The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-12-03
HE WAS CALM AS A MAY MORN
ING THROUGHOUT THE
ORDEAL.
TALKED TO A STATESMAN REPORTER LATER
Asked Him to Send Him Up Some Pa
per Containing the Trial Proceedings.
Details of the Verdict and Things
Pertaining Thereto.

the jury in the Burt case filed into the
court room and notified Judge Brooks
that they were ready to hand in their
verdict. Some little delay was neces-
sary attendant upon the arrival of the
defendants attorneys, but they were
there in few minutes and it was 11:4O
exactly when the verdict was handed to
Judge Brooks, who read it over very
slowly and carefully. He called the
jury's attention to the fact that they
had not written the word defendant" as
it should be- and also that he would
change the word penalty" to the word
punishment"
After that he handed the verdict to
Assistant Clerk Hupperts, who read it
aloud midst the profoundest silence. The
verdict read as follows:
1--WE the jury find the defendant, Eu-
gene Burt, guilty of murder in the first
degree and assess his punishment at
death. ]. d. CAMPBELL,
foreman"
The writer kept his eye on Burt all
the time the reading was being had, and
even before it was read, but at ne time
did he so much as bat an eyelid. He
looked as though he was under strain
and heavy burrows were noticed in his
forehead, but otherwise there was no in
dication that he cared thing about what
was going on in the court room. When
the full meaning of the verdict was I'M
pressed on the crowd that had quickly
gathered, there was subdued excitement
ON every side, but the prisoner remained
nerfectlv calm throughout it ALL When
the jury left the box Burt was again
handcuffed. and, under guard. walked
back to the jail. In about fifteen mill
utes Statesman reporter called at HIS
cell in the iail to see if he had anything
TO saw with reference to the verdict ana
his ease. In reply to the direct question
Rurt said: ~ have nothing to say until
after III, court Of appeals passes on the
,nneol that will be made The reporter
aslod him If there was anything ne
coph do for him down town. tie re-
,,I;od. "Notbing. unless you will send
HE M some papers with the tri"i PRIV
caed;nps in them" The reporter PROM
ised n do this and left Burt in as soou
humor, apparently, as though he hao
inst come in from picnic eXcursion'
AS soon rs he was brought back 1roin
tho court house Jailer Hughes and Dep
utv Sheriff Thorpe searched his cell yer!
carefully to see to it that he hau 'io'n'"e
hidden by which he could do hill'seii
bodily harm. Nllie 'hi'
going on Burt stood by in as 'nconc'i"'
cd n manner as possible. He gave ho
ovidonco Of having suffered mentally or
physically from the effects OF the ue'''"
yard;ct Int he did seem to nave Suuuen
" fonnd his tongue, for all yesterday
oftornoon be was reported as talking 10
his cell mates and everybody else in the
iail in the happiest mood possible on'
.,ou. ,,os that he said that as soon as
no failed TO get n change OF venue he
knew his goose was cooked
When Burt came back from chicago
be stated TO the writer VINO Intervene
hin, on tho train that he had long want
od 70 die and that his wife eNpresseo
some snrprise that a man like him. WIN
,o ro,;c;ous faith should have 80 little
foor Of death. His apparent cheerfulness
,,os+ordov morning when the writer no
flood him in his cell recalled TINS s'"'e
.. oo1o on the train. Can it be that
prrt himself is glad of the death sen
+orco9 Does he want to die and yet
n.;4o+o tn kill himself!