The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-28
END OF THE ARCHER TRIAL.
The Prisoner Found Guilty Murderand
the Punishment Of Death Ordered.
A Motion for New Trial Of the Case Promptly
Overruled. and the Murderer Sentenced
To Be Hanged on the 9th of July.

ing the courthouse was again crowded to hear
the remarks of the judge to the jury. The
main question agitating the minds of the jurors
was as to the jurisdiction Of the court, and the
spectators were eager to hear. The judge said:
Gentlemen of the Jury--If you find from the
evidence that the deceased, Samuel A Bunch,
was resident Of Martin county. Indiana, and
that tho defendant and others forcibly seized
him, against his will, for the purpose Of taking
his life, and conveyed him into Orange county,
and there. In pursuance Of said purpose and de.
sign killed him, then and In this case, this court
would have jurisdiction Of this offense. If you
find from the evidence that the defendant entered
into conspiracy and combination with Martin,
John and Thomas Archer and John Lynch. for
the purpose of seizing the deceased, Samuel A.
Bunch IN Martin county and forcibly and against
his will taking and carrying him into Orange
county for the purpose of killing him. ami that
in pursuance of such conspiracy and combina-
ton, the defendant and other conspirators named
did. in Martin county, take him into Orange
county and did there kill him, the jurisdiction in
this case is in either county"
He continued his elaborate remarks before the
jury and court until o'clock. when, after giving
the jury the usual synopsis of the law in murder
cases, they were locked In the jury.roon, and the
anxious spectators put in the time discussing the
question as to what the verdict would be. At
agreed and thesyerdict was ready, when the pa
per was taken by the clerk and read, as follows:
eve the jury, find the defendant, Samuel
Archer, not guiltysas charged in the second
count Of the Indictment, and we do find the de-
PENDANT, Samuel Archer, guilty of murder in the
first degree as charged In the first count of the
indictment. and assess his punishment at
DEATH"
The prisoner, who sat facing the Jury, pre-
sented striking appearance, considering the
position he was in. He moved not muscle,
but sat motionless, as he had during the whole
of his treal; yet his face showed that he was in
deep thought The attorneys asked for new
trial. which the Judge considered out of the
question, and the motion was overruled. Another
motion was made, asking an arrestof judgment,
which was also overruled. The judge then re-
quested the prisoner to stand up. and addressed
him as follows
''Mr. Archer, in your trial, which has just
ended, you have been fairly and impartiallytried
by jury of your countrymen, who found you
guilty of taking the life Of your fellow-man. for
which you shall forfeit your life in return. You
have been zealously defended by your attorneys,
and II has been proven beyond
maiciously took the life of Samuel a a.
Bunch, making you guilty of the charge pre-
ferred against you, Of murder in the first de-
gree, for which crime you shall suffer death.
You shall hang by your neck in the jai-yard in
West Shoals until you are dead, on the 9th day
of July, 1885,"
Had the Judge fixed the date three days later,
it would have been the fourth anniversary of the
murder for which he forfeits his life, giving him
the full benefit of his one hundred days of
grace. In the meantime the Judge ordered that
the prisoner be kept In close confinement in the
Martin county Jail, or such other place Of safety
as the court may from time to time direct.
The prisoner was then removed to his CELL
He was gazed at by hundreds as he passed
through the long lines of people on either side of
the walk through which he was required to pass
The courtroom was then cleared of part of
the spectators, and John d. Lynch the last of
the notorious gang, and through whom the
principal evidence was obtained which fixed the
quit OF his comrade, was called to answer a
charge of perjury, committed at the term of
court when he swore that he saw, and could
prove that he saw, Samuel A. Bunch on the
Wednesday following the murder, it being COM
mitted on Tuesday, July IL, 1882. to which
charge he pleaded guilty, and was immediately
sentenced to three years at hard labor
in the State prison. He was removed to
jail to remain until after noon. when he was
taken to the depot under the escort of Sheriff
Padget and the militia Arriving at the depot
short time before train time, he was again viewed
by the eager spectators. He will be accompanied
5y the militia to Seymour. from which point
Sheriff Padgett will escort the prisoner to Jeffer-
sonvlle, while the militia will return to their
quarters at Indianapolis.
It is to be hoped that Martin and Orange
counties will hereafter be relieved of the pres.
ence and curse of this band of desperadoes little
better, II any, than the James brothers gang of
which Mart Archer, ST.. boasted of having been
q pal and confederate.
Since the conviction and sentence Of Sam
Archer it is currently and automatically reported
that he has exposed the entire gang, and that
some startling revelations will be the result 1t
is thought the Archer gang is not the proper ap
pellation. and that the organization extends over
some half dozen counties at least and that Mart
Archer, the acknowledged leader in this locality,
ranks no higher than second lieutenant, as COM
pared with somo of the other leaders. Be this
as it may, Mart was sufficiently formidable to
terrorize the whole community In which he
and his taking OF. IS much as the
manner OF it may be dsplored, was godsend ~
the ccmnunity.