A Seattle Courtroom Packs for a Murder Arraignment
Henry Craemer, charged with killing Mrs. Philippine Miller and her baby Frieda, faced a crowded courtroom without counsel—and without a flicker.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Judge Humes yesterday morning arraigned a number of persons accused of offenses, chief among whom was Craemer, charged with murdering Mrs. Philippine Miller and her baby Frieda Sunday night. As might be anticipated, the courtroom was fairly crowded with friends of the dead woman, and there was an ominous sound of low murmurings when Craemer was brought in, looking quite cool and collected, yet showing the effects of the strain on his mind by dark circles around his eyes. Aside from this he appeared to have gained flesh and looked the picture of health. No demonstration of any sort was made against the prisoner, though, as a measure of precaution, the sheriff had the halls and courtroom well filled with deputies ready to act in case of emergency. Craemer eyed the crowd, but gave no sign of recognition to any one.
The whole transaction did not occupy over a few minutes. He was not ready to plead. He stated to the court that he was without counsel and without means to employ counsel. Judge Humes appointed H. Rodenberg to defend him and set 9:30 this morning as the hour for him to plead to the charge of murder in the first degree. Mr. Rodenberg not being present, the date of the trial was set by Judge Humes for Thursday, September 3, and the prisoner returned to his quarters in the steel tanks. Though three other men accused of crimes were to be heard, the crowd dispersed when Craemer was removed.
“There was an ominous sound of low murmurings when Craemer was brought in, looking quite cool and collected.”
A century before public-defender systems were formalized, Craemer’s arraignment turned on the same question Seattle still faces: what happens when someone accused of a serious crime has no money for a lawyer. The packed courtroom, the sheriff’s deputies, and the raw grief around a murdered mother and child feel uncomfortably familiar.
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