Arizona republican., 1919-02-25
JURYLOCKEDUP OVER NIGHT IN
 VAN R|TER CASE
After Taking Case At 5:15 O'clock Jury Fails to Find Verdict At Conclu- sion of Five and One-half Hours

The jury in the Van Ritter case was locked up at 10:30 a'clock last night and will resume consideration of the evidence this morning.
 The case of state vs. J. E. Van Ritter on trial for shooting William Woolf following differences regarding an au tomobile transaction went to the jury at 5:15 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
 At no time during the three days trial was there a larger attendance than yesterday when the courtroom was taxed to it's capacity by those who followed with interest the final sum ming up of the case by the attorneys. Among those who remained for the arguments of counsel was William WoOlf, the manager of the Harmon Motor company. who has been perma- mently disable by Van Ritter.
 The father and wife of the defendant were there too. sitting at the table where they have been day after day during the course of the proceedings. l None of the group showed the slightest emotion except the young wife who l shielded her face with her hands as ] County Attorney l.. M. Ianey referred i to the hideousness of the crime com mitted by the defendant.
 Make Strong Pleas
 The county attorney has taxed his own strength in trying the case. Only recently recovered from influenza he worked diligently to secure a convic ton and at the end of his lengthy argument to the jury was somewhat exhausted. Those who heard him and did not know Of his condition would not have surmised it, for the states's at torney put much force in his effective plea to the twelve men in whose hands Van Riter's fate was placed.
 The opening argument was made by Harry Johnson. assistant county attor- ney. who outlined the testimony in de- tail. He was followed by E. B. Good = win for the defense who also based his argument on testimony introduced dur ing the trial. F. C. Struckmeyer then made a dramatic plea for Van Ritter whom he protested was a man hereft of reason when he shot Woolf whom he believed had outraged and wronged him in the trade of an automobile. MT Struckmeyer reminded the jury that or the day Van Ritter was arrested when he held at bay a crowd in front Of the Harmon Motor Company, the officers treated him as a man whose reason lad been destroyed for time
 Recalls Actions
 He referred to the episode on the south side some months past when Var Ritter disguised as a Mexican rode wildly in and out the brush, refusing to halt at the command of an officer . He pointed to the document which ht prepared and which he asked Woolf tC , sign. He charged the jury to take note of the piece of wrapping paper or which it was written, the language 1T sN.t l. T all of which he claimed indicated ar abnormal mind. MT. Struckmeyer in sisted that Van Ritter was a man O education. certainly capable of prepar ing d simple document in its correc form under normal conditions Tn, lawyer finally appealed 10 the sym , pathy of the jury in referring to th' defendants wife and baby daughter In this connection he also told of tn
 threats of suicide made by Van Rite
 to his wife when there was no apparen cause for the young husband and ia
 ther to take his life.
 T The heat of passion should not b counfounded with insanity" declare,
 County Attorney IAney who made tn closing argument for the state. He de clared that if there had ever been |, si hideous crime this was one and tha i, moreover it was deliberate and pre- } meditated. He brought out the fact ' again that Van Ritter had the day be sl fore the shooting told friends that h bring his Nellie" and his Cat e5 to town and settle matters.
 v Laney held that the insanity defens : was used often as a last resort. a e avenue of escape which the jury shoul
 ignore
 e After reading the instructions to tn n jury the court informed the jury ther n would be three forms of verdict-no D guilty. guilty Of assault with intent f Q commit murder. and guilty Of assau P with a deadly weapon.