The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-27

Laporte, Ind, Nov. 27-Ray Lam
phere, charged with the murder OF
Mrs. Belle Guinness and her three chill
dren by setting fire TO the Guinness
house April IS. was last evening found
guilty of arson by the jury, which had
the case since $50 Wednesday even
ing.
Within five minutes after the ver-
dict was reported Judge Richter had
sentenced the defendant to the state
penitentiary at Michigan City for an
indeterminate term OF from two 10
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.
When Judge Richter asked the jury
II verdict had been reached Fore
man Henry Mill announced that the
jury had agreed and with that he pass
ed 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 3S years
old.
Henry Mill, Foreman"
Judge Richter thereupon asked each
juror individually II this was his ver-t
dict and the answer in each case was
yes"
Statement Suppressed.
Previous to handing in of the ver-
dict to Judge Richter Foreman Mill
stated that he wished TO make a state
ment to the court, but Judge Richter
informed him that he could not hear
any statement until after the verdict
had been received and read.
After IL had been read Judge Rich
ter asked him If he cared to make the
statement, but he said that it would
do no good now.
Before the Jury was discharged
Judge Richter expressed his thanks to
the jury for its careful and conscien-
tious consideration of the case. Prose-
cutor Smith also thanked the jury.
Following the withdrawal of the
jury Judge Richter asked Lamphere
II he had any reasons TO state why
sentence should not be pronounced.
He replied slowly but distinctly: Il
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 $1,000 and disfranchised him for
five years. The court then instructed
the sheriff to return the prisoner to
his cell.
Will Demand New Trial.
Attorney Worden. for the defense.
said last night that a motion for a
new trial would be made and should IL
be refused an appeal to the Indiana
supreme court would follow Mr.. wor-
den declared the verdict to be ridicu-
lous. IF If was guilty at ALL said
the attorney, he would have been
guilty of murder. He should have
been acquitted
The motion for new trial will be
based on the courts instruction that
they could find Lamphere guilty of ar
son.
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 sx-
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.
Lamphere in statement last night
said that he was confident that the
dead body in the fire was Mrs. Gun
ness regardless OF what others think
He reiterated his innocence of setting
fire TO the house. He also declared
that he did not see Mrs. Guinness kill
HelgeIein
Il have no complaint TO make about
the verdict Things looked pretty
blue, but the verdict might have been
worse" he said.
In statement signed by all the jur-
ors. they declare that IL was their
judgment that the adult body found
in the ruins was that of Belle Guinness
and that the case was decided ON an
entirely different proposition