The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-28
GUILTYANDSEVEN YEARS
PEARL PRENDERGAsr CONVICTED
AND SENTENCED.

The Abductor of Ella Holmes Given the
FUN Penalty for Her Crime-Seven
Years In the Penitentisry-She Re-
ceives Her Sentence Without Word.
Judge Falligant's Severe Charge.
Pearl Prendergast, the arch conspirator
In the abduction of Ella Holmes for i'm
moral purposes, was convicted In the SUI
perior court last night after q elaboration Of
only ten minutes ny the jury. Judge Fall
l1gant passed sentence at once, consigning
the prisoner to the penitentiary for seven
years-the full limit.
The trial consumed the entire day and at
trscted many spectators, but Pearl didn't
make any sensational disclosures, as IL was
said she had threatened to do. In fact she
made no disclosures at all, not even
making a statement in her own defense.
Her tough, wrlnkled face looked out from
under an immense white straw hat gayly
decorated with white feather, but instead
of making her attractive the effect was just
opposite, showing her countenance up in all
It's unpleasantness.
RACY EVIDENCE LOOKED FOR.
She was nervous during the trial, and
Solicitor General Fraser expected her to do
a little piece Of acting In the way Of faint
ing, which has been one Of her great schemes
to arouse sympathy when In trouble hereto
fore, but he was disappointed. She evil
IDENTIFY decided that the jury trying the
issues between her and the state wasn't
made up Of very sympathetic natures.
The state introduced the same witnesses
as in the trial Of Alice White last Friday ard
the defense presented the same crowd for
Pearl that tried to make the other jury be-
A fta inn IOWA Frtra
The testimony was Identical with that
already published in the MORNING News.
Judge D. A. O'Byrne and f. P. Salas,
Esq, defended Pearl. They handled their
side we'll, bus the evidence was too strong
against their client.
JUDGE o'BYRNE's SPEECH.
A crowd was in the court room TO
hear Judge O'Byrne's speech, expecting a
display of hypnotism. but the venerable
lawyer knew il would be bordering too
much on the ridiculous to try to
make any body believe a hard
could be hypnotized into doing anything.
He relied on the defense that Ella Holmes
wasn't held under duress, and could have
left Pearls house when she liked, but the
fact of the prisoner making no statement
initiated strongly against her. and was to
most people a tacit acknowledgement OF
guilt.
Solicitor General Fraser scored Pearl In
cutting language as a demon Of harlots AL
most calculated to disgrace hell itself. His
speech annoyed the prisoner considerably,
judging from her uneasy demeanor while
she was being denounced.
THE JUDGES CHARGE.
Judge Falhgant charged the jury elo-
quently on the necessity of throwing safe
guards around the young by melting out
justice sure and swift TO despoilers Of home
and virtue.
When the verdict was rendered Pearl
didn't seem at all surprised. She locked as
If she had been expecting 1t, aud while not
at all pleased, wasn't disappointed. In
sentencing her Judge Falligant lectured the
procuress in scorching terms, intimating
that he was sorry the punishment for her
crime was limited to 80 few years
The putting Of Pearl Prendergast In the
penitentiary rids Savannah for a while, at
least, of one Of the worst women in
the city. Her establishments have long
been known as the lowest dives, and the
woman is probably responsible for the ruin
of more young girls here than any woman
OF her class She has followed the trade of
procuress for many years and the punish
ment. though long time coming. Is Just,
but hardly sufficient TO fit the many crimes
Of which she has been guilty.