The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-03
The Verdict Received with Strong Disap-
prOval and the Jurymen Savagely
Criticised by the Public.
The Acquitted Men Spend the Night in
the Courthouse for Safety.
Unauthenticated RumOr that Mob Is Or
ganizing in Christian COunty-PrO-
gress Of the Kennedy Trial.
THE BOND CASE.
A Verdict of 9" Not Guilty" Arouses Public
Indignation to High Pitch.

Indignation to a High Pitch.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
HILLsBoRo, ILL.,, Jan. AT 8 o'clock this
evening the jury in the Emma Bond case re
turned verdict of Not guilty" The case was
given into their hands at 10 o'clock this morning
and from that hour until they returned their
verdict the courtroom was filled with anxious
people. While there were some who thought the
jury might disagree, there was not a man to be
found who had the least idea that the defendants
would be acquitted. When Judge Phillips an
'nounced that verdict had been reached 81
lence like that of death took the place of
the suppressed murmur that filed the room.
Before reading the verdict he told the people
that, whether it acquitted or sentenced these
defendants, it would be an outrage upon public
justice for the audience to in any manner show
their approval or disapproval. Then, bidding
the accused to stand up, he read: ''We, the
jury, find the defendants not guilty.
The Judge then thanked the jury for the at
tention they had given, and the patience they
had shown while trying this cause. He then
discharged both the defendants and the jury.
This had no sooner been done than the defend
ants approached the jury and thanked them for
their acquittal.
This was not the verdict the people had been
looking for and their surprise was plainly visi-
BILE, for the disgusted crowd Immediately began
leaving, saying that while juries returned such
verdicts none but criminals were safe. The in
dignation of the people cannot be described, and
they unhesitatngly say that the jurors that tried
this case have made the greatest mistake of their
lives, lost the respect of their fellow citizens
and deserve to be driven from the society of men.
The Journal correspondent approached John
G. Montgomery and asked him what he
thought about the verdict, to which
he replied that he had very little to say at pres
ent; that he vas, as he had claimed all the time
innocent, and was going back to Christian
county to live When asked if he had any
theory concerning this case, he said that he had
but did not care to give it at present. He said
II will tell you the secret of the vigorous prose
cution that has been made against me. 1t is
simply because the next day after the alleged
outrage l said that no such crime had ever been
committed"
Clement says that he has never said any
thing against Miss Bond, and would not. He
has decided not to go back to Christian county
but will settle in Montgomery
Lee Pettus had nothing to say, except that he
was glad,
When the jury retired first this morning,
vote was taken, and it stood five for conviction
and seven for aequittal. One of the jurymen
said they had no trouble in arriving at verdict.
He said the jury believed that Miss Bond had
been outraged, but that they thought her
identification of Montgomery was a mis-
take, and considered the alibi of
the defense a strong one, warranting acquittal.
Word has been received here that mob is
eongregating at Litchfeld for the purpose of
lynching the acquitted defendants. Some fears
are felt and, while it is thought possible that
such thing might occur, yet the more cool
headed say that the bitter cold will prevent any
thing of the kind. AS soon as court adjourned
this evening Montgomery Pettus and Clement
went to their boarding house, but, becoming APP
prehensive, returned to the court house. in which
stronghold they feel more secure.