The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-01-03
entity of Murder.

Guilty OF Muroer.
CHICAGO, Dec. 29.-The Jury before
which Prendergast was tried for ths
murder OF Mayor Harrison has returned
a verdict of guilty cf murder In the first
degree and recommended that he be
banged.
The verdict was reached after a de-
liberation of q little over an hour. Prem
dersast crossed" himself when it was
announced, but uttered no word. While
the Judge was reading bis carefully pre-
pared edinstructioDs that prisoners face be,
trayed the keenest anxiety. His open
mouth twitched nervously and be turned
his ill-shaped head at every sound CON-
ing from the entrance to The crowded
court room after the jury had retired.
He was fearful of a speedy agreement,
as he realized that would be significant
of verdict Of guilty. After while he
was taken back to his cell in the Jail and
the tension which had kept the men and
women suodued was relaxed.
The Jury retired at LIS and 2:28
O'Clock in the midst ofgeneral converse.
ton and laughter came bailif's shrill
voice., Take seats now, gentlemen"
The meaning Of the order was we'll IN.
derstood. Eye-y eye was turned to-
wards the door and the buzz Of excite.
ment and conversation died away.
Judge, jury and court of cousre
took their places and the prisoner was
brought back. Pcendergast's bravado
and sanity hid fed. The mask had
been torn from bis face Ivy fear of an ad.
verse verdict and be stood before court
and jury naturally, cringing coward,
AFRAID to have his doom pronounced.
The counterance Of ever juror was
sphinX-like. No sign Of hope for Prem
de.gast could be detected there. He
dropped into his seat against the wall
and guards stood over him. His protrud-
ing lower iaw became limp so that his lips
hung wide apart 10 imbe"ile fashion. a
pallor spread over his face and be stared
| vscantly in front of him. he set there,
frlendless and execrated.
The silence. was oppressively intense.
It was broken by the voice Of Judge
Brstaro saying: ''Have you agreed
upon verdict, gentlemen?n re have.
7oui honor" replied Foreman J. Suffer,
handing the fatal document to the judge,
who transmitted it to the clerk. That
officer quickly. opened it in the midst OF
breathless suspense and readlt as fol-
lows: we, the jury, find the defend
ant, Patrick Eugene Prendergast, guilty
CT muder in the manner and form as
charged in tae indictment and we fix his
punishment at death." When the clerk
uttered the word death" Pfendergast
made the Catholic sign over his breast
with his right hand. His ,demeanor was
pitlfulIv abjsct. He looked indeed a
miserable wretch in human form. Not
a word escaped his lips. The effect OF
!, the death verdict kept the spectators sill
ent. No one rose to 60.
Quickly the guards took hold OF toe
trembling prisoner and were hurrylne
bin back to the jail. when the voice o'
the Judge was heard again. Bring the
, prisoner back" be commanded, and the
3 condemned creature was led back tf
E bis seat. The fornality Of polling the
e Jury had not been complied with. E
5 was soon over, each juror answering
"yesu to the question: "Was and il
t this now your veldict?" Pfeudergas
a did not sit down the second time. h
? stood pale and terror stricken close t.
q q his chair, stretching his hands for sup
9 port against the wall, while guard he'll
:, the other. After the removal OF tn
!. guilty wretch, Attorney Wade entsre
n a formal motion tor new trial, Whlci
8 will be argued next week. Then tn
5. crowd quickly dispersed. Pfendergas
s. created no scene when be was returne
0, to his csll..and the verdict was kept iron
d his fellow prisoners as long as possible
s. He received word through visitors, how
g ever, and Jailer Morris removed to
condemned man into murderer's ro"
his cell being nexs to that OF Pslnte'
D. who has been given respite by Cove
n nor Altgeld rntil January II. Pfendel
r CAST sent word that he would not 81
9. any visitors, newspaper men especially