The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-06-20

and three on the porch outside, John
Barnett, John Gibbs, and John Becraft
who stood with their pistols drawn,
ready to assist In the bloody tragedy.
The defense was not able 20 attack
any Of the testimony given by either OF
these witnesses, and the questions serv-
ed only to bring the facts out little
fuller, Con HeltOn, the ten year old
son OF Mrs. HeltOn, next took the stand
and stated that he had recognized I'm
Gle John Barnet, John Gibbs, and John
Becraft outside with pistols In their
hands.
Here the prosecution rested. Judge
Riddle instructed the jury that as the
the defendant had entered the plea Of
guilty to the charge Of murder, the jury
will return verdict Of guilty and fix
his punishment at imprisonment for
life or at death by hanging.
Judge B. +. Day made q short speech
asking mercy for the prisoners on the
ground of the feud existing. Col. HI. l..
Stone made an eloquent and earnest
speech, asking the jury 10 consider the
case on It's merits, and remembering
their oaths to do justice. This made
such an impression that w. II. Holt for
the defense. felt 1t necessary to call for
mercy again, which he did In an appeal
that brought tears to the eyes of several
OF the jury and many Of the audience.
Then G. r. Brooks made q short, telling
speech for the prosecution, and the jHry
retired thirty minutes to bring a verdict
for life In the penitentiary. The pris-
Oner looked up for the first time since
Mark Miller turned states evidence, and
seemed satisfied with the verdict.
Then the cases of the cOnfederates, Sol
Becraft, John Beeraft, Elliott watkins
John GLIB and Newton Yarber, were
called and disposed of by the same jury
without further evidence or elOq1ence
| The Jury was out ten minutes to SEN
tence these men to the penitentiary for
/ life. Thus six men were sentenced tC
| the penitentiary by the same jury, with
| in an hours time. Such a trial as this
is unprecedented. In almost every re-
spect 1t is entirely unlike anything thai
eyer occurred In Kentucky before. The
HeltOn faction seems satisfied, and 1t Ia
likely there will not be any more trOu
| BILE. There are five Others In the jail
two of whom demand separate trials
and three who have been indicted. Theil
cases will be attended TO tomorrow, anC
the grand jury will consider the casel
of RingO and Clark for completely will
| the mob here.
After the Verdicts were announced
asked Mark Miller IL he would be afrai(
to live in Menifee. He said there werI
only two or three Of the Barnett ganl
left in the county, and he had been for
ced to go with this gang against his will
because he had lived right In their midst
First John Barnett came to him ant
told him what they intended to do; theI
Newton Yarber told him he would haVC
to 90 or take the consequences. He ha
only lately moved TO the county and ha
not been identified with the banditti.
Immediately after Col: Stone Finished
his speech for the prosecution the fir
alarm was given, and q panic iOccurreI
In the courtroom, when 10 was annOun
ced his stable was on fire, for many sup
posed that Barnett's friends were Ia
king vengeance, but the FIRE was sligh
and soon exttAguished.