Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1893-12-30
DEATH Is HIS DOOM
Prendergast Voted Sufficiently
Sane to Stretch Hemp.
GUILTY OF MURDER AS CHARGED,

80 Says the Jury That Tried Mayor Harri.
sons Assassin-He Nearly Collapses
When He Hears His Fatc-what the
Judge Said About the Insanity Plea
The Inevitable Motion for New Trial
Some Comments on the Verdict.
CHICAGO, Dec. 3O-Prendergast. the mur-
derer Of Carter II. Harrison, will be
hanged for his crime. The verdict of the
jury said it, and the people of Chicago ap-
prove it. Ably defended as the assassin
was and strong as the evidence adduced
to save his neck has been the jury found
him sane, responsible for his act and de
manded that he pay the highest penalty.
This. however, is a sorry value compared
TO the life of Carter Harrison. Nothing
since the commission OF his crime so irri-
tatsd Prendergast as the comparison be-
tween himself and Guiteau, but in the
co1rt room he showed one trace that ex-
isted in common between them. He
proved himself an unmanly, miserable
C ward, who would have life at any price:
oa.y let il be life. When Clerk Fitzgerald
arose to raj the finding of the jury the
prisoner stood clutching the back of a
:hair, his face flushed and knees trembling
violently.
Came Very Near Collapsing.
1--WE jury find the defendant, Patrick
Eugene John Prendergast, guilty Of muir
Her in manner and form charged in the
Indictment, and fix the penalty at DEATH"
read Fitzgerald. Then Prendcrgast re-
velled himself al utter coward. His face
turned pale, he opened his mouth TO speak
but only faint murmur came. He moved
slightly and would have fallen but for the
n Ssistance OF the bailiff. When the jury
WAS polled he listened with avidity to each
and every answer to Judge Brentano's
question. and rs each juror in turn reiter
ated the verdict the last vestige of courage
left Prendergast. lie was half led. half
carried back to his cell. where, refusing to
sDeak. he threw himself upon his bunk in
n attempt to hide from his fellow prison
ers, whose expressions of satisfaction over
the verdict We're more emphatic than
graceful aad more sincere than polite.
Points from Judgc Brentano's Charge.
Judge Brentano'> charge to the jury
d-ntiing the degree of INSANITY or delusion
that would require n verdict of acquittal.
after explaining the term express malice"
proceeded as follows: The court instructs
the jury that if they believe, from the evil
lence in the ca>c, that at the time of doing
the act charged the prisoner was not Of
sound mind. but was Affected with in sanity,
and A;ss-aHonr<s(scce -wfs ffe efficient
case of act. and that he would not have
done the Get but for that affection. then
he ought TO be acquitted. But the court
1s 4
ness of mind, or affection of insanity. must
| I've Of such "a degree as to create an uncon-
trollable impulse TO do the act charged, by
overriding the reason and judgment and
ob,iterating the sense of right and wrong
as 10 the articular act done and depriving
the accused of the power of choosing be-
tween Them
Must lsc Mentally irresponsible.
The court added that a man might be
insane on one OK more subjects and sane on
all Others, and that under such circum-
stances he might commit crime for
which he would not be responsible 1t
was insisted. however, that in order to
make plea of insanity stand it was nee
essary that the mental responsibility
should he fully established. the form os
insanity made no difference in the case,
so long as the accused was not responsible
Tor his acts.
The Matter of ~ DelusiOn.
"H,' said the court, ''the jury believe
from the evidence that the defendant was
laboring under a delusion that il was his
duty } mankind to commit the deed for
the benefit of mankind. and to prevent the
slaughter of individuals on account of the
railroad tracks not being raised, and that
he, the defendant, believed in his delusion
At the time of the killing, they must acquit
him, provided it was believed from the
evidence that at the time of the shooting
of Carter Harrison the defendant was un
der the impulse of such delusion to such
an extent that il was uncomfortable"