Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-05
MRS. LINDLoFF IS
GIVEN Is YEARS

Chicago. Nov. 5.-Mrs. Louise Lind
loft was convicted of murder in the
first degree, and her punishment fixed |
at % years in the penitentiary, by a |
jury in Judge Windes' court last night |
The verdict, not unexpected. came !
at o'clock last night, after the jury
had been celebrating a little more
than three hours and a half.
1t is the first conviction for murder !
Of a white woman In Cook county
since the first trial of Sadie Blaha, a
year ago. Sadie Blaha was sentenced
to II years in the penitentiary when
tried in Judge Scanlon's court, but
was acquitted on the second trial in
Judge Cooper's court.
Other women who have been tried
for murder since then, and none of
whom has been convicted. are Mrs.
Louise Vermilya, Mrs. Jane Quinn,
Mrs. Rene B. Morrow, Mrs. Florence
Bernstein and Mrs. Lena Musso.
Mrs. Lindloff heard the verdict read
by Thomas LAWN, the clerk of the
court, without visible emotion. Her
countenance. while pale, did not
change when the fatal words were
read, and all the time the Jurors were
being polled for their individual YER
dict her look of calm acceptance of
her fate remained the same.
She knew her fate before the YER
dict was read; she saw it in the tell
tale averted looks of the Jurors as
they filed slowly into their places in
the jury box.
Judge William Fenimore Cooper
was waiting at Newberry hotel when
he was told the jury had reached
verdict and he hastened to the court
room. Judge Windes had arranged
with Judge Cooper to wait for the
verdict
At 9:15 o'clock Mrs. Lindloff was
led into the court and took her seat.
Shortly after the jurors entered the
room and the foreman, Felix Kalb.
handed the verdict to the court clerk
Mrs. Lindloff looked up quickly,
searchingly gazed at each juror, and
then, disappointed and frightened at
what she saw in each face, dropped
her head.
Miss Sadie Ray, and Mrs. Mary
Wentzler, friends of Mrs. Lindloff,
were sitting just behind her. They
too seemed to read in each reluctant
face what they were afraid to acknow-
ledge.
The courtroom was very quiet while
Mr.. LAWN slowly read the paper hand
ed to him by Kalb. I'VE, the jury, find
the defendant, Mrs. Louise Lindloff, u
he paused for a moment and the list
eners held their breath, guilty OF
murder as charged in the indictment,
and fix her punishment at 25 years in
the penitentiary."
Just at this moment two newspaper
photographers flash lights exploded
but the woman never moved. she did
not seem to hear the loud noise.
George Remus, counsel for the de-
fense, was upon his feet Immediately
with a demand for motion for a new
trial. The motion will be heard a
week from next Saturday, pending
. which sentence will be delayed.
1t took three ballots to determine
INC puHiShlhculB ldlG JuTOIo ali TtdCH
ing the verdict of guilty on their first
ballot.
, Five jurymen wanted to impose life
a, imprisonment The others wanted tC
impose a heavier penalty. On the sec
ond ballot the jury stood five for life
seven for 40 years, and on the thirC
ballot the verdict was agreed upon.
,, Twenty-Five years may mean life II
Mrs. Lindloff's case, it is said, as sht
is now about As years old.
= Prosecutors Smith and Loves de
= clared that much of the victory wa.
= due to the efficient police work of Cap
tain Bernard p. Baer, who worked III
the case, and to the dignifed ant
, just way in which Judge Windes hat
! given his rulings.
The next woman to be tried 70
s murder, it is said. will probably b,
Mrs. Louise Vermilya, in whose frs
d trial the jury disagreed, and who i
n now in Jail awaiting a rehearing.
8 For the first time since her trial be
s gan, Mrs. Louise Lindloff gave way 4
d the fears that have oppressed her an
r wept continuously all through her al
+ raignment by Claude Smith, assistan
d states attorney yesterday afternoon.