The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-03
TO PRISON FOR LIFE
SUCH Is THE VERDICT IN THE CASE
OF THE REV. w. e. HINsHAw.
After DeIiberatfng Two Hours the
DanviIle Jury Concluded that He
Murdered His wife Thurxa.
CRIME IN SECOND DEGREE
THE ACCUSED MTyIsTER WAS con-
FIDENT OF ACQUITTkL.
Gave n Nervous Gasp When the Re-
suit Was Announced and His Pink
Face PaIed Exceedingly.
HIS AGED PARENTS GRIEF
THE DEFENDANTS ATTORNEYS
WILL ASK FOR A NEW TRIAL.
Threats Heard mt DanviIIe Before the
Verdict Was Returned-Instruc-
Il tions of the Court.
Gave n Nervous Gasp When the Re-
Face PaIed Exceedingly.
HIS AGED PARENTS GRIEF
THE DEFENDANTS ATTORNEYS
WILL ASK FOR A NEW TRIAL.
Threats Heard mt DanviIIe Before the
Verdict Was Returned-Instruc-
. lions of the Court.
to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
DANvILLE Ind, Oct. AFTER but two
hours of deliberation the jury in the case
of Rev w. z. Hinshaw. charged with the
murder of his wife Thurza, returned ver-
dict this afternoon. at l:3o o'clock. finding
the defendant guilty of the crime, deciding
that it was murder in the second degree.
and fixing the punishment at Imprisonment
for life. Mr.. Spaan, for the prosecution,
finished his argument at little past noon,
Judge HadIey finished the reading of his
instructions at 2:l5 O'Clock, and a few min
utes later the jurymen were locked in their
room. Two hours later rap on the door
announced that verdict had been reached,
and as soon as the interested parties could
be brought into court it announced.
The words were in the usual form:
1--WE. the jury. find the defendant guilty
of murder in the second degree and fix his
punishment at Imprisonment for life.''
For few seconds following the reading
the court room The defendants face
turned white and he could be seen to give
a gasp All eyes were turned toward him,
and he bit his lip in an effort to regain his
composure. The audience arose as If to
express approval but Judge Hadiey de-
manded quiet and ordered the court room
cleared The defendant was taken back to
the county. jail. the convicted murderer of
his wife.
The finale of the great trial was tragic.
The verdict was hardly expected either by
the defendant. Public sentiment has all
during the trial adjudged Hinshaw guilty,
but it has not been thought convsction
was possible with the evidence presented.
The suave manner of the defendant up to
the return OF the verdict lost him some
friends, but the most hardened could not
but pity him when the blow came. for the
confidence borne made it the more hard to
bear. More TO be pitied, however. are the
aged parents of the defendant, who had
sat by their youngest son during the long
hearing the result, cannot be expressed in
words The old mother sat on a porch
across from the Jail when her son was
taken forth to hear his fate. She waved
hand of encouragement toward him and
then sat praying silently that her boy
might return in person with good news.
back to the Jail and then realization of
the result came to her.
Since the murder of Thurza Hinshaw at
Belleville on the 10th of last January Hin
himself of all responsibility of the crime.
His own story and his actions following
the tragedy first began to attract sus-
ricion and raise in the public mind the
thought that perhaps he and not burglars
killed the wife. The suspicious grew and
the circumstances began to gather about
the preacher. Up to the time of the trag
edy he was man of excellent reputation.
a preacher of the Methodist Church who
had done good work. He had host of
II
what he said as they did in the gospel he
taught. He was taken before the coroner,
but his statement there was contradictory
and not such as would divert suspicion
| He was represented at that time by attor-
neys. He had an attorney and two ply
sicians at the post mortem held on the body
of his wife He employed detective to
gather evidence to sustain his story that
burglars had shot his wife. If innocent he
| acted imprudently following the tragedy,
| and il guilty he acted as criminal might
| act He began to make defense before
| he was openly charged. He made explana-
! tions at the time which were not called
| for and later he failed to explain things
needing. explanation. During the trial he
! has had some of the best attorneys of the
State defending him. They have worked
| untirinely in the collection and presenta-
| tion of evidence. and they brought out
| every point to the defendants favor in the
| argument Judge Hadley's instructions to
the iury were fair and favorable to the de-
| fendant, IL to either side. During the trial
the defendant had the moral support of his
old church members. who have been faith
| ful to him through all his trouble Not
withstanding all these things, twelve repu-
| table citizens OF Hendricks county have
decided that Hinshaw lied when he said
! burglars killed his wife and that he did
80 to cover his own crime.
AN INCIDENT OF THE SENTIMENT
The defendant has had against him all
| during the trial local public sentiment
Except for a few friends who raj
lied to his >side. a majority be-
lieved him guilty. This sentimen,
has grown since the defense declined to put
Hinshaw on the stand OF course the jury
were not in touch with public sentiment, as
IL has existed since the trial, but it could
almost be felt in the court room. An Incl
dent Of Tuesday shows how the community
looks upon the case and indicates that the
verdict Is thought to be deserved About
three hundred farmers were gathered a