The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-12-14
REV. F. ". SANFORD
FOUND GUILTY
Famous Shiloh Leader
Convicted of Murder
Received Verdict With Calm De
meanor. Jury Ont Short Time.

mehnof. Juf! Out SNORT lime.
Guilty of all six counts for causing
the death of six of his followers, was
the verdict found against Rev Frank
W. Sanford, the head and front of the
Holy Ghost and Is society by jury in
the [. S. District court Saturday.
Sandford will be sentenced on Dec. Is.
The penalty for each of the offences is
a fine not exceeding $4,000 or i'm
prisonment for not exceeding ten
years or both. If imprisoned, he will
he sent to Atlanta. Sanford was re-
leased on $4,000 bail. The jury was
out about 40 minutes.
The Shiloh leader had no comment
to make on the verdict but simply
said it was all right and expressed his
appreciation of the way he had beer
used by Judge Hale, District Attorney
Whitehouse and others. Never has a
Maine court room witnessed a scene
such as that enacted when Rev Frank
W. Sandford addressed the jury, which
was trying him.
For an hour and II minutes Mr..
Sandford talked steadily to the court.
At times his voice was low, his words
slowly spoken; again he thundered
forth his statements, slapping the rail
of the witness stand with his hand,
and talking with rapidty which was
difficult to follow. At other times his
voice broke and he all but sobbed.
From start to finish his one protest
Was, that whatever he had done had
been at the command of God.
Cold told me this" God told
me to do that God told me not to
do this were the frequent assertions,
as Sandford told of this he had
done. He did not once deny that his
acts had been violation of the laws
of man, as the statutes but he insisted
that if he had broken any of these
laws of man, it was unknowingly, un-
Willingly and that he was prepared to
/ take the consequences of his act, re-
gardless of what they might be
You find no squealer here" he
shouted. in one of these bursts.
Mr. Sandford put forward seven
reasons which the jury should know
to have a thorough understanding oil
/ the case
First, that the destination of the
Coronet was known to every member
of the crew.
Second, that the destination was un-
changed from the time they left the
scene of The Kingdom until the Coro-
net put about off Cape Race.
Third, that they had been forbidden
by God to visit any country over
which they had prayed the preceding
year.
Fourth, that they fully expected to
secure an abundance of food from the
fishing fleet on the Grand Banks OFF
i Newfoundland.
Fifth, that they expected to get vege-
tables and fruit from Newfoundland
Sixth, thmt the yacht Coronet, has
always been absolutely under the con
troll of the will of God.
Seventh, that the troubles of tht
yacht Coronet, in the last 40 days oi
the cruise, were due entirely to the
fact that they disobeyed the will oil
God and turned about from the pro
posed trip to Greenland and the Far
North
Throughout his address to the jury
Mr.. Sandford frequently quoted from
the Scripture and in conclusion reaC
from the cath Chapter of Leviticus. A
the end of his statements Mr. Sand
ford was asked ii he cared to put OF
any further witnesses and he said tha
he did mot.
Sandford's Indictment which covered
six typcwritten pages. charged hin
with having caused the death ot
George Hughey, Charles Hughey
Ralph Merrill, Stuart Wolf, John Boil
! ster and John Adamson. The first two
were brothers and with Merrill and
Wolf. died on the cruise. Bolster
and Adams0n arrived here in dying
condition on the yacht and died few
days later at the Marine hospital.
1t was stated in the Indictment that
Sandford unlawfully. knowingly and
wilfully caused and allowed the Coro-
net to proceed and continue on a
voyage without S1itable and sufficient
food to supply the necessities and sus-
tain the life OF George Hughey and
the officers, crew and passengers on
board the yacht
II was further presented that Sand
ford kept the yacht at sea on this yoy-
age from July q to Oct. 16.
The ladies' Of the CONGREGATIONAL