The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-03


Just as good"
habitation of Mrs. Spies, the mother of
August Spies, the anarchist. Right into
this identical district was where the
corpse of Spies. with the purple mark
Of the hangman's rope about the neck,
was brought TO heart-broken, grey
haired mother to be returned to earth
This afternoon, before news of the YER
dict of death was known in the vicini-
ty a black-gowned, aged woman walked
slowly up Jane-st. from the cable cars
1t was Mrs. Prendergast, and the neigh
bOrs who knew her we'll noticed that
she seemed more downcast than usual
No one spoke to her and she spoke TO
no one. but silently disappeared in her
poor little cottage, from where no
amount of knocking would bring her to
the door.
Later her elder son. a respectable
young mechanic. hurriedly entered the
house. and afterward as hurriedly and
almost unobserved departed, the neigh
bors said, to his nightly toll for a rail-
road corporation near by.
No cheerful lights appeared in the
windows as the night came on, and the
street was deserted save for some yelp-
ing dogs and an occasional knot of peo-
pie, who, unconscious of an agonized
mother, doubtless praying to God for
mercy on her merciless, misguided Off
spring, halted in front of the corner
store windows to read the startling
headlines in the newspaper extras,
Death to the assassin"
VIII Check Crimes by C-nnI<s.
Invariably the comment on the head
lines was. literally or in substance,
Serves him right"
In an interview tonight Attorney Trude
said:
THE conviction of this man will, in
my opinion. operate as a deterrent
against the commission of like crimes
by MISUNDERSTANDING cranks. To illus
trate: When oxford fired the shot at
Queen Victoria and was acquitted on
the ground of insanity an army of imi-
tators appeared and England revealed in
a saturnalIa Of blood which continued
until two of these cranks were hanged
one in Exeter and the other in London.
This sent a cold chill Of horror down the
spine of these characters and they were
heard of no more. When Guiteau was
hanged cranks disappeared from Wash
ington and notOriety-hunters ceased to
attain public notice with the pistol as
an adjunct to the accomplishment to
that end BY cranks / mean men who
are not perfect in their moral and mental
makeup. but who are able to distinguish
between right and wrong with the power
Of choosing to do. or not to do wrong
full act
Dr. D. r Brewer. who was an expert
witness for the defense as to the sanity
Of Prendergast, was interviewed tonight
by an Associated Press reporter.
He said: q have no reason to change
my mind since 7 testified. ! think there
never was a clearer case Of insanity.
he f- no
cution of Prendergast would be nothing
short of judicial murder"
The members of the late mayors fam
lily were apparently expecting such a
verdict as was given and seemed to de-
rive but little satisfaction from the fact
that the murderer was to die for his
crime. feeling that only justice had been
done. Carter Harrison, il, one of the
proQrietOrs of the Times, i'm discussing
the verdict this evening. said: Il was
not surprised when L heard the verdict
because, to my mind. there was never
the least doubt as to the mans respOn-
Sibility when he committed the act !
watched Prendergast's actions through
out most Of the trial and was impressed
by his alertness at all times TO detect
any evidence for or against him His
denial as To certain testimony relating
10 his actions when he did the actual
shooting proved cOnclusively to nv mind
that he was not laboring under any delu-
sion while firing the shots. as otherwise
he would not have been able to recall
what he did on saw that evening. | also
think that the hanging verdict will have
a most beneficial effect upon the vast
army Of criminals who seek notoriety by
deeds Of violence.
His Lawyers Disappointed.
Richard a. Wade. chief attorney for
Prendergast, was sorely disappointed
over the verdict. He said: Il never felt
so bad in my life. 1t was not right to
return such a verdict. Why, it's an out
rage on human justice that poor insane
boy like that should be executed. I will
bank my life on it that that boy will not
be hanged. the jurymen are a lot of
cringing sycOphants. / have, and will
produce, evidence that one of them per-
Jured himself in order to get on this
jury"
Attorney Heron was severe in critics.
ing Juror Murray for sitting on the jury:
He said that he was not well acquainted
with Mr.. Harrison" said the young law
yer. But l can prove that he was the
leader OF a clan Of which Carter Har-
rison was a member, and that at one
time he was recipient of prize which
was awarded to him at a picnic by the
late mayor. We have excellent reasons
for a new trial"