Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-11
ADLER GIVEN TEN YEARS..
NOTORIOUS TOUGH CONVICTED OF
MURDER IN SECOND DEGREE.
First White Man Ever Convicted of
killing q Negro in
County-GeneralBelicf the
Verdict Will Stand.

Ten years in the penitentiary was the
punishment assessed by a jury in the
criminal court yesterday against Bill Adler
for the murder of William johnson. a
negro. And Adler, it is predicted. will I'M
%doubtedly serve the sentence. His lawyers
will go through the usual formality of an
appeal to the supreme court. but even Ma
jor B.. L. Woodson, who is one of Adler's
lawyers, admits that there is no ground
on which to base an expectation that the
supreme court will interfere with the YER
dict.
There have been many negroes convicted
in the criminal court of this county of kill
ing white men, but this is the first time
that a white man was ever convicted Of
killing a negro. Old settlers say they can
not recall that a white man was ever be-
fore wen arrested for killing a negro in
this county and do not remember that a
negro was ever murdered by a white
man.
Adler was surprised at the verdict. He
expected an acquittal and the worst he
ever thought of getting was a verdict of
m~anslaughter in the fourth degree, the
maximum punishment for which is Two
years in prison.
Its old Betsy that got ne that ten
years. said Adler to a friend when. the
verdict was rendered, and he doubled up
his huge right fist and twiried II af3u no;
is "Old Betsy" When he said that his
fist was responsible for the verdict he
meant that it was not the evidence IN this
that convicted him, and he was right.
There was not q man on the jury that
did not know Of Adler and his career.
The jury was a long time reaching a YER
dict. The trial ended. and the case was
gwen to the jury, Saturday afternoon at
4:30 o'clock. The first ballot stood MIN
manslaughter and one for acquittal. 1t
stood tina way when the jury went to
bed Saturday night. Several ballots We're
taken Sunday and the two men who wers
first for manslaughter were brought over
with the nine who voted for second de-
gree murder. The jury. stood that way
ton of murder in the second degree and one
for acquittal. After breakfast yesterday
morning the Jury was. taken to its room
in the Jail building and the man who was
for acquittal agreed to join the others if
the would fix the minimum punishment
of ten years. The others agreed to that. a
was returned at 9:O5 o'clock. as soon as
court opened.
Adler's first thought. after the verdict
came in. was for his old mother. He sent
Deputy Marshal Leahy to her home with
news Of the verdict and told her to not
come to see him: he did not wish to put
Ter to the additional sorrow or seeing
him. Adler's father Is dead, but his moth
er is married again and is comfortably
situated. She lives at Twentieth and Oak
streets.
The public generally, as far as can be
learned by the talk of all classes of people.
is satisfied with the verdict. The opinion
is that, while there might be some room for
Johnson, yet his past record has been so
bad. it were better to put him in prison.
| Adler has shown by his conduct in the past
that he cared nothing FOR human lie. and
| punishment did not reform him. He served
ten months in jail for killing Jesse Mcclure.
a postoffice inspector. with a blow of his
when he was convicted again of fighting.
and while. serving this term assaulted a
| He protested then that he would reform,
but as soon as he was released he went
back to his old hauntS in the North end.
a drunken brawl in the North end Sunday
afternoon, May 2.