The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-04-11
the cause Of the Cincinnats Riots.

Last Saturday night, after Judge Matthew
had charged the immortal land now thoroughly
was tried for the murder Of William Kirk, public
sentiment was generally expressed, AT last we'll
hang q murderer in Cincinnati Both those
versed In the law and those who could UNDER
stand plain English were sure the murder could
be nothing else than murder In the first degree;
or that at furthermoSt, two or three OF the Jurors
might cause q disagreement. The court had
given them particularly TO understand That Lneii
only business was to report upon the truth OF
the facts that had been presented, and that they
had nothing TO do with che law except 90 nseii
as a guide TO their findings. At first they seem
to have recognized their duty plainly. and dis.
covered no way to any verdict except one OF
murder In the first degree. since they sent 70
tho court fer Information. and asked IL they could
recommend the boy to mercy, despite their
verdict. The court replied that they GOULD.
MONDAY, when the jury announced readiness to
deliver q verdict. the courtroom was packed
with humanity, and difficulty was experienced In
making q passage way for the entrance OF jurors
and oficerc. When the foreman announced that
Berner was not guilty Of murder In the tirst
possible under the tndictment there arose q cry
OF surprise, mingled with expressions of disgust
and anger, from the whole audience. Before o
minute had passed the boy was taken through
the Judges private room, down the back stairs.
and through the tunnel leading over into the
jail-thus Cheating the noisy crowd ont OF q
sight Of him and probably out %s. % an ep IsgsG -,
po.led to see IT, manslaughtcr was
the verdict OF each and every one
such wish. The same thing was asked Of the
prosecutors. No, sir" exclaimed Messrs. Pugb
and Thomas in disgust we don't want any
polling from that jury 1t was not necessary to
ask the court what he thought OF the verdict
With an indignation that he shared with hun.
dreds OF others around hin, he could not refrain
from expressing himself In en- nndertone. Its
a id outraged" he exclaimed, and without the
customary thanks to the jury for their faithful
ness in DOING their duty, he simply said: THE
iury Ii dismissed The twelve men arose from
their places with an irregular stagger, and got
out OF the court room amid great turnult- The
prisoners counsel also left, and went down the
street. The prosecutors had welded so strong Q
chain OF evidence that Berneris counsel, before
the trial, offered 20 enter a plea OF murder IN the
second degree, ~, which ys would a,nc. entail I'm.
not wholly unprepared Tor che out
burst which has followed Is shown by
published interviews with prominent citizens
last Monday. President w. W. Peabody, OK tne
board OF trade, said. on change; II think It
disgraceful and disgusting beyond expression.
The time has come when the people themselves
will rid she county of the expense OF trying
murderers." A meeting OF builders and con-
tractors was broken up on reception of the news,
and there was but one opinion: The sooner Jalls
are destroyed, police diSbanded and the the old
time 40 California vigilance committee is fpaug
urated. the sooner there will be security Tor life
discussed by the sheriff and his deputies at the
tail, before thehverdict had been known an hour
The urymenr remained in the grand Jury room
homes secretly. Ihey have disappeared from
public ken. it seems, aad would fare Ill at the
hands Of the rioters Their names are Samuel
Edwards, John Wilsey, Francis Buck, Elwood
~ Bohne. Samuel Merrill, Wesley Skidmore,
Charles f.. Doliahan, A. \. shaw and L. A. hhI-
lips,