The Rock Island Argus., 1883-11-12
HELD TO ANSWER.
prrin A. Carpenter Set Free Under
$4,000 Bail
Blinn's Argument and the Judges
DeeisioR---Great Excitement at
Lincoln. and OId Man Burns
Getting Troublesome.

LINCOLN, Ill, Nov. l2-As soon as court
met E. D. Blinn, of the prosecution, arose to
make the closing argument. He started out
by saying the court was not asked to find the
defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
but simply to determine whether there
was reasonable cause to believe him guilty
of the crime. Referring to the relations be-
tween Zura Burns and Carpenter, Blinn said
criminal intercourse had been proved to ex-
ist between them all the way from May to
August, for it had been shown by un
contradicted proof that he was escort
ing her home at late hours at night
No man could say OrTin Carpenter was
riding and walking with that girl from more
motives of Kindness This, Blinn believed,
showed their criminal relations long before
their visit to Peoria in August Blinn
alluded to the letters Zura wrote to Carpenter
and thosereceived by rpostmarked Lincoln,
and. while he believed the court had rightfullY
refused to allow the prosecution to prove
their contents, he declared tn 1t all the cir
culnstances showed that her Vi ut here.was th9
result OF that correspondence. 1t las been
shown that Orrih A Carpenter was the
only person to whom Zura wrote in
Lincoln, and lie was the only one
whom she visited in this city after
her arrival Referring to the possible
object of zura's visit, Blinn said no other
conclusion could be reached than that she
was here to have an operation performed.
Her letter to Dukes and her brother showed
that she was coming here to have an opera
tion performed, and that she was coming on
the invitation of some friend. Who was that
friend? Orrin A. Carpenter was the only
man in Lincoln to whom she ever wrote, and
he was the only Daan whom she went to sea
on the day Of her visit.
Blhn continued at some length to present
the points against Carpenter, and was listened
to with marked interest, and when he closed
there were further evidences of applause.
Forrest then attempted 10 present the
affi1ayits Of the three men made,
that Esten, Carpenters partner, had
paid the expenses of the three men
who swore chat they saw a. light in Carpen-
ter's office on the Sunday night of the muir
der. Judge Lacy refused to reopen the case,
and Immediately began reading his opinion.
That document commenced by briefly giving
a history of the case aaa the efforts of the
people, the attorneys and detectives to hunt
down the guilty man He discussed at some
length the doctrine of reasonable doubt, and
said the proof necessary to convict defend
ant before jury must be taken into con
sideration. The evidence in this case did not
appear to him to be at all conclusive to show
defendants guilt The people must prove
the guilt; ii cannot be presumed. After a
careful consideration of all the evidence
in the case, the court was of the
opinien that the guilt of the defend
ant is not so evident that bail should be
refused, and yet he ielt that there was
| ''probable cause" according to the law He
purpoSely refrahed from discussing the
weight of the testimony, for the obvious rea-
son that the case will be submitted to the
| grand jsry and it may be tried by petit
! jury, and it wsuld not be proper for him, who
might preside at the trial, to at this time en-
ter into more extended examination of the
| evidence The court therefore decided that
| tine defendant be held to bail in the sum of
! 10000 to answer at the next term of the Cir
| cult court.
This decision was greeted with applause by
beach and the other attorneys and friends of
the prisoner, who warmly shook his hand.
The bond was signed by o. A. Carpenter, A.
Esten, G. w. Edgar, Jr., c. W. Koehnle, B.
F. MeCord, S. A. Foley, ]. A. Hudson, t. T.
| Beach, Paul Smith and Thomas W. Kenyon,
who represent $7O0, 900 or SS00,0O0 The cor
respondent approached Carpenter aud asked
him how he felt ooh, Lam iirst-rate. 1 am
well satisfied with the decision. (" was Caapen-
| ter's reply.
As soon as the bond had been approved
| Carpenter came down the stairs with the
sheriff and deputies and his counsel. A large
crowd was in the hallway, but no demonStra-
ton was made. Carpenter got into buggy
with Beach and Immediately drove home.
Carpenter leaves with his family on the
noon train for some point east. His friends
will be at the depot and protect him in case
of riot.
| BURNS NOT SATISFIED.
Just at the time Carpenter signed his bond
| old man Burns, father of Zura, was standing
In the rear end of the courtroom. Some one
cried out: Hang himi" and Burns began
walking toward the prisoner He was
taken from the room, and after Carpenter
| had gone home walked down the street fol
lowed by large throng. He walked past
the elevator of Carpenter & Esten and glared
ferociously at them. He was fnaMy taken
to the Park house and his son endeavored to
quiet him A minister of one of the churches
also called to soothe him The only demon
stration made by the crowd was when the
report was circulated that Burns had been
arrested, This caused q spirit of diSSatisfac-
ton to be manifested, but it quieted down as
soon as it became known that the report was
untrue Everything is quiet now, and there
is no indication of an outbreak.
|
Spain's Growing Importance.