Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-01-04
HE MUST HANG.
Prendergast, the Slayer of Garter
Harrison, Found Guilty.
The Jury Fixes His Penalty at Death
The Prisoners Attorneys Ask for
New TriAI-They Condemn
the Verdict.
LIFE FOR A LIFE.

CHICAGO, Dec. 30.-Attorney Trude
finished his argument for the state in
the Prendergast trial about noon on
Friday At the opening of the after
noon session Judge Brentano delivered
his charge TO the jury. The list of in
structions was long one, and they ia
vored the prisoner. AT l:25 p. IN the
jury retired to consider the evidence
AT 2:2s p. m they returned and pre-
sented the following verdict:
ave, the jury, find the defendant Patrick
Eugene Prendergast guilty of murder IN man.
ner and form as charged 10 the indictment and
tx his penalty OF death"
Prisoners Strength Fails.
The prisoners strength seemed to
have failed him. During the morning
and while the judge read the instruc-
tions he sat like one exhausted. Part
of the time he covered his eyes with
black handkerchief. ~ was praying"
he said afterward to his brother. His
face was pale and his lips quivered. As
cast quick glance at his aged, tremb-
ling mother. Then he walked slowly
back to await the final summons.
Made the Sign of the Cross.
When the verdict was read, and as
the word death reached the prison
oner's ears he raised his right hand
slowly and made the sign of the cross.
His eyelids closed for an instant, there
was a slight tremor and that was all
He 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 trace of sympathy
for the man whose fate was decided.
The Verdict Approved.
A life sentence was the most that the
friends of the Harrison family had ever
hoped for A. S, Trudes face expressed
sorrow. Attorneys Wade and McGoorty
looked disconsolately at each other.
Some person near the door passed the
word downstairs and in a moment the
waiting crowds knew the sentence.
These persons had all come there with
a feeling of resentment against the
prisoner, bat they made no demonstra-
ton when the word finally reached
them. The verdict met with their APP
prevail. That was all.
Motion for % New Trial.
The jury was polled and each mem
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 Tor ii new trial,
the crowd left the court room and the
celebrated case came to an end for the
time being.
Attorney wade Disappointed.
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 to 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 it that that boy viii not be hanged
The jurymen are lot Of criuging sveophants
I have and will produce evidence that
one Of them perjured himself order 70
get on this jury. lie said that lie was only
slightly acquainted with Mayor Harrison, but
l viii show that he lot only knew the late
mayor but was an applicant for Office l
thought il was good jury, all made up OF bust
ness men, but ! don't believe they ever con.
sidered the evidence in The case at al have
made a motion for a new trial and l think wen
get It, This is mortal blow at expert tesu
mouy in insanity cases II is a case OF wealth
against misfortune
Two Ballots Taken.
1t took just sixty-three minutes for
the jury to reach verdict After the
foreman was elected there was some
discussion on the case. II is understood
that but two ballots were necessary,
one as to the guilt or innocence and the