Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-12-09
HUMPHREY IS FOUND GUILTY
Jury Fixes Life Imprisonment as PEN
atty for Murder of Ham PAX.
DEIIBERAuoE LASTED 20 HOURS
Prisoner Hears verdict without
FlinchinE and His Attorneys VIII
Ask for n New Trial or Garry
Case 20 Supreme Court.

I Charles Pumphrey. the Is-yesr-old bell
boy. must be confined in the penitentiary
for the remainder Of his life for the murder
OF Ham PAX. proprietor OF a Chinese res
taurant at 1906 Douglas street. last July.
The jury in Judge Troup's court which
heard the testimony returned a verdict OF
guilty Of murder in the first degree Sunday
afternoon AZ 2:30 o'clock ana fixed the
penalty al life Imprisonment. after almost
twenty hours of deliberation. While
Pllmphrey had expected an acquittal or a
disagreement, he was not visibly affected
by the verdict. HIS mother. Mrs. Roe OF
st. Joseph, and Anna Parr. the girl that
Pumphrey testified he was engaged TO
marry, were both in the court room. They
were deeply affected by the verdict but
they maintained their composure until after
the verdict was read. Humphreys attor-
neys. John o. Yeiser and Carl Z. Herring.
will ask for a new trial and II this IS
denied viii take the case to the supreme
court
The verdict was reached at l2;O5 Sunday.
but the jury went TO dinner before report
ing the verdict 70 the court. II was after
2:3o when they returned TO the court house
and the verdict was Immediately read In
the presence OF three or four spectators
and the attorneys and relatives Of the
defendant After a short consultation with
his lawyers and his mother P1mphrey was
taken back to the county jail to await
sentence.
some Favored AcquittaI.
The attorneys for Pumphrey expressed
surprise ct the verdict, but many OF those
who heard the testimony at the trial anti
cipated IT, The jury went out at 4:40
Saturday afternoon and though a majority
stood from the first for conviction. small
minority stood out until Sunday morning
for an acouittal. Some time was also spent
in reaching decision as TO whether death
or Imprisonment for life should be fixed
as the punishment. The verdict was signed
By r. w. Bryant as foreman.
After the verdict was read Jeff Davis.
one OF the jurors. made a short statement
to the court expressing the thanks Of the
jury to the court and the attorneys for
the courtesies received and especially TO
Bagliffs Kirkendall and Bandhauer for their
faithfulness and courtesy in handling the
jury during its confinement. Judge Troup
dismissed the Jurors from further service
after thanking them for the work
Hope Of a verdict had almost departed
after the jury had remained out all night
without reaching an agreement. Until late
Saturday Humphreys mother, sister and
Miss Parr remained at the court house
awaiting a verdict. but none came They
went back 10 the court house Sunday
morning and remained until after the
verdict was read.
PAX. the victim OF the rIiirdeT. was
beaten to death with a club and robbed
of about $50 Pumphrey. Basil Mullen and
william Allmack. the latter an employe
Of PAX. fed and were afterward arrested
and brought back. Mullen turned states
evidence and implicated Pumphrey as the
principal Pumphrey denied committing
the crime and laid it to Mullen. He de-
clared in his testimony he did not know
anything about 1t until he saw Iullen
beating the Chinaman. he also sontended
Mullen forced him to nee at the point OF q
revolver and prevented him by threats
from returning and making clean breast
Of II.