
before he could raise. a baseball bat nc
had grasped. His wife IAN Tor tce
bulets tel1et0.r from M the automatic brought le1
dcwn. Samuel Regensburg, brother o!
the dead man, rushed into the room
and was caught by the sweep of the
automatic ard fell before it, to die two
days later in neighboring hospital.
81 was dragged into the thing because
the boys said | would be yellow j.
didn't" was Chapman,s plea on lhS
witness stand. "But | didn't fire
shot. didn't stay after the igh;
started"