The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1908-11-27
LANPHERE BEGINS
I.
S>ERvINC Time.
Given hs animate Term CT
From d q Years.
JURY IS OUT OVER "a HOURS.
Agreement Is Something of a Com.
promise, Several Members Being in
Favor Of First Degree Murder With
Life Sentence,

Favor of First Degree Murder With
Life Sentence.
Laporte, Ind, Nov. 27-Ray Lam
phere, convicted of arson in ConneC-
tion with the Guinness case, was taken
to Michigan City today to begin serv-
ing his sentence of from two to
twenty-one years.
No motion for new trial was made
and 1t is believed that the defense will
allow the sentence to stand in the
hope of getting a parole for Lamphere
at the end of two years, which could
be done under the indeterminate
sentence
The Jury's Verdict.
Laporte, Ind, Nov. 27.-Ray Lam.
phere, charged with the murder o,
Mrs Belle Guinness and her three chill
dren by setting fire to the Guinness
house April %, was last night found
guilty of arson by the jury.
Within five minutes after the YER
dict was reported, Judge Richter had
sentenced the defendant to the state
penitentiary at Michigan City for an
indeterminate term of from two to
twenty-one years. He was taken to
Michigan City today to begin his SEN
tence.
The verdict was reached within half
an hour after the jurors had returned
from supper. Word was conveyed to
Bailiff Metz, who at once telephoned
Judge Richter and the attorneys in
the case. The lights in the big court
room were turned on and within fif-
teen minutes the court was filled.
Lamphere was brought over from the
Jail and the jury filed into the court
room and took its place. Foreman
Henry Mill announced that the jury
had agreed and with that he passed
the white piece of paper to Judge
Richter, who, after making the entry
on his docket, read the verdict:
I'VE, the jury, find the defendant
guilty Of arson and that he is thirty
eight years old"
Judge Richter instructed Lamphere
to stand up. The prisoners face still
looked haggard and his eyes were
| downcast. Judge Richter asked him
II he had any reasons to give why
sentence should not be pronounced.
he replied: 81 have none" With
that Judge Richter sentenced him to
the state prison in Michigan City for
an indeterminate term of from two to
twenty-one years fined him $4,000 and
DISTINGUISHED him for five years.
Attorney Worden for the defense
said that a motion for a new trial
would be made, and should 1t be re-
| fused, an appeal to the Indiana SUI
preme court would follow. The Indi-
ana supreme court is two years be.
| hind in its work, and so this case
could not be reached until after he
sentence. Mr.. Worden declared the
verdict to be ridiculous.
"If he was guilty at ALL" said the
attorney, "he would have been guilty
of murder He should have been &C.
quilted"
The motion for a new trial will be
based on the courts instruction that
of arson.
! Should the case be carried to the
supreme court and sent back for re.
| trial, Lamphere could not be tried on
| any charge in this particular case ex-
cepting arson, the crime of which he
was convicted. However, in an event
of that kind, the state would elect to
try him on one of the other indict.
ments, probably the Helgelein case.
Members of the jury are reticent
about discussing what occurred in the
jury room, but enough has been
learned to know that but for two men,
bers, Lamphere would have been
found guilty OF murder or manslaugh-
ter. In other words, the verdict is
something of a compromise. Several
members of the jury, it is understood,
held out long for murder in the first
degree, with a life sentence. So far
as could be learned, none was for
hanging.