Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-03-14

PENDANT had stood trial on a charge
Of killing his foster father, Ross H.
Snyder, with q shotgun last No
vember %, in their Jamestown
home. He had admitted this shoot
ing, as well as that of his foster
mother Mrs. Jane Russell Snyder,
and foster sister, Jane Ann, IL.
BY its verdict, the jury saved the
boy from the possibility of being
hanged. A simple first-degree muir
der conviction would have given the
court the option of sentencing him
to death or life imprisonment.
Sentencing Set for Tomorrow.
Judges Charles w. Woodward and
Stedman Prescott tentatively set
sentencing for $3.50 am. tomorrow.
Deputy Jail Warden John H.
Walker, who spent the night with
the youth on order of the judges,
said that Robert was pretty we'll
but that he wouldn't eat any break
fast this morning. He slept well,
Mr.. Walker said
They played checkers until after
midnight" when the youth got
sleepy, the warden said. Robert was
nervous during the evening, Mr..
Walker reported, and became upset
when one or two policemen came in
to talk with him.
Record to Be Examined.
Defense Attorneys Joseph c. Cis-
sci and John r. Reeves said they
planned to examine the trial record
carefully before deciding whether
to make an appeal. They had asked
the jury for a verdict of not more
than guilty of murder in the second
degree. This would have made
young Snyder liable to a sentence
of from two to 10 years in the
penitentiary.
The defense noted numerous OBJ
jections during the trial. Several
were directed to questioning Of wit
neSses by the judges. It~was indi-
Gated these might serve as basis
for an appeal if one Is taken.
The case went to the jury at 1856
pm. The judges returned to the
bench, and the jurors began filing
M at SIT pm. Judge Woodward
had instructed the jury it first had
Ito decide whether the defendant
was sane at the time of the crime
and at the time of trial. 1t must
hold him not guilty if ID decided
he was insane at either or both
of these times, Judge Woodward
had stated. .-.,
Found Sane by Jury.
When asked for the verdict, Fore
man Carl l.. Raymond said:
Sane at the time of commits
sion of the offense. Sane at the
time of the trial"
Then he reported the balance Of
the verdict.
I The defendant, standing beside
his attorneys, gave no sign of emo
ton. He resumed his seat and ap-
peared to swallow several times in
rapid succession.
Judge Woodward had warned the,
spectators beforehand against reg
istering approval or disapproval.
There were a few murmured COM
ments in the courtroom.
Mr.. Cissell requested the jury be
polled. AS called by the clerk,
each of the other II jurors con-
firmed the foreman's verdict.
Judge Woodward then ordered
young Snyder returned to the Gus
tody Of the sheriff. The boy was
led back to the Jail on the floor
above the courtroom.
Wore Blank Expression.
Throughout the two-day trial,
the defendant sat with one or the
other of his hands at his chin,
cheek or ear. He watched the wit
nesses during their testimony, but
his expression remained blank. He
was dressed in a sport shirt, tan
tweed jacket and brown slacks.
Mr.. Cissel was appointed by the
court to defend him. Mr.. Reeves
was engaged by the Volunteers of
America. The attorneys had sought
to convince the jury their client was
of unsound mind and had been sub
jected to unusual restraints.
States Attorney Walter w. Daw-
son and former States Attorney
Joseph B. Simpson, jr., conducted
the prosecution.