The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-01-04
TO BE HANGED.
Assassin Prendergast Condemned
 to Death.
ATTORNEY TRUDE WELL SATISFIED.
The Jury Not Long In Reaching n Verdict BailiiTs Seize the Prisoner and He Goes to His Cell Of
 Doom.

John Prendergast was found guilty ot the murder of Mayor Harrison on Octo- Der 2S, and the penalty fixed at death by hanging. The jury refused to be- lieve that the assassin was insane at the time he committed the crime.
 When the jurors returned to the court room, after being out one hour and three minutes, the prisoner was not in the room, having been previously re- moved to the jail. 1t was fully five minutes before he could be brought back. When he had reached his seat Judge Brentano, addressing Foreman Sutter, asked if the jury had reached a verdict.
 I've have, your honor," replied Mir. Sutter.
 "What is your verdict?" asked the court.
 Foreman Sutter then proceeded to read in solemn voice the following yer dict: "We, the jury, find the defend ant, Patrick Eugene John Prender- gast, guilty of murder in manner and form as charged in the indictment and fix the penalty at death"
 Prendergast, who was fear stricken and trembling when brought back to court, utterly collapsed when the an- nouncement was read. He sank back in his chair, his chin dropped and he seemed completely paralyzed. He looked appealingly at the court and at the jury, and tears glist- ened in the eyes from which heretofore only angry glances had been shot. As soon as the verdict was an nounced the bailiffs seized the miser- able, trembling prisoner and started to rush him back to his cell in murder CTS TOW. They had nearly reached the door when Judge Hrentano ordered them to stop. Let the prisoner re- main while the jury is boiled" he said. Prendergast took his stand before the chair in which he jerked and squirmed around while the polling was in progress
 When the last juror had made his an swer Prendergast's knees shook, his chin dropped down and he would have fal- len had not one of the attending bailiffs lent supporting arm. He was half led and half carried back to his cell.
 Before the adjournment of court Mir Wade applied for a new trial and the judge announced that he would hear a motion to that effect at future date. The mother of the prisoner did not trust herself to remain to hear the re- suit of the trial, but fingered around the corridors waiting for the first news to come from the court room. When it came, an instant after the yer dict was rendered. she tOttered away, cl nging to the banister for support as she descended the stairs an | struggled through the excited crowd thronging the approach to the court room. John Prendergast, the prisoners brother, who was in the court room, left with out attracting attention.
 Mir. Trude and his associate, Mir. Todd. were heartily congratulated by all who could get near them.
 Preston Harrison was one of the first to reach the side of Mir, Trude, thank ing him for his efforts.
 Prendergast was led away to his cell and Bailiff Becker was detailed to stay with him. The prisoner refuses to see anyone and as soon as he reached the cell threw himself face downwards on his bunk and would not gratify the curiosity of the crowd that gathered around the spot from which a view of the interior of his cell could be had, by looking up.
 In speaking of the jury after the yer dict had been found Judge Brentano said:
 "It was the most intelligent jury I ever saw. There was not what you might term cheap man in the lot. Every one of them were good represen. tative citizens and much higher in the positions they hold in the business and social world than the average man who can be secured for jury duty.
 In an interview Attorney Trude said: "The conviction of this man will, in my opinion, operate Gs a deterrent against the commission of like crimes by notoriety loving cranks. To illus trate, when Oxford fired the shot at Queen Victoria and was acquitted on the ground of insanity, an army of inn itators appeared and England reveled in a saturnalia of blood, which contn- ued until two of these cranks were hung, one in Exeter and the other in London. This sent cold chill of hor- TOT down the spine of these characters and they were heard of no more.
 "When Guiteau was hung cranSs disappeared from Washington and notoriety hunters ceased to attain pulp lie notice with the pistol as an adjunct to the accomplishment of that end. By cranl1s I mean men who are not per feet in their moral or mental makeup, but who are able to distinguish be- tween right and wrong, with the pow CT of choosing to do or not to do a wrong act.
 Since the trial of Prendergast has been in progress, crauIts have arisen all over the country, threatening mayors of cities, chiefs of departments and men of means. This verdict will operate as life insurance policy on their safety A verdict of acquittal on the ground of insanity would have been the sowing of the dragons teeth, and those threatened mayors here and in St. Louis, and threatened officials in I