The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-03-07
DR.. WYNEKOOP,
CONVICTED, TO
GET Is YEARS
SO Year Old MatriarCh
Takes Verdict Calmly,
New Trial Asked.
RULING STUNS DEFENSE
Less Than 2 Hours Needed
by Jury to Reach Guilty
Decision.
BVTHffed Press

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CHICAGO, March 7-Dr. Alice
Lindsay Wynekoop, 63-yesr-old ma
triarch of prominent medical
family. today faced spending the
rest OF her life in prison for the
murder by chloroform and revolver
shot Of her dsughter-in-law Rheta.
A criminal courts jury Of younger
men. selected under the woman
musicians own direction, brought
in a guilty verdict last night after
less than two hours elaboration.
It's recommendation OF a twenty
five-vpar sentence was the same as
life imprisonment for the aged and
aUing woman. whose repeated col
JapseS from heart disease have in
terrupted her trial.
There was yet the usual motions
for new trial to be disposed Of
before ..ddge Harry B. Miller could
pronounce sentence. A hearing on
these motions was placed on the
court calendar for March "a.
The iurv's quick verdict came as
a shock to the defense forces after
. dav Of closing arguments which
verged on religious fervor. Defense
ATTORNEYS. w. w. and Milton Smith,
were partaking of late supper
when the jury's report OF an agree
ment came. They we're summoned
TO the court room.
Fearing that the shock OF the
guilty verdict might be too much
for the frail defendant, Judge Mil
Ter ordered a physician to remain
at her SIDE with a heart stimulant
during the reading of the verdict.
Catherine Close at Hand
DIR. Wynekoop's daughter, Dr.
Catherine. also was close at hano.
Walter WynekoOp, a son, was in the
courtroom. but Earle. the younger
son. for whom the state contendeo
the murder was committed, was not
present.
Or. Wynekoop received the verdict
with tho same calm that character
1ze3 her conduct throughout me
strange case from the time that
notice we're called into the family
man, on last Nov. q, TO view the
dead girls body. through her ap-
pesralice on the witness stand 10
denv that she had killed her daugh-
trr-in-law on an operating table 10
collect $4,000 insurance and free
her son Of an estranged wife.
Walker. however, was indignant
He labeled the verdict a miscarriage
of Justice. Catherine, too was m
dignant. They wheeled their mother
into an anteroom and sought to
console her.
Needs Little ConsOling
DR.. Wvnekoop needed little con-
selling, however.
I'm innocent" she said. Don't
worry. children. It's all right
Charles Dougherty, assistant
states attorney, who prosecuted the
case was jubilant over the verdict
which observers saw as largely due
to his maSterful summation OF a
circumstantial case.
They were a hard boiled. Sensi-
bic Jury and we ought to have more
of that kind" Mr. Dougherty said.
The quick verdict was foreSeen IN
the courtroom. RumorS spread early
in the evening that a guilty verdict
was Forthcoming. The jurymen re-
vealed that an agreement on the
defendants guilt was reched within
the first ten minutes.
The first ballot found the jurors
split eleven to one for conviction.
The second ballot brought agree
ment. The next hour was spent in
debating a verdict. Two jurors held
out for death penalty until the
last.
In confession" to Captain John
siege. DR.. Wynekoop had admitted
giving the girl chloroform and then
after finding the patient dead,
shooting her to mask the accident.
This statement was later repudi-
sted
The state piled up medical teSti-
mony 10 show that Rheta died of
the gunshot wound. rather than
chloroform. Earle was shown TO
have been more than 100 miles away
on the day his wife died.
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