Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-21
SENTENCED FOR LIFE.

{ Isoy Murderer IN Illinois Goes to Joliet
for the Term of His Natural Life---One
of the Most Brutal Murders on Record.
IElgin (Ill.) Special to Chicago Tribune.
John Stewart, aged 20, a son of Archi-
bald Stewart, ST., Of Algonquin, and brother
Of Archibald Stewart, Jr., of Elgin, was ar
raisned for trial in:the circuit court at Belvi-
dere yesterday, for the murder of Mr.. Frost,
December 5, 1873. He pleaded guilty, and
was sentenced to imprisonment in the peni-
Tertiary for life by Judge G. w. Upton. 1t
seems that young Stewart, who was an
innocent looking farmers boy, had heard
that Frost possessed some money while the
two were working together on John Camp
bells farm, two miles west of Elgin. Dec. 5,
1873, the two young men came to Elgin, and
Frost deposited his money in the First Ma
tional bank, unknown to Stewart. The lat
ter at the same time purchased revolver at
Barclays store, and no doubt then formed
the determination to shoot his companion
for his money, as he induced him to take the
train that evening to algonquin, in search
of work. Stewart stole his ride in the milk
car, having spent all his money for the pis-
tol. Arriving at Algonquin, Stewart led his
companion through the fields until they had
reached lonely spot about a mile from the
residence of the father, when be
pulled his revolver and shot Frost twice in
the head, killing him. The young fend then
placed the body of his victim in a stack of
hay, and, setting it on fire, the corpse was
nearly consumed. The boy coolly robbed
his victim of few dollars and watch, and
proceeded home and united in family pray
ers. The CHASTITY remains were discovered
next morning, but were not recognized by
any person. However, part of the watch
chain and bit of paper from his handbook,
badly charred, furnished Detective Benthysen
of Nunda, q clew, and he arrested John
Stewart on the 18th of December, and he
afterwards confessed the crime and was in
dicted for murder in the first degree by the
EcHeury grand jury. He has since been
confined in Jail at Woodstock. A change of
venue was granted to Boone county, and, as
before stated, the case came up for trial yes
terday. In the afternoon, Judge Murphy,
of Woodstock, of counsel for the people, ar
rived, and testimony was introduced to
show the generalization and malice of
the murder, and a number of wit
nesses were examined. After the argu-
ment of Judge Murphy, who assisted States
Attorney Ira Z. Curtis, of McHenry county,
and States Attorney Wood, of Boone
county, in the prosecution, and after the
Enlargement of the Hon. NJ. L. Joslyn,
Of Woodstock, who assisted Col. Ed. S.
Joslyn, of Elgin, in the defense, Judge
Upton stated that he should give the &C
cused the benefit of the doubt as to the
alleged quarrel over bottle of whisky be-
tween the murderer and his victim, and
then pronounced sentence, which was i'm
prisonment tor life. The young man
sat unmoved in his chair and seemed
very much unconcerned over the affair.
Upon being taken to his cell he laughed and
chatted, and joined in a merry game of cards,
ct the same time breathing curses upon the
Rev. MIR. Melvin, of Woodstock, one of
the witnesses as to his confession. He will
be retained in Jail for twenty days and then
conveyed to Joliet penitentiary. This was
one of the most horrible crimes ever COM
mitted in this vicinity, and the universal
opinion is that the sentence WAS too light,
and that the young man should have danced
OF the gallows tree.