Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-06-18

The jury in the case of the state vs the eight trolley strikers, Edward B. Winnegar, Willis Vandemark, Clifford Vandemark, John J. Brearton, Charles T. Ross, John J. Mcclure, Harry w. Warren and David 0. Marsh, rendered 8 verdict last night about 1O:3O o'clock. The verdict was mot guilty" and the moment 1t was uttered by the foreman the audience in the public chairs in the court room burst into cheers. Sheriff Durham immediately ordered the court room cleared, and this was done in five minutes. The verdict of the jury was then received and the work of an arduous day and two hard, tedious weeks was over and done. As the jury was boiled in the case of each striker and ssNot guilty Not guilty was the reply given in each, the jurors could hear the loud bul sts of exclamation and approval of their verdict; they knew it was the most popular one that could be given.
 1t was the hardest day of the ten very hard, long drawn out days of the severely contested, bitterly fought case, in which a good deal of personal feeling was shown by counsel on either side Never before within the age of the present generation has such case been tried in Connecticut and therefore both sides desired to establish a precedent and accordingly fought hard for vic tory. This feeling was shown in the arguments as well as during the trial, so that when the case went to the jury yesterday afternoon at 3:45 o'clock ev- erybody connected with it was glad that it was over.
 Nerves Were Tested.
 But the long, arduous, sleepy wait for the verdict proved to be worse on the nervous system than the actual work of the case. Everybody became as merry as possible, and as the rules of the court house would permit, and for a while the court room became q kind of free and easy place. The pris- oners were distinguished from the rest of the people by the pink carnation which ever since the first day of the trial has adorned their coats and lapels. They were now separated from the crowd by the host of young women friends who attended the trial every day.
 It was evident from the conduct of these that they were either the sisters, wives or sweethearts of the accused. They were a merry party at all events. The consciousness of innocence ap- peared to envelop them and shower pro- tection over their friends, the accused. Sheriff Dunham Or his deputy Swee- ney of Naugatuck. held the rostrum and surveyed the gathering with tran Quil eye, nevertheless ready with his gavel to check any outburst of viva cious irregularity that might occur in that crowd basking in the theatrical lights of the room. No one would dream that ten years of Imprisonment in the state prison was hanging over the heads of eight of the men present; that their liberty was in the hands of a dozen men in another room in the southwest corner. No one would sur mise for one moment that the room was but one degree inferior to the highest tribunal of justice in the state.
 Specializing On Resu1t.
 But under the merry appearance ev- erybody was very anxious, men par ticularly, and those who had the i'll luck to have been present during the whole trial were pestered with qdes- tions as to what they thought of it, :" and ''how the jury would come out, and if tsthere would be disagreement or what?'
 Of course such Information was de lightful to give, had one had 1t to give. He could have won barrel of cigars on wagers. for apparently money was n3o 1A% InIo FI7J either. But they gave the corridors of the building the appearance of the third house, the lobby in the legislature.
 The Jury Comes In.
 Speculation was in its zenith when a tap was heard on the jury room door, and everybody crowded into the court room. In a second the merry wives and sweethearts had parted from the accused, and everything was as still as it well could be where moment before everybody was on the move, nervous and agitated. It was then 6:35 o'clock, which showed the jury had been out two hours lacking ten minutes. The clerks ran llither and thither for coun- sel for the accused. for it Is necessary that the verdict should be given in their presence in order that they may take whatever measures they may deem prudent No one but the jury know the verdict and therefore no one can tell what steps counsel for either side may think necessary after the verdict is given. So fifteen long minutes passed and nothing was heard from counsel for the defense Finally Mir Hamilton and MT Kennedy arrived. But where was MT O'Neill, the captain of the de- fense? Not a trace of him could be found. Meanwhile everybody was wondering what was the delay about. What q strain must have been upon the accused. After hard fought battle of 7, ten long. dreary, sweltering rays they were at last face to face with their fate. What would It be? Would MT O'NeilI never come? The question was 0n every tongue when in he came, as