The St. Louis Republic., 1904-03-27
Verdict of Murder in First De
gree Returned an Hour Aft
er Collins's Death.
PRISONER HEARS DECREE.
Shackled to Guards, Bandit Is
Brought to st. Louis and
Placed in Four Courts to
Await Execution May 13.
BY A STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

BY STAFF CORRESPONDENT.
Union. Mo-, March 2s.-Like his part
ner. George Collins. William Rudolph must
hang for the murder of Charles ]. Schu-
macher, the Pinkerton detective, who was
killed at the Rudolph home near Stanton,
January a. 1903
Exactly one hour after Collins had been
hanged in the Union jail yard, the jury
in the Rudolph case reported to Judge
Davidson that 1t had agreed upon a YER
dict. Rudolph. who had been in Jail dur
ing the execution of Collins, was ordered
into court to hear the reading of the YER
| dict
Judge Davidson read the verdict It
said: I'VE. the jury, find the defendant,
William Rudolph, alias William Anderson,
guilty of murder in the first degree and
fix his punishment at death by hanging"
The Jury was polled and each juror re-
piled that he concurred in the verdict
The jury was less than thirty minutes
in arriving at its decision. Only one bal
lot was taken. There was not .one mem
ber of the jury who spoke single word
in favor Of the prisoner. All were of one
mind-absoluteIy conviced of the guilt Of
Rudolph.
When the verdict was read Rudolph as
sumed a stolid pose. The serious and
rather disinterested expression which his
counteuance has carried ever since the
beginning of the trial did not leave. He
showed no emotion.
His mother and sister C,sther) sat near
him when the decision OF the jury was
announced. Esther, who is only IA years
old, did not seem to appreciate the grav-
ity of the situation. Mrs. Rudolph showed
no violent emotion, but there was an ex-
preston Of great anguish upon her face.
Many of those in the courtroom, who
thought that Rudolph got what he de-
served, pitied the mother and sister.
The crowd that had been in the vicinity
of the Jail during the hanging OF Collins
had not dispersed when the Rudolph YER
dict was announced.
RUDOLPH CALMLY
RECEIVED SENTENCE.
Rudolph was returned TO his cell and
his attorneys began to prepare motion
for a new trial. 1t was decided to re-
turn Rudolph to St Louis Immediately.
County Prosecutor Meyersleck and Judge
Davidson held a consultation, and It was
agreed to sentence Rudolph at once.
His attorneys moved for a new trial and
the motion was overruled. Rudolph was
again brought into court He responded
that he was not guilty when asked If
he had anything to say as to why sentence
should not be pronounced. Judge David
son then pronounced the death sentence
and fixed May 13, 1904 as the date for
the hanging. Rudolph will be executed in
the same corner of the Jail yard where
Collins was sent to his death this after
noon.
After prouounclng sentence, Rudolph
was returned to the jail, and prepara-
tions were made for sending him to St
Louis. Ed Robertson, City Marshal Of
Pacific, was selected as the one to whom
Rudolph should be shackled-
Sheriff Bruch appointed Deputies Will |
liam Meyersieck and F. H. Weatherford
to remain on either side Of the prisoner |
in the trip to the station, and to remain |
with him until he was finally placed in a |
cell at the Four Courts.
The great crowd that had been all day |
on the public square of Union loitered un- |
til Rudolph and the guard started for the |
station. A vehicle was summoned, and |
the prisoner was placed in 1t, Robertson |
still shackled to him.
The ride to the station was one full Of
interest. Hundreds followed, watching
Rudolph curiously. To the gaze of the
curious Rudolph gave no response He
seemed to be in deep meditation and rare
ly spoke
At the railway station Rudolph's mother
and sister were waiting on the platform.
They were to board the train for st.
Louis. The strict rules under which the
prisoner has been held in Union forbade
any of his relatives from speaking to him.
Thus, while Rudolph, manacled to an Off
GER. waited at one end of the platform.
his mother and sister stood at the other
and awaited the coming of the train.
AS the train approached, Rudolph was
asked If he ever expected to return to
Union.
'I don't intend to come back If 1 can
help myself" said the prisoner.