The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-12-26
The Trial of Ed. Kennedy for the Muir
der Of Sheriff Albert McCOrkle
Of Shelby County, Indiana,
Oct 9th, 1850.
Review of the Case, and Methods
adopted by the Defense-Judge
Hord Presidi ng-Public Sem
timent Aroused.
Republican OfieiaIs in sympathy with the
Alleged Murderer-MOney raised 10
Defend Him-The Theory on
which He Is Hoped to
lie set Free.
ESPECIAL sentinel Letter. |


IN which the rot / murde er, L iward Ken
nccy, who killed Shsr Able, McCorkle in
this city on the 9th of OosobeT, 1870 is dc
ferdant WI take foremost rank in the rec
OICs ofnOtC Crim nal trials O., Indiana.
Ilo.teSe ybcdy IS acquainted with the de-
IA O this case, and il would be taking too
much space IN the Sentinel at this time to
30 jn.o them bUt an outline Is probably
cent . remarks on a case in which such
N interest IS a tacbcd. Upon the 9th day of
& JlaI 1850 Senator HarrisO OF your city,
Tweed 4 speech to the Republicans of
tbs County. A large number OF people VS.
tied Shelbyville upon this occasion, Republi-
cans } ate end the speaking and many Demo-
Gratis came to attend the meeting OF the
Den Iatic County Central Committee and
Othc q ate to their usual business that
brings them % this city usually on Saturday.
HARRIsoN's BIrrER HAEAyGUE.
The Addressed Harrison was delivered at
Com House yard. aud was enc of the most
bite ha~an~ 1es ever delivered in tie city.
About The time tie meeting adjourned. and
as the crowd were coming towards the heart,
or business p0ItiOn 81 the city, a fight began
at the corner OF HaT & IN and Broadway
s~cets wDicl was continued until 1T caught
{ oUd that he'd gathered IN So loon owned
tyTl1ley Ha1je5eck. Here general fight
tee. p'gce s'ung-ShOts, revolvers knives and
elui were used in the ARRAY. when the pro-
PIE or appeared at the edge of the sidewalk
in fIOnt OF his saloon, and seeing
SHERIFF NJ coRKLE
sten5frg talking with a gentleman and
vcur t.. lldent called to McCorkle to
come in.o ira saloon and try and quiet the
s.utLc lmmoning several gentlemen
IL b r "a Sheriff McCorkle entered the
So con intle discharge OF his official duty
10 q C.c tIe crowd and restore order, He
a1rIo Edward Kennedy who was
.e1e.r5 IN a fight. and told him to come
vitl - and gu fghtin7 McCorkle took
lc'd c kennedy aud alter receiviry several
Ecks o. bis head Jm
s-UNe hons, cLUcs. ROCI1 AND REvoLvERs.
He got Kennedy out of the saloon and
stal.Cd acrO-s the sGeet with him, telling
him that be did not wish to arrest him, but
wanted to keep him out of trouble. and for
him 70 90 away and behave himself. The
crowd by this time were out of the saloon,
and were following McCorkle and Kennedy.
Finally the Sheriff called to the crowd not to
follow them, as there was no trouble. Ken
nedy was then turned over to his brothers,
Otto and Glib, aud told to go away with his
brothers and friends At this juncture he
drew a revolver, and, pointing 1t at Sheriff
McCorkle, said, You s-n of b-h take
that" IN an instant he fired second shot.
McCoTkle grabbed bis right breast and said.
'BoYs. AM SHOT,"
He was taken to house near by, and Ken
nc0y escaped in the midst OF the excite
mont.
Dcs.h ended McCorkle's suferings the
Do4s morning and his friends began to look
ale his murderer, but 1t was too late, he
lel made good BIS escape
TIL &c years pass away to day. when,
about O clock in the morning the 9th
da7 O. Ocober 1888 Edward Kennedy re-
turn a % me scene o. mis- painting. He
with murder committed on the
9th day OF October, 1880. His presence as.
toni-b O. everybody except few friends,
who, 10 doubt, mad been in constant COM
municlion with him during his entire ab.
sence and We well posted as to his return.
MCOt e D. enos were co n 1 moved Sr
when IL became generally known that Ken
needy Lad returned but time had soothed
their feelings somewhat and their
BETIFR JUDGMENT PREVAILED.
A fair trial was asked by all parties. But
the seene had changed about the Temple of
justice rom Democratic to Republican Off
cis's, end, IS politics is the god OF Shelby
County Republicans, the whole gang
Is I'D sympathy with the muir
derer Of the Democratic Sheriff
Notw thstanding all this the State. although
taken by the utmost surpr sc, began 70 pre-
rare To- the prosecution Of the case, while
tne defense uad been making their prepara-
tons for three years. They had engaged al
most every lawyer in the city long IN ad-
vance Of kennedy's return. and the case was
set down for triai on the first day OF the
present term OF Court.
On Monday December IL, the defendant
was brought into Court aud the WORK OF get
ting Jury was begun. One hundred and
fifty men were placed in the Jurors box and
four days were spent before a Jury was OBJ
tai Cd. Demo rats honestly confessed when
- Il l.. a.
n nds and no evidence could change their
op.n IA as to the guilt OF Kennedy. Repub-
licans said they had not found any opinion
on the case, and the few who said they had
acknowledged that evidence would readily
change their views Consequently when the
Jury was obtained, there were ten Republic
ans and two Democrats in the Jury box. The
State, Notwithstanding the circumstance at
ter ding the preliminary preparations, has
made good h-AdTay, and fifteen honest wit
|. resscs have S&&Fn they saw Kennedy point
his revolver ssctre at McCorlSle and say,
TAKE THAT, YOU s-N OF A B-H,"
a fire.
The case is attracting a large crowd OF spec
tatCrs daily, ana dozens are turned away I'M
able 10 obtain seats. There are over two hun
drc1 witnesses in the case, and the trial will
, occupy this week and next of the Court.
Quite a stir was created among the attor-
neys wien II was discovered the other day
that Mr.. l.. J. Hackney, one Of the defend
ants attorneys and Prosecuting Attorney at
the time the defendant was indicted, was in
possession OF the evidence taken before the
Grand Jury three years ago and was using it
AGAIN. the witnesses OF the State. Prose
cutOr Fred II. aft appealed to the Court
for the papers Hackney had claiming that
honor put them in The hands of the State
and they ought not to be used by the de-
feDse
Alr Hackney promised the Judge that
the esiJelc IN bis possession would not be
ukeo CD and he was allowed to retain
pDssess on OF IT, Surely this case affords
u ucb food for reflection, as its inside his
tory is
EoTTES TO THE CORE,
aid is bat mockery and disgrace to our
couuIv. There is dead dog IN the WELL"
"a l-al1 on all Sides
I Honey bas been raised in large quantities
TO de.cud Kennedy. Eight lawyers have
20 be paid as follows: Adams q Michner,
SEQ; love, Major q Morrison, $500; Adams
T. K .ncy, 500; j. Ii. McFadden, $500.
kcfs S. 800 for attorneys. His patents
a5b very poor, and this money did not come
from tnem. But
RUMoR HAS 1T
fb8t Ter 1blcans all over the County con.
t4iDdci largely when presented with a sub