Murder in First Degree

Winfield Daily Courier - December 22, 1893

A death like silence pervaded the courtroom as the jury filed slowly in after being out twenty-five minutes and the verdict was handed to Clerk Fuller, who read: "We the jury find Morgan Wright guilty of murder in the first degree."

The trial commenced yesterday morning and all day yesterday was consumed in examining witnesses for the state. This forenoon the witnesses were examined for the defense and at 10:30, the witnesses for the defense being all examined, W. T. Madden began his plea for the prosecution.

He made an able address and was followed by W. D. Halfhill for the defense. W. P. Hackney closed the case for the state, speaking for an hour or more and making a good plea. In referring to his friend H. H. Siverd, he completely broke down and for some moments his feelings gve way to indescribable grief.

The jury was given instructions by Judge Jackson and at 2:30 were sent to the jury room. After being out twenty-five minutes, they returned with the verdict above given.

Immediately after the closing of the Wright case, the case of the State vs. Norton was called and a jury empaneled, and the State was just preparing to call its witnesses when they were interrupted by the jury returning in the Morgan case.

The Winfield Daily Courier, Friday, December 22, 1893.

The following are the names of the jury in the Wright murder trial: Chas. W. Grimes, Ira Burnett, C. C. Daugherty, R. W. Hess, S. W. Berger, S. G. Ford, all of Arkansas City; William M. Stout, Udall; John Daris, Red Bud; Jack Anglemyer, Winfield; Frank Hadley, W. A. Staten, and James Fair all of Bolton Township. George Lockwood is bailiff.