Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-09-28
End OF the Murder Case.

w nat an interest Is ldhcA ia NooO
involving human life Ten minutes
after the Court House bell began ring
ing last Sunday afternoon the Court
room was crowded; a few minutes more,
and the prisoner was in Court, and the
jurymen in their places.
AS each jurors name was called ne
answered and arose; the prisoner also
stood, and they were again invited 10
look at each other.
To the chow say You question the
foreman answered Guilty of murder in
the second degree" and each member
of the jury repeated it as his name was
called.
Their verdict was SO recorded, and
they were discharged, and Johd b. Nc
Laughlin was taken back TO Jail. con-
victed of being guilty of murder in the
second degree, the extreme penalty for
which is solitary confinement at hard
labor for period of twenty years. sub
ject to the rebate system of all pen-
tentiaries for good conduct.
The jurymen pledged themselves to
each other not to tell how they stood on
first ballot, but is known that there
were some first degree men on it, and
also some manslaughter men. The jury
is said to have stood six for first degree
three for second, and three for man
slaughter, and the verdict of second de-
gree was agreed upon Sunday morning.
The evidence in the case was all IN
by Friday afternoon; Saturday was de-
voted to speech making and the Court
charge, and the case went to the jury
at $50 that evening, and as they came
in Sunday afternoon at 2:3O, they were
''out'' in all twenty-one hours. 1t was
the most exciting case tried in this
county since the Mills case in 1892, and
will cost the county about a thousand
dollars.
Two of the jurymen were indisposed
during their five-days confinement, but
none seriously i'll.
The jury was composed of:
Harry Cooper. contractor, OF Evans
City.
J. M. Wick, Third ward, Butler.
George B. Slentz, car worker, Butler.
Richard Black, farmer, of Slippery
Rock township.
Daniel L. Dunbar, farmer, of Forward
township.
w. P. Martin, farmer, Venango twp.
w. A. Smith. farmer. of Donegal
township.
j. B. Black, ex postmaster, of Butler.
J. s. Jack, newsdealer, Of Butler.
John F, Lowry. retired, Of Butler.
Barney Kemper, health officer, Butler
J. NJ. Porter, carpenter, of Butler.
Since the trial there has been con-
siderable discussion as to whether, had
the jury disagreed, Mclaughlin could
have again been placed on trial, and the
answer is, Yes, but not for first degree
murder, as the state constitution forbids
mans life being placed in jeopardy a
second time for the same offense; and If
a new trial Is asked for and granted the
degree, if found guilty, cannot be
above second.
In this state mans life is held to be
placed in jeopardy when he is brought
to trial, but in some other states it is
not so held until the verdict is given.
In New York lately, the notorious
Man Patterson was tried three times
for first degree murder, and as the jury
disagreed each time, the District At
torney gave up the job. and the Court
let her 60.
This trial for murder is the sixth since
that of James Mills in 1892, and he,also,
was found guilty of murder in the sec
ond degree. after his sensational escape
from jail and recapture.
Tuesday afternoon written motion
for new trial was presented to Court.
asking 80 days for the preparation OF
reasons.
AT the general election in Cuba. last
week, President Palma's party. the
Moderates gained complete victory
over the Liberals. The election passed
off quietly in Havana, but in Cienfuegos