The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-25
Motion for a New Trial for the Slayer Of
Carter ii. Harrison Oyerruled by
Judge Brentano.
SCENE IN THE COURT ROOM
The Prisoner Permitted to Make
a Wild, Rambling Speech.
TRADE Against the Attorneys. Jurors
and 0thers-Daily Sensation in
the COughlin Case.

CHICAGO. Feb. 2i-Patrick Eugene Prem
dergast the cold blooded murderer of Mayor
Carter II. Harrison, Will swing from the
gallows one month from to-day unless the
Supreme Court or Governor Altgeld inter-
feres TO prolong the life OF the assassin.
Judge Brentano to-day overruled the motion
for a new trial for Prendergast and sem
tenced him to be hanged March %. The
feature OF the days proceedings, aside from
the sentence, was a disconnected harangue
read by the prisoner. During the course OF
his remarks Prendergast was apparently IN
very nervous condition. His hands shook
and as he occasionally turned his eyes from
the court and glared about the room it
evident his nerves were strung TO the high
est tension. Occasionally he would stop 10
glance at the paper In his hand TO read the
notes or points on his address. which he
had evidently prepared in advance.
When Prendergast entered the court room
this morning In charge of a bailiff he looked
neat and tidy. His hair was carefully
combed and face newly shaved. The as
sassin was signed to chair in the place
he occupied during his trial. He soon grew
restless and moved about uneasily. His
face was pale and his eyes rolled around
increasingly. As the court addressed Prem
dereast and asked him IL he had anything
TO say why sentence should not be passed
upon him Prendergast arose to his feet,
nervously drew small sheet OF paper COW
cred with notes from his vest pocket and
addressed the court as follows:
II do not suppose, your Honor. that it
Will do me any good 20 say anything 10 the
court now. / have made no preparation 10
say anything In particular. / suppose your
Honor Is under the impression that You
have done your duty. But this plea OF In
sanity has been set UP by my attorneys
without my consent. IL was an Infamous,
a dirty and disreputabe plea and done
Now. as for juror Murray. It is certain
10 my mind that from the manner he an
swered questions he was anxious TO be a
Juror in this case There was something
wrong also in regard TO summoning the
venre men. Juror Larkn came here on a
fendant had no control over this part OF
the courts work. The Evening News con-
and it is not necessary for me TO go into il
further now. We had no opportunity to
watch the proceedings in summoning the
THE ONLY ISSUE
But that is not the question. At the be-
ginning Of this trial the court told me my
attorneys would attend TO my case New
ertheless. they did not AS I told your
Honor before. they set up this infamous
plea of insanity against my will But,
your Honor. the issue is, did do right OF
did do wrong? Did / do my duty or did
l not? Did do the will of God or did
| not? This point has never been touched
upon, and i say IL Is the only issue before
the court. O course, III j did wrong 1
should be condemned. But. your Honor, IL
l did right 1 should be justified and ac-
| quilted.
AS for this talk about the Dacey or the
| Guiteau case. the court all along ruled that
| no reference should be made 10 il, but the
L ATTORNEYS defense continued 4
throughout the trial.
"As far as these doctors are concerned,
| they came to me without my consent and
without my invitation. j did not invite
| them Lor give my consent for them TO
| come and find out whether i was insane or
not. No doubt the motives OF these men
| were humane but IL through the con-
nivance Of Jailer Morris that they got into
the jail.
Now, your Honor and everybody says
that Harrison was a great and good man.
| / deny this. A good man is generally faith
| full TO his friends, and Harrison was not.
| If he had been a good man he would not
have been hostile toward me.
we have been attacked by this newspaper
| trust, and IL the sentence OF this court Is
carried out you will all be at the hands OF
| ter reputation will be safe. i don't
know what will be the result Even while
| i was in your county Jail L was threat
| ened with death. This man Morris. the
| tailer there, said 10 me III kill you be-
fore you leave We the isi isdl no matter what the the
| sheriff OF this county is a Republican, while
my principles are Democratic. and that is
! why this is.
''But. the issue, your Honor, Is whether
| i did right or wrong. IL this court wants
| to shirk the responsibility in this IL
! will not be my fault. The most OF the mo-
| tions made by the attorneys for me have
been overruled by the court, and that was
| wrong.
''Inen there is this great grade crossing
| issue. III your Honor consents 20 my death
to my murder-you also consent TO take
the lives OF these people on the Infamous
grade crossings. That is what caused me
to shoot Harrison, although i had stood
| by him In times OF distress.
| II am feeling much better now. your
| Honor. My health rs much better than
when | first went TO the jail. The terrible
| food they gave me there shook me physi-
| cally and mentally.
I'm this case, have been charged with
| being Vaihglorfous and a notoriety seeker.
| This Is not true and IL has been disproven
| in the trial. Christ was not vainglorious
| man; neither am /. The temptations that
were offered Christ on the Mount showed
| that he was not vainglorious. and anyone
that has withstood such temptation as I
| have IS certainly not vainglortous.
| Il suppose these doctors really wanted 70
| know whether / was sane or not They
| think they have done good, but as go TO
| the scaff5ld they will be made Infamous
throughout ali ages. IL was the most In
| famous thing in history TO XIII Christ on the
| cross, and IL will be as Infamous 10 hang
| me i think these doctors acted In rather a
| being invited and without my consent
| They had better attend 20 their own busi-
ness for they had no.cause to come TO see
| me.
The issue Is did l do right or did do
wrong? DID ] do my duty as i claim I
did? This issue remains for you. the court
TO determine"