The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-11
Jury, After Four Hours Deliberation. Returns
Verdict Of Guilty in the First Degree.
Afixing the Penalty at Death.
Newly Discovered Evidence Shows
They We're Guilty Beyond Doubt
Verdict Generally Approved by the Public
Judge COx's Charge-Bitterly Contested
Story of the Crime.



Parker and McAfee. the murderers OF
Charles Eyster. will hang. Such Is the
verdict given by the jury.
Prosecution Hoffman concluded the argu-
ment for the State at exactly 11:15 o'clock
yesterday morning. and. after few mo-
ments for resting the court instructed the
jury. and they retired to their room for de-
liberation at 1880 O'clock. Immediately
upon entering the room, before anything
had been said by either OF the Jurors upon
the evidence introduced, it was decided to
take q vote and see how the jury stood az
to the guilt or innocence Of the defendants,
the question of the punishment not being
considered in this ballot. When the bal.
lots were counted out 1t was found that tho
Jury was unanimous upon the question Of
guilt.
Then came the consideration of the pun
Ishment for the offense. The atrocity of
the murder called loudly for the death
penalty, and the jury was almost q unit
upon this on the first ballot. The evil
dence was talked over for several minutes
and ballot taken upon the question Of
punishment Ten jurors on this ballot
voted for the death penalty, while two
favored imprisonment for life. The jury
then began to consider more in detail tho
evidence against the defendants. 1t was
not long till the two Jurors who had voted
for life imprisonment became convinced
that the death penalty was but fitting
punishmens for the crime of which they
had said there was no doubt of the de-
fendants' guilt
At $40 o'clock yesterday afternoon they
raped upon the door. and when bailiff
Sheehan went TO the room in answer to the
summons. he was told that they mad agreed
upon verdict. The bailitf was at once
sent to the sheriff's Office to notify him to
bring the prisoners into court. and deputies
Nieland and Bowers were sent to the jail
to bring them over to the court room. The
defendants counsel were notified that the
jury was ready to return their verdict.
EXCITEMENT IN THE COURTHOUSE.
There was considerable excitement mani
tested in the courthouse when it was
learned that the jury was ready to bring in
their verdict. Five minutes had hardly
elasped from the time the jury ffrst an
nounced that they were ready to come in
until every person in the building knew of
it and there was q rush for the Criminal
Court room. The fact that the verdict was
SO quickly returned was taken as con-
elusive evidence that il had found the de-
PENDANTS guilty and there was q general
desire to see the effect the verdict would
have on the defendants who had hereto.
fore evinced no apparent feeling. Ten
minutes after the jury had announced that
they had reached verdict Joseph Healing,
who has labored increasingly In defense
of the prisoners walked into the court room
and took the seat which be has occupied
during the two weeks of the trial. Mr..
Kealing's experience in criminal cases had
taught him that the quickness with which
the verdict was reached boded no good to
his clients, and il was apparent as he en-
tered the court room and took his seat that
he feared that his efforts had been In vain.
At exactly 1854 the prisoners, in charge of
the two deputy sheriffs. entered o room,
and oil ey es were Immediately tn ned upon
them in q searching gaze. looking for traces
of fear in the stony countenances of the
two men. There was mono manifested
until they had taken lheir seats be.
hind Mr. Healing and were awaiting the
entrance of the jury which had had their
lives In the balance and were now to tell
them whether they were to be permitted to
still live or whether they should die for the
foul murder of Eyster. Three minutes
after ward the first juror CROSSED the thresh-
hold and entered the room from the door to
the right of the judges bench The eyes of
the defendants were rivited ppon this door
and as each juror appeared he was scrutin-
lied closely by both defendants. McAfee
was very nervous and rolled his thumbs
one over the other ana his eyes started out
from his face and were directed in q kind
of stony glare at the jurors as they filed in.
Parker, who all along has shown less feel.
ing in the case than his codefendant. made
no show of feeling other than that he
seemed TO seek some expression from the
eyes CT the jurors as they filed past him.
Prosecuting Attorney Hoffman and his
deputy, Mr.. Cox. sat in their usual seats.
and behind them sat Mrs. Eyster. with her
uncle and oonsln. Mrs. Eyster also atched
the jury closely as they entered the room.
When the jurors had all been seated Judge
Cox, addressing them. said: Gentlemen,
have you agreed upon verdIctp
I'VE have" answered the foreman.
You may hand it up."
MA Alom4teoh. "hO 1o0 oOcn ccicCtcu bb
foreman. stepped forward and handed ND
the verdict. There was q solemn hush per-
vadlng the room q. this moment. All was
expectancy, and il was very evident
that the people composing the large
audience were endeavoring to suppress
deep-seated ana strong emotion. Their
passions had been aroused by the long
trial and heated arguments of counsel on
both Sides aud were almost beyond tho
point where they could be subdued. Judge
Cox noticed this. and knowing full well
the strong feeling against the prisoners &c
feared there might be some unseemly
demonstration when the verdict was re-
turned, whatever ID might be. Addressing
the crowd. he said: II wish to
say to the audience that / do not
want there TO be any confusion or
unseemly conduct OF any character what
ever when the verdict of the jury Is read.
This is not the time or place for any such
demonstrations. put every person in the
room npon MS honor TO conduct himself in
proper and respectful manner" The
Judge then turned TO Deputy Clerk Austin