The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1955-04-14
Found Guilty Of Death Of
His Three Months Old
Daughter Lost Year

hobart william Dewitt, n.
father OF four, was found guilty of
murder in the second degree in
the death of his threc-month-old
daughter, by an all-male jury last
night The trial had been underway
since Tuesday morning.
The jury got the case at $3.50 p.
M and deliberated until about
8:45 before announcing its verdict.
Associate Judge Neil c. Fraley
withheld sentence
Maryland law sets the penalty for
murder in the second degree at
five to Is years in prison. After
sentencing. Dewitt could appeal
In the meantime he could file a
motion for a new trial within three
days after conviction.
Dewitt took the witness stand
yesterday morning to refute state
ments he allegcdly made in a con
fession" which was admitted as evil
dence.
The state and defense counsel
presented closing arguments yester-
day afternoon. States Attorney S.
r. Pagenhardt and Walter w. Daw-
son, who presented the states case,
had asked for a verdict of murder
i'll the first degree
DeWitt's counsel, appointed by
the court, asked for acquittal, say
ing the state had absolutely no
case except the testimony of three
criminals"
Reviews Testimony
Yesterday afternoon Sheriff Paul
Fisher reviewed his testimony, de-
MED making any promise of lcni-
ency to Dewitt, and also denied
helping him write a confession. Cpl
Sam Conrad, in reviewing his testi-
mony. said that the defendant had
been instructed he was being
served a warrant when authorities
went to Buena Vista, Va, to bring
Dewitt back to Oakland. Pagen-
hardt denied that he told Dewitt
the state had enough evidence for
, murder in the first degree.
Dr Thomas F. Lusby Oakland
physician who was at the scene
when the child's body was dug up,
said the bones were wrapped in
a blanket and the cause of death
could not be determined He said
no bones we're broken and there
was no evidence of foul play He
also indicated that a child of that
age can easily die Of natural
causes during the night.
Yesterday morning the confession
and other damaging testimony we're
lcvelcd by the state against Dewitt.
In addition to the confession there
was testimony from cellmatcs who
said Dewitt had told them the de-
tails OF the death of his child--a
baby he admitted he had never held
in his arms from the time of her
birth.
The grave of little Patricia Ann
Dewitt was pointed out to officers
by Dewitt in February near the
family's former home at Sang Run,
after he had returned to the county
voluntarily from Virginia. She was
buried in a shallow grave, wrapped
in a blanket Death was set on Oc-
tober by Dewitt
Confession Admitted as Evidence
The confession was admitted by
Judge Fraley after defense at
torueys. Stuart f. Hamill, Jr, and
w Dwight Slower appointed by
the court, had argued at length
Tuesday afternoon on its use.
Sheriff Fisher said he had given
Dewitt paper and pen while the
latter was lodged in jail awaiting
trial after his indictment by the
March grand jury The letter in
part read Il came home on the
night Of the murder between 9 p.
m. and midnight, drunk and sick
from drinking. l went into my
house and into my bedroom. Some
time later l heard the baby crying
in another room and in a fit of
temper stuck a bottle into its mouth
and covered her head with a blan-
kct"
Denies Confession
Dewitt took the stand to deny
Continued On Page EighD