Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-09
DECIDES MORGAN MUST HANG
Jury Finds Him Guilty of Murder and
Fixes the Penalty,
VERDICT RETURNED YESTERDAY MORNING
Prisoner Showed No Feeling when
words Of Doom Were Read
Placed i'm the solitary
Ccll.

| gan yesterday morning al the time that the
| mercies of God were being expounded from
pulpits all over the city. /; was Just IL :u5
o'clock
When the verdict was delivered the GRIM
| inal court room presented an appearance
markedly different from that which It had
during the days of the trial. 1t was crowded
to its fun capacity up to the time that the
case went to the jury Saturday night Yes
terday morning, besides the court officials,
the jury and the prisoner and his guards
there were present only two or three news
paper men and as many other spectators.
1t was Just little after 9 o'clock when the
jury sent word to the court that 1t had de-
cded upon verdict. The lawyers OF the
accused, however, were not present and Judge
Scott decided to wait for them for time.
Word was sent but they failed 10 put in
an appearance Therefore ut few minutes
Of IL o'clock Judge Scott ordered the prisoner
brought into tho court room.
Deputy Sherffs Rosenzweig and Mahoney
brought him handcufred from the county Jail
to the office OF the sheriff. While the
shackles were being taken off his hands
one of the guards asked:
We'll, Morgan, what is the verdict going
to be-"
That's hard to tell" answered Morgan
with smile.
We have all come to the conclusion here
that it will not be worse than life i'm
prisonment," continued the guard.
Morgan said nothing, but the smile again
appeared on his face. 1t was evident from
the expression on his features that he him
self expected nothing worse than that
DID NOT SEEM TO CARE.
In few minutes Morgan was led into the
court room. He took his seat at the long
table which he occupied during the entire
trial His face was as exprtssionless as 1t
was throughout the trial. The spectator
would have said that he was entirely insen-
sible of the fact that the moment in which
his fate was 20 be announced was impend-
ing, fact which weighed upon every one
else who was present.
Morgan sat in his chair with his gaze di-
rected toward the window and paid no atten-
ton to any one. He leaned carelessly back
with his legs stretched bsf-:s him and his
hands lying loosely in his lap. They were
occupied with slowly folding and refolding a
strip of paper which hs picked up from the
table, There was not particle of nervous
ness displayed In this action. '!
A few minutes passed and the Jury filed
slowly and deliberately into the room. Az
each man dropped into his seat in the jury
box his face'was scanned by everybody except
Morgan, whose gaze was still directed to the
window.
ltct?' asked the c urt.
Morgan at last shifted the fixed stare from
he window. lie glanced from man to man
of the jury, and apparently read nothing. He
hen looked at the window again.
I'VE have" answered A. c. Woody the
The paper was taken from his hand and
given to Clerk Of the District Court Moores
every eye, including Morgan's, was fixed upon
lis face. He unfolded the papsr, and, after
slight pause, he read in distinct voice:
MURDER AND DEATH PENALTY.
State Of Nebraska In the district court
or Douglas county. State of Nebraska
Plaintiff, against George Morgan, defendant,
erdict We the jury, duly empansled and
worn, do find the defendant George Morgan
ot guilty of the crime charged in the first
cunt of the information and find him guilty
L murder In the first degree in manner and
orm as charged in ths second count of the
Information and We do determine that the
efendant shall suffer death"
As the last words were uttered the heart Of
he listener appeared to stop beating for al
Instant, and there was a choking sensation
! the throat. The terrible import was com
by all except apparently Morgan
Morgan had fastened his eyes on the clerk
$ he began to read. Tnere was not culver
| the eye lash or tremor of the hand, even
hen the last word was uttered. This nerve
the man was remarkable. When the clerk
nished, Morgan's eyes turned slowly to the
indow again, and remained there until hs
as taken out of the court room. All the
lille the piece of paper in mis- hands was
owly folded and refolded by him.
Gentlemen, is this your verdict asked
le clerk
at is" was the answer
on an order from the court the jury was
The question was put to Foreman Woody,
i. L. l.ingenfcldt, w. II. Sieber, G. w Rey-
dds, +. j. Stanley, James Montgomery John
arks, John II. Koehler, Charles A. Gregg,
D. klng, James Delaney and James Col
n. Each gave the same answer
Judge Scott spent few moments in thank
9 the jury. He said that it was composed
a more gentlemanly lot Of men than he
"a ever seen on jury. lie complimented
en- on the attention and seriousness with
hlch they listened to ths evidence and re-
arked that the accused could not say that
mad not been given fair trial He then
smissed them. Turning then to Deputy
lerln Rosenzweig, he said:
TO THE SOLITARY CELL.
MI Sheriff, ! place the prisoner in your
re- Place him in the solitary cell and allow
one to speak with him without psrmis-
This was signal to Morgan. He picked
his hat and rising, walked steadily be-
zen tn two guards back into the sheriT's
Ice. The handcuffs were put on his hands,
i'cn appeared to be steadier than those Of
o man who was putting the irons on. He
Is taken from the court house back to the
H. lio said not a word
When the Jail was entered Morgan was
Id for moment in the corridor while the
ndcuns were being taken off and while the
itary cell was being prepared The prls-
ers In the jail crowded about the grating
the big cells with whis lered inquiries
sarding the verdict. Morgan remained as
iinerent and as speechess as ever. When
? handouts were taken of he put his hands
his pockets and quietly remained standing
III he was taken to the cell in which he
u probably remain until he is led to tho
lows.
The nerve and indifference which the con-
ted man displayed throughout his long
Al to the last moment is considered most
narkable by those who have come In con-
I with him and by those who have been
sent through the trial. It's effect, how
n. is not favorable to the man. II is not
sidered possible that a man Innocent OF
horrible crime Of which Morgan has been
yiced would have been able to listen to
evidence against him and to receive his
2 with Morgan's apparent nonchalance,
pite the training which a criminal career
'ht give.
he jury In the case was out frem 8 o'clock
urday afternoon to IL o'clock yesterday
ming, The members will not describe
Ir deliberations or what delayed chem In
orting sooner II is judged however,
tlEaV Ill