The herald., 1893-12-30
Mayor Harrison's Slayer Is
Found Guilty.
The Jury Disregards the Plea
Of Insanity.
They Hold the Prisoner Responsible
for His Crime.
The Verdict Fixes the Penalty at Death,
Which Seems to Strike the Popu-
lar Chord-The Culprit
Breaks Down.

CHICAGO, Dec. 29.-Prendergast, the
murderer OF Carter III. Harrison, will be
hanged for his crime. The verdict of
the jury said it, aud the people of Chi
caeo approve it. Ably defended as the
assassin was, and strong as the evidence
adduced to save his neck has been, the
jury found him sufficiently sane to be
responsible for his action, and demanded
that he pay the highest penalty for his
offense against the law. This. however.
is asorry recompense for the life of
Garter H. Harrison.
Nothing since the commission of his
crime so irritated Prendergast as COM
parison between himself and Guiteau.
But in the court room this afternoon he
showed that one trait existed in COM
mon between them. He proved him.
self an unmanly, miserable coward, who
would save his own life at any price.
When Clerk Fitzgerald arose to read the
finding of the jury, the prisoner stood
clutching the back of chair, his face
flushed and his knees trembling vio-
lently.
THE PRISONER CoLLAPsEs.
"We, the jury, find the defendant,
Patrick Eugene John Prendergast,
guilty Of murder in manner and form as
charged in the indictment, and fix the
penalty at DEATH" read Fitzgerald.
Then Prendergast revealed himself an
utter coward. His face turned pale, he
opened his mouth to speak, but only q
faint murmur came. He moved slightly
and would have fallen, but for the as
sistance of bailiff.
When the jury was polled he listened
with avidity to each and every answer
to Judge Brentsno's question, and az
each Juror in turn reiterated the verdict.
the last scintilla of courage lett Prepder-
CAST. He was half led, half carried back
20 his cell, where, refusing to speak, he
threw himself upon his bunk in an at
tempt to bide from his fellow-prisoners.
whose expressions Of satisfaction over
the verdict were more emphatic than
graceful and more sincere than polite.
THE CLOSING ARGUMENT.
Attorney Trude resumed the closing
argument for the prosecution this morn.
ing. In the course Of his remarks he
had occasion to refer to Henry George.
the great single tax advocate. whom he
characterized as migratory and pesti-
lential paranoiac."
Trude closed with an eloquent plea
for the conviction of the prisoner, who,
he declared, had been proven sane by
prepOnderance OF evidence.
THE COURTS INSTRUCTION.
The court then took a recess till l
O'Clock, and promptly at that hour
Judge Brentano began his charge to the
jury. Prendergast buried his face in
black handkerchief and did not look up
till at the close of the judges charge the
word "death'' was uttered, and the
prisoner looked up for.an instant.
Upon the question of insanity, which
was the main point at iseue, Judge
Brentano said il the jury believed the
defendant committed the crime as
charged, knowing it wac wrong, it was
the duty Of the jury to find the prisoner
guilty, even though they believed at the
time the crime was committed the prie-
oner was not perfectly sane; but if the
jury believed at the time the act was
committed the prisoner WAS not of
sound mind, but affected with insanity,
and such affection was sufficient to cause
the act, then the prisoner ought to be
acquitted. If the jury had any doubts
as to the prisoners sanity, the law
gave him the benefit of The doubt. II
the jury believed the defendant WAS
laboring under deluaion which de-
prived the accused of the power of
choosing between right and wrong, then
the jury must acquit him.
FINDING OF THE VERDICT.
At 80 the jury retired to consider
the verdict. Nothing was heard from
them for an hour; then Bailiff Busse
hurried through the room to notify the
jailer to bring the prisoner into court,
and few minutes later the jury filed
in and took their places. AS Prendsr-
CAST took his seat. the Judge said,
"Have you agreed upon verdict?"
The IL men nodded assent. and Fore
man Sutter handed the paper contain
ing the verdict to Clerk Fitzgerald.
When Fitzgerald read in measured tones
the finding of the jury. the prisoner
had focused upon MIN the eyes OF
nearly every person in the room, and
with difficulty he kept from breaking
down.
Attorney Wade made the usual 70.
quest that the jury be polled, ami then
the prisoner was removed and the juoge
announced that the jury was excused,
and the proceedings were at sn end
Before the adjournment OF the court,
Wade made the usual apt. .catien tor N
new trial, and the judge anuounced
that hs would hear the motion at
future date.
IHE PRISONERS MOTHER.
The mother OF the prisoner did mot
trust herself to remain in court to heaa
the result Of the trial, but linger l
around the corridors waiting ter the
first news TO come from the court room.
When it came, an instant after tho ver-
dict was rendered. she tottered SWAY.
clinging to the baluster for support ns
she descended the stairs
John Prendergast, the prisoners
brother, If he was in court, left without
attracting attention.
4 l. - 49, ~ Z 4