The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-12-30

by tho ScOplo OF SnIChSO'
CHICAGO, Dec. 20.-Prandorgast. the
murderer OF Carter H. Harrison, will be
hanged for his crime. The verdict OF
the jury has said 1t and the people Of
Chicago approve It. Ably defended as
tho assassin has beep, strong as has
been the evidence adducod to save his
neck from the halter, the jury has
found him sane, responsible for his act,
and demanded that he pay the highest
price for his offense against the law.
This price, however, is a sorry one at
best. The value to the world Of one
life such as that Of Carter II. Harrison
would weigh down the scale against the
existence OF hundred such as Prem
dergast.
Nothing since tho commission OF his
crime has SO irritated Prendergast as
the comparison between himself and
Charles J. Guiteau. He has resented 1t
with energy and scorn as though the
assassin OF Garfield was foul and
creeping thing compared with himself.
But in the court room this Afternoon he
showed that ono trait existed in COM
mon between Guiteau and himself. He
proved himself an unmanly, miserable
coward; a creature who would have lie
at any price, under any conditions, any
where, any how, only let it be life.
When Clark Fitzgerald arose to read
tho finding OF the jury the prisoner
stood clutchiRg the back OF a chair eye
ing him with the most intense eager
ness. His long bony fingers, nervously
clasped and uncIasped the back oil the
chair, his knees trembled violently, his
face was flushed and his spiteiul look
ing mouth opened and closed as though
he would say something. but lacked the
power to speak.
THE VERDICT.
I'VE, 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"
Fitzgerald's voice, clear and firm,
read out tho finding aud died away
with a slight emphasis on the final
word. Then Prendergast revealed him
self the utter coward. His face turned
pale, ne opened his mouth to speak,
but only faint murmur came from be-
tween his hot and quivering lips. He
moved slightly, and would have fallen
to the floor but for the assistance OF
bailih.
When the Jury was polled he listened
with avidiLy to each and every answer
to Judge Brentano's question, WAS
this, and is this now your verdlctF'
ut is," said Foreman Jacob Sutter,
and at Is" repeated every other juror,
and then hope and the last vestige OF
courage faded utterly in Prendergasts
breast. He was half led, half carried
back to his cell where, refusing to
speak, he threw himself upon his bunk
in the attempt to hide from his fellow
prisoners whose expressions OF satisiac-
ton over the verdict were more en-
phatic and graceful and more sincere
than polite.
Mr.. Trude resumed his argument at
the opening OF court and spoke until
within few minutes OF II o'clock. He
closed with an eloquent plea for the
conviction Of tho prisoner, who had, he
declared, been proved sane by the pre-
ponderance OF evidence.
An ELOQUENT ADDRESS.
In the course OF his arraignment, Mr..
Trude said:
~ told you that did not think that
Prendergast was, under the law, q vic
tim of q dclusion. now say that do
not think that he is even an enthusiastic
believer, that he ever was an honest or
loyal believer in tho books, sanctified
in their origin, from which he so liber-
ally quoted"
The incident OF Prendcrgasts denun-
citation OF Witness Doherty, and the
use OF language which he would not
have used had he been loyal to his
faith, was cited. The prisoner, sup
posed By his attorney to possess great
eanctity, proiessed religion to assist in
the innamRtion OF his own vanity.
There are many parallels in the case
OF Prerdergast and the case OF Charles
j. Guiteau. The mention OF the Guiteau
case haa appeared as nightmare to
the gentleman on the other side. But
llle luCluGuL5 ia bub lllt VI bllo OhV iA'R't
are but n repetition OF the history OF
the other. Both sought the blaze OF
public notorety. Both lonGed to be
foremost in the public gaze and in the
public mind.
Some men are born to be misers, to
pile up shining gold; they imperil their
lives and liberty; their regulations are
long since ilcd. Some aspire to politl-
cal clninence; some with sword on hip
will brave the fire and steel Of war Tor
prominence. But others long for posi-
ton Of notorioty aud auch are these
men, Prendergast and Guiteau.
Charles Guiteau declared that he
expected the so-callcd 'stHlwarts' OF the
Republican party to applaud his action
and when he found that thoy did not,
that they were loudest in their denun-
ciation Of his crime, he conceived tho
idea that he was directed by God; that
he received n divine command to re-
movo tho President, and that it was tho
eye Of God which flashed over the
cleaning barrel Of that pistol from
which sped the bullet that shocked a
world.
PARALLEL CASE.
"When Prendorgast committed the
Enurdar ha nj frat dncIsrad that ha ax-