The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-11-06
Will PLEAD INSANITY.
Carter Harrison's Murderer
Arraigaed in Court
Today.
COURT ROOM CROWDED
The Trial Postponed Till Noyem-
Der 81 to Enable Counsel to
Prepare the Defense.

CHICAGO, Nov. 6. ~1S93.-Long before the
hour set for the opening of Judge Edward
f. DUNES court in the old criminal
court this morning. an idle crowd gath
cred OH the sidewalks opposite aud tried
to run the gaumiles Of detectives. bailiff s
and deputy sherifs stationed at every
door. In the dingy court room nearly all
the persons were officers OF the law,
citizens summoned for jury service, at
torneys and newsp tDer representatives.
All those who conld not show some
authority or reason for being In the court
room we're excluded without ceremon y.
After some minor cases had been dis
posed OF the execrated ma ne OF Patrick
Eugene Prendergast was called.
The assassin of Mavor Harrison
was brought in surrounded by
. chair close to the jury box. His en-
trance was the signal for a general rising
of the seated spectators and a low MUIR
muir. Officers faced the people an
sternly ordered all to sit down or be
elected from the room. The an xiety TO
hear what pissed between the Court
and attorneys and to obtain "A view of the
understood, insignificant and repulsive
murderer was 80 great. however, that
during the brief proc sedings the prisoner
was surrounded by Jurors, witnesses and
attorneys.
PR~ENDEEGAST INDIFFERENT
Prendergast presented a stoltd indifer-
ence to what was going on. and except
for his shifting eyes neith-
er moved nor betrayed any
smotion. R. A. Wade. who is
attorney for the Washington Park Club,
and Robert Essex appeared IS counsel for
the murderer. They were retained by
Prendergast's brother at the solicitation
of personal friends of the lawyers. When
II1dna IlT1nn0 naHnd thu pPtznnnF IT ha
represented by n lawyer, Nh. Wade arose
and addressed the court In the assassin's
behalf. He spoke as lawyers for the de-
tense are expected 10 about believing
Prendergast had a good defense but it
would take some time TO prepare 1t. He
did not want to delay the trial. but his
client was entitled to a fair one. Not
even the friends of the Harrison family
wanted the State to hurry the trial aud
hang tee man without a thorough exam
inatioh into his mental condition. He
thought thirty days was not too much
time In which to prepare the defense.
When the court asked IL the de-
less time the lawyer replied
that 1t was necessary to bring
witnesses from outside Chicago who
could testify 10 the life and history OF
the prisoner. The statement aroused
State Attorney Kern to say that Prend er.
RASI Udu llVSu III CHICaQO ulD6 years
and the proposition that the State
should wait n month for witnesses TO
be brought from other cities was not
reasonable. II PrenderRast had lived here
uine years, then there should be plsnty of
witnesses here who would testify as to
his responsibility. hat was the test.
INSANITY WILL BE THE DEFENSE.
at is one thug or nothing, Insanity or
nothing" declared the States Attorney.
speaking TO The counsel for the prisoner.
He added, Il am guessing at that from
what you say"
Lawyer Wade answered.-"Your guess
is right; insanity is ou- plea"
TIhe States Attorney said the burden of
proof would he on the State to prove the
accused sane, and wanted the trial set
for two weeks from today. After more
argument, and a jary speech from Law
yer Wade, the court compromised on
three weeks time, setting ths trial for
Monday, November 81. Prendergast was
removed over tie Bridge Of Signs"
without any demonstration.