Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1903-02-25
THE FULL PENALTY.
Oscar Crawford Found Guilty Of Mur.
der In The First Degree.

u
case returned . verdict of murder in
the first degree at midnight last Wed.
nesday night, after deliberatlng I've
hours. The evidence in the case was
concluded on Tuesday evening and the
entire following day was consumed in
argument by the various attorneys.
Only three ballots were necessary.
The first was to decide whether there
should be conviction in some degree
or acquittal. 1t stood IL for conviction
and for acquittal. The second was
9 for murder in the first degree and
for murder in the second degree. On
the third ballot the jury was unani.
nous for murder in the first degree.
The prosecution opened with County
Attorney Tincher. He was followed
by Judge c. w. Ellis for the defense.
A. l.. Noble followed Judge Ellis for
the state. g. Nj. Martin followed
MIR. Noble for the defense. Judge w.
G. Robertson, OF Springfield, Mo, clos
ed for the state.
The court room was packed with In
enn ordeal for the interested parties,
and they all had the full sympathy
Of the multitude of people assem-
oled. The attorneys OH both sides
OF the case did their best and the
pleas we're well worth hearing. The de-
Tense, of course, labOred under much
difficulty. They had TO combat public
sentiment as well as face strong ,uncon.
tradicted evidence. but for all that they
made an able fight. G. NJ. Martins
speech on this occasion, and especially
his mastery, scholarly and eloquent dis
course on Mercy in the creative age,
| was as fine as anything We ever heard
| In court room. 1t brought tears TO
| the eyes of many Of the listeners and
| the defendant himself broke down and
wept copiously-the first and only time
he was vislbly affected during the en-.
| tire ordeal from the time of the fatal
| Christmas eve night when the crime
| was committed.
Judge Robertson's g speech at the close
was forcible and logical. He consumed
nearly two hours. and during that time
covered the whole case admir- ably. His
speech stuck close to every law respect
er and had much effect. A. l.. Mobiles
summing up of the case was also of
much assistance to.the jury, and County
Attorney Tincher received number
| Of congratulations on his opening
speech.
Col. Crawford, the defendants uncle
| who was an attorney in the case, did
not make an argument presumably for
the reason that he was relative.
Judge Ellis Was not called into the
case until after Gov. Stanley left and
hence was placed at a disadvantage
but he did some admirable work at
cross examination. The Judge retired
from the practice year ago. but enter.
ed this case on the spur of the moment
after earnest solicitation ON the part
or the defendants father.
The closing hours of this trial were
shronded with deep sorrow and incon-
solable anguish. On one side sat the
father. mother and sister of the deceas
ed with heads bowed, and hearts bur-
dened. On the other side was Oscar
Crawford with his father and mother
beside him. Their hearts, too, were
troubled as severely as the Rule family
aud as the awful truths were uttered by
the attorneys, the pleas for mercy and
sympathy mingled with recital of the
stern and irresistible law. there was
ample room for pity and regret on both
sides OF the case.
But with all its sadness. it is the gen
eral feeling that justice has been done.
1t will not fill the vacant chair in the
home of Henry Rule. 1t will not restore
to that good mother and sister be.
loved son and brother, but it will teach
to Oscar Crawford and other young meI
of his temperament and habits that
crime must and will surely be punished
For j. F. Crawford and his estImable
wife, the parents of the prisoner, tht
Index has the most devout sym
pathy, and we know that this feeling il
general. They are among our yer.
best citizens. 1t Is matter of grea
regret that they are thus troubled.