The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-23


He was sent to his station in a patrol
wagon. He had been doing extra duty
and this with the excitement of the
/ trial was too much for him.
| Even in the face of certain knOwl-
| edge that news of the result of the
| jury's deliberations would not be
forthcoming until after 10 o'clock to-
day. scores of people remained all
night around the criminal court build
ing hoping to be the first to hear the
verdict in the case of Nan Patterson.
Driven from the building just before
midnight when the jury was locked up
for the night by order of Justice
Davis. the curious crowd gathered in
little knots in sheltered places in the
vicinity to wait and speculate and in
sure themselves an advantageous posi-
ton in the line when the doors were
again opened today. Even when the
dim light that came through windows
of the jury room indicated that the
jurors had given up their arguments
for the night and were attempting to
sleep, rumors from inside the building
found their way to the patient walters.
The source of these rumorS no one
knew and little faith was placed in
their truthfuIness.
In the early night mysterious infor-
nation had it that the jury stood firm
on the basis of nine for acquittal, one
for conviction of murder in the sec
upon the degree of manslaughter of
which they believed the prisoner
guilty. Before daylight, however,
there had been a decided change in
the sentiment of the jury, according to
a report. At that time story which
gained considerable circulation had
eleven jurors favoring acquittal with
one holding out for conviction OF muir
der in the first degree. Of course there
was absolutely nothing to substan-
tiate these rumors, but every bit of
gossip was anxiously seized upon by
those who had waited so long.
A Light in the Window.
The first sign of life in the big court
building came just before daybreak
when a bright light f1ickered up in the
window of the jury room scarcely more
than a dozen feet away from the court
house end of the Bridge of Signs. A
little later the officers who had been
on guard in the building all night came
out one by one for breakfast and a
little after Z o'clock, the jurors, guard
ed by court officers, marched out to a
nearby restaurant for their morning
meal. As they came through the Frank
lin street exit the jurors met a crowd of
not less than 200 persons, including the
self appointed guard who had remain
expected to learn anything from the
faces of the jurors they were disap-
pointed for there was nothing in their
expression save WEAKNESS. 1t was learn
ed that the room in which the long
night was spent was without furniture
except a table and a dozen small wood
en- chairs. Whatever rest the jury got
therefore was obtained under difficult
ties. They suffered somewhat from
cold during the night. too, the officers
said, and the engineer was reused in
the early morning hours with request
for more steam.
After the hardest day of her life,
day which opened with the brightest
hope and ended in darkest despair,
Nan Patterson retired to her cot in the
Tombs hall half an hour after mid
night 1t had been reported from the
little "pen" over the jury room, where
she spent the long hours of waiting
yesterday and last evening, that she
was on the verge of nervous collapse
and that even her aged father, who
has been constantly at her side
through all her trouble, was unable
to calm her. According to the mat
ron of the Tombs. however, the girl
had hardly touched her cot in the cell
before she was asleep. Her sleep was
troubled and she awoke many times
during the night, but on the whole got
a much better nights rest than might
have been expected under the circum-
stances. " Idon't see how she does it,
wonderful nerve of any woman L ever
knew
Streets Were Blocked.
During the forenoon the crowd around
the court house increased until the
streets were blocked and the corridors
within the building were so jammed
that no less than half a dozen times
police reserves were forced to clear out
the building.
At 1O:3O o'clock, the hour which he'd
been set for the opening of court word
came by telephone that Justice Davis |
was delayed and that he would not
reach the court house until 11:30. In the !
meantime the police stationed about the |
court house corridors had serious diff |
Gully in holding in check the crowds |
clamoring for admission. The courts |
order that spectators be Tigidly exclud- |
ed from the court room was carried out |
almost to the letter. Half hundred |
persons occupied seats in the court |
room Among them were only three |
women.
Promptly at 11:30 John Randolph |
Patterson, the prisoners father, came |
m and took seat at the counsers ta-
bic. No word had been received from |
Justice Davis to that time however,
md there followed another wait of ten
minutes before a stir indicated that |
he court was about to resume its ses-
sion. A moment later the Jurors. their
aces showing deep lines as a result of
heir all night vigil, filed solemnly in
md took their places behind the rail.
Miss Patterson had not reached the
,ourt room up to that time, but as the
Jurors marched down the aisle her
ather, half turning in his chair. gazed
ntently upon their faces. As he turn
ID back and fumbled nervOuSly a paper
which lay upon the table his hands
shook as if with palsy and it seemed
apparent that he saw little to arouse
hope in the faces of the jurors. A mo-
nent later Nan Patterson, gowned en-
irely in black and with a heavy veil
'oncealing her features, walked with a
irm, strong step to the chair beside
Ter father. AS she sat down she placed
me arm across her fathers shoulder l.
With the other she raised her veil and
Kissed the old man in a very pretty, T.
Lffectionate way. OF the two the father
howed in a far greater degree the
train under which they had been for
many hours and for a time the girl /
urned comforter. There were scarcely
| moments delay when the usual ques-
ion was put to the jurors. The fore
nan replied that no decision had been