Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-06-18
MIKE GOES TO Pen
For Five Years for Running
Bernice BecheI.
NASTY TRIALS SPEEDY END
Lucifer Badly Scared - Father Beohel
Loses His Flowing Locks-An Ex-
citing Scene At the Trials Close.

Ann ARBoa, June 1.-THE heat in
the court room was sitting today, but
tho vast mob of curious spectators
was greater than yesterday and every
person IN the sweating, inodorous crowd
held MS seat until Judge kinne
pronoueed the sentence which excludes
Prince Michael from the society or
good men for five years
James McGmre and Joseph Rosser
were examined this morning, but their
testimony was immateriai. At 3 o'clock
both sides announced that the testi-
mony was all IN. Col. John Atkinson 5
defense OF Prince Michael Was master
ful one, aboundlng IN fierce iuvective
and scathing denunciation and made a
strong impression on the audience. hut
the jury were stoiidly indifferent to the
colonels brilliant effort and seemed To
look with single eye on the innocent
victim of MichaePs lust. Bern,ce
Bcchel.
Reached . speedy Conclusion.
Colonel Atkinson concluded his
speech at 6 O'clock and the jury filed
out at O'Clock. In q few minutes
they sent IN word that they mad agreed
upon verdict, and when polled their
foreman said: ''We find Michael h.
Mills was guilty of carnally knowing
Bernice Becnel. girl between the ages
Of II and IL. on the 18th day of Feb
ruary, 1892"
Loud cheers from the audience
greeted the verdict, but were promptly
suppressed by Judge kinne. Colonel
Atkinson immediately asked pernis-
son to enter an appeal. but the judge
refused and ordered the prince to stand
up and state if he had any reason to
offer why sentence should not he i'm
posed upon him. At tins juncture
Michael lost mis- nerve and ms knees
shook when he rose and said thst
with the aid of the Spirit of God he
impose upon him."
Gave Him five Years
Judge Klnne then sentenced HIM to
five years IN the Jackson penitentlary.
When the sentence MAS announced,
everybody jumped up and made for
where the prince was standing, but
several deputy sheriffs stopped them
and Michael was taken to jail.
There has been a strong feeling
against the Israelites here all during
the trial and threats were made that II
by any hook or crook the prince should
escape punishment, be would be
lyncned or otherwise punished. When,
after the verdict was announced to-
night, Michael was Immediately splr-
tied away, the crowds. q large number
of whom we're students. began to look
for some one else to vent their feelings
on. 1t was Iumored that the long
haired disciples were at the sheriff g
Office and thither the crowd, consisting
of nearly 5000 people, made It's way.
They caught ''Lucifer" Durand, and
under the impre ssion that 1t was
Bechel, the father of the girl whom
Michael ruined, started to do HIM
bodily harm, but when they saw their
mistake they let him go with instrnc-
ticns TO leave town 1t once. which he
Immediately did.
Yelled. Lynch Him."
The crowd then captured BecheI and
the people yelled, Lynch himl" 'Cut
his hairl'
Bechel was almost frightened to death
and SAID, "Cut my hair, but for God e
sake don't kill me-" He was hustled
to ~ barber shop near by and in a mo-
ment his luxuriant hair and whisker:
were on the floor. This satisned the
crowd and they escorted him to the
depot, instructing him never to enter
the town again.
BechePs hair IS selling on the street
at 80 cents lock. 1t Is not likely tha,
any of the mob will be prosecuted.