The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-12-17

least affected of all the prisoners. His
horid face took ON slight pallot as
the verdict was announced, hnt moment
later his Jaws again began the meihodical
of gum as regularly ms M ANY
previous time during the triaL
As the yrrdict was announced and the
large audience contemplated little kuuze's
grief. Beggs turned Ia reporter and said
81 think hc is rs innocent MS | am. It Is q
id shame 30 send him 60 the penlten-
itaIy for three years. He hnd no more idea
OF being found guilty than you had
The comments among the audience were
various. Both Irish factions were well rep
resented, and naturally took opposite views.
Clunin's friends were indignant az the YER
dict 1T is shame said Hon. L. W.
Dunno. "a shame and trlyesty upon JUS
tico.' This sentiment found AN echo from
dozen lrishmcn standing near him. Only n
dozen feet away the members Of the
other faction were congratulatmg
themselves and the prisoners that the
verdict wis no worse; and the friends
Of Beegs were elbowing their way
through 10 grasp the hands of the senior
guardian of camp ~ in ielicitation upon his
cNoueration.
Forrest. IN behalf OF the four convicted
defendants. entered the accustomed motion
for new trial. After considerable discus
sion the Judge fixed Jan. l3 ms the dny on
which tue motion for new trial would be
argued, and the prisoners were taken hnck
to jail. kunEc WIS still crying and went
out of tho door with the tears running down
down his face and stil muttering aud sub
bing 90 himself. Burke followed hunze,
and as be pusscd whispered a. Forrest nnd
smiled lie seemed entirely uncWccfurd.
O'Snllivan followed, looking pale and sal-
low, but not different from his usual ap-
pearuuce. COUglin WIS the last of the
prisoners 30 leave. and as he stalkcd out BE-
half turned and looked back into the court
room as ii expecting To- find some friend,
The door changed behind the hailin. who
brought up tile rear, and the CTOIn trial
WAS over.
II wis not until afternoon to-day that the
Jury came To "a verdict. and then II was that
Juror Culver. who had been y0,ing for the
acquittal of all the defendants since the
inry went ont. consented 20 compromise.
The other jurors were Tor hanging Burke,
Coughhn and O'Sullivan. while he WIS for
letting them all on. Culver finally agreed
20 life sentence for the three. The Jury
WAS practically unanimous on the subject Of
Beggs' ncquiital, and hut little time WAS
needed to fix kuuze's term.
"Whut do you think of the verdict,
judgef' asked an Associated Press repre-
sentative of Judge Mcconnell after the ad-
jonrnment Of court fOr the day. Judicial
ly, of course. ! can pass no opinion upon
the verdict As an individual. however. and
without being cogniNnt of all the proceed.
ings M the jury r00m, ! might say think
the verdict rs the result Of Hn objection of
some of the jurors 10 the death penalty ON
cIrcumstnntinl evidence
''Mr Culver, probably
'No, not Mr.. Culver necessarily. | under
stand he was in favor of acqliii,d from the
start. II wis only after long rnd harassing
dclIberatiou that he Hgrel with the rest
upon this verdict You will probably find
Mr. Culyer wis not the only man upon the
jury who was opposed to tie hanging of the
three principal dcfendmt
"Dut the jurors all swore un being exam
med ns 10 their competence ihat they had
NO conscientious ecfublrs against capital
punishment on circumstnntial evidence
That is all true, but behind all this
each man probably had mental
reservation that the evidence must
be convincing beyond reasonable doubt
Now, If some of these men should think
there WIS even the faintest shadow AS 10 the
guilt of these three men. do you not see
how natural il would be for them 10 men,
tally couprOnisc th, matter with their CON
science, no mnttcr how conclusive their
Judgment might be, lay favoring life im-
pris0nment in lieu of the death penalty, NIL
because the case was one of circumstantial
eyidence.l'
IL believe you feel relieved there has not
been Disagreement
II do. most nssuredly. although II the
jury had disagreed, aud II became II, ce-sary
10 try the case again. should not have
ilmchcd from presiding over the same case
again"
About O'Clock nn Associated Press re1-
resentative went tu the iail and found the
four convicted defendants out in the cor
! ridpr with the other inmates. taking the
usual exercise before supper. kunze seemed
/ 10 hold himscf apart from the other prs-
/ OnerS and remained IN his cell, refusing to
| he coulforicd in his misfortune, toulhlin
and OSulivnn We're at the entrance Of
the cage discussing the case with
! a couple of members uf camp
~. who had called 10 ole
their sympathy-Or c0ugratulation-lw who
knows whichgi, Az the approach Of the
press representatives they quickly lupsod
into silence and the visitors departed. A
note was subsequently sent t0 COughlin
and his companions requesting an interview,
and they finally approached the cage. 81 am
sorry to disapp0int YOU sUd Coughlin,
very courteousiy, but do not desire TO be
interviewed"
But what is your opinion Of the yerdictf'
II am afraid | shall have 10 refer you to
Mr. Forrest, my attorney for hn answer to
that question:
'Are You disappointed NJ the yefdctfN
well, suppose no man regards yCr-
diet of life Imprisonment with any particu-
lar enthu-lHsm. suid the eX-d,iectye
pfmly, nut really gentlemen, must de-
cline a. be interviewed" With tins. Cough
lin retired, pleasantly buwina good evening
as lac went II WAS evident ~ all that the
prisoner WAS in n mood very nearly clnti0n.
and 10 Dan Coughin. at least. the verdict
WAS asource or self REORGANIZATION. His hab.
ltunl mood during his confinement the past
months been one pl taciturnity but this
evening bright smile illumiued his face
and his step WIS light and buoyant.
In the boys department Martin Burke
WAS found walking up and down
smoking a cigar. He seemed entirely COM
posed and good natured ~ he greeted the
Associated Press representative. "Well,
Burke, what do you think Of itT'
"Oh. | am not saving n word" anid the
Young lrishmau THE Chicago papers have
had enough 90 sly about me already, and
don't want to give them any excuse for nuy
more"
But don't include us in your gcneml
dnmnntion."
II nm not damning the papers," snid
Burke. I've nothing against them hut
guess they cnn get along without me-
All efforts 90 extract any comments from
Burke were vain. He expressed HIM
sell ~ being delighted 10 converse on whnt
be termed social topics. but on this other
business" Rs hc called IL, with jerk Of his
head towards the court room, he was as
dumb ns an oyster.
When the verdict WIS read this afternoon
Dan Coughlin's wife and little girl were ait
ting out IN the main corridor Of the crini-
innl court building. Some one rushed into
tba rorritlor and called ont the regult Mrs