River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-01-04
Ills DOOM.
{ Is Announced to the Murderer
of Garter Harrison.
The Jury Returns "A Verdict of Guilty and
Fixes Heath as Iiis Punishment
How the Assassin Received
the News.
VOTED FOR DEATH.

VOTED FOR DEATH.
CHICAGO. Jan. ATTORNEY Trude
inished his argument for the state in
he Prendergast trial about noon on
friday. At the opening of the after
noon sess ion Judge Brentano delivered
ais charge to the jury. The list of in
structions was a long one. and they IA
sored the prisoner. At l:25 p. IN. the
jury retired TO consider the evidence
At 2:2S p. IN. they returned and pre-
,ented the following verdict:
1--WE, the jury, lind the defendant Patrick
eugene Prendergast, guilty of murder in man
ser and foI m charged In the Indictment and
ix his penalty at death"
The prisoners strength seemed TO
have failed him. During the morning
and while the judge read the instruc-
lions he sat like one exhausted. Part
IF the time he covered his eyes with
black handkerchief II was praying"
he said afterward TO his brother. Hi,
ACE was pale and his lips quivered.
When the verdict was read, and as
the word death" reached the prison
oners ears he raised his right hand
slowly and made the sign of the cross.
His eyelids closed for an instant, there
was slight tremor and that was all
tie betrayed no other motion of what
what was passing in his mind. The
people simply looked at the pris-
oner. Not person whispered.
All at once the full force and
meaning of the verdict struck them.
Every face showed a trace of sympathy
COR the man whose fate was decided.
A life sentence was the most that the
friends Of the Harrison family had ever
hoped for A. ). Trude's face expressed
sorrow. Attorneys Wade and McGoorty
looked disconsolately at each other.
Some person near the door passed the
word downstairs and ia moment the
waiting crowds knew the sentence.
These persons had all come there with
feeling of resentment against the
prisoner, but they made no demonstra-
lion when the word finally reached
them. The verdict met with their APP
prevail. That was all.
The jury was polled and each men,
Der announced that this was and is his
verdict. When the last man of the
twelve had made this declaration the
prisoners jaw dropped a little He
was Immediately taken back to his cell
In the county Jail. His attorney. Mr..
Wade, made motion for new trial,
the crowd left the court room and the
celebrated case came to an end for the
time being.
1t was visitors day at the jail and
many persons were there when Prender-
CAST came back to his cell The news
soon spread TO the Jail and every body
wanted to see the condem ned man. He
had borne up with some frmness, al
though it was plain that his body was
weak. When ne reached his cell he fell
heavily upon his bed and a watch was
set over him. He refused to see or
speak to any person.
After a few minutes the assassin sat
upright. lie had somewhat regained
his composure and was gloomy ard ST.
lent In a short time John Prender-
CAST, the prisoners brother. arrived
at the Jail He was announced
by Clerk Price, and Prender-
CAST said hoarsely: LET him
come In, / want to see him" The meet
ing between the brothers was painful
They shook hands silently and neither
spoke for several minutes. Then John
said: Don't lose hope, Gene; Wen do
all we can for you" The assassin
bowed his head, but made no re-
ply. Later he talked quietly to his
brother for some time. During the
evening Messrs. McGoorty, Essex and
Heron called upon their client ana
talked to HIM in a manner calculated TO
cheer him up, but their efforts did not
Ia. 20 ax fh.a daSit.a1 .tffaaf Tho
awfulness of the sentence seemed to
broken his spirit.
Richard A. Wade, chief attorney for
Prendergast, was sorely disappointed
over the verdict lie said:
II never felt SO bad In my life. 1t wasn't
right 10 return such verdict Why, it's an
outrage ON human justice that poor insane
boy like that should be executed / will bank
my life on IL that that boy will not be hanged
The iurymen are a lot OF cringing sycophant1
l have and will produce evidence that
one Of them perIured himself in order 10
slightly acquainted with Mayor Harrison, but
| will show that he not only knew the late
mayor but applicant for office.
thought IL was q good jury. all made up Of bust
mess men. but l don't believe they ever cou-
sidered ihe evidence in the case at all have
made motion for new trial and think wen
get IT, This is mortal blow at expert testi-
mony in insanity cases. II is a case Of wealth
against misfortune
Dispatches from various cities show
that the leading newspapers of America
almost universally approve of the find
ing of the Prendergast jury A Wash
ington dispatch says that Vice Presi-
dent Stevenson commended the SEN
tence
IL took Just sixty-three minutes for
the jury TO reach IA verdict After the
foreman was elected there was some
discussion on the case. Vt is understood
tnat but two ballots were necessary,
one as To the guilt or innocence and the
other as to the punishment. The jury
men agreed among themselves, how.
ever. that no one of them was To talk
about what had occurred in the jury
room. Carter II. Harrison was muir
1ered on October IS On December 20,
Just two months and one day there
alter sentence was passed on the muir