Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-21

The above is the verdict which the
jury In the Clyde Stratton murder
case returned in circuit court this
morning about 10 O'Clock, after hay
ing been out A hours. The Jury
got the case Thursday morning at
1910 and when called into court yes
terday morning by Judge r w. Ohm
sted, reported that they stood S to 4.
This was Immediately taken to mean
that the majority favored conviction,
although this was mere supposition.
The feeling at that time was general
that the jury might disagree and that
the court would probably call in the
jury this morning and enter order of
dismissal but any such prediction
was wrong, for the discussion was
over the penalty TO be inflicted and
not over the guilt Of the defendant.
BRILLIANT VICTORY.
The verdict was a brilliant victory
for the state and from all over the
city today elaborate praise is being
bestowed upon the efficient young
county states attorney, Floyd E.
Thompson. for the masterful way he
handled the case unassisted, ex-
cept for the opening argument to the
jury by Hon. William McEniry and his
assistance in the examination of some
OF the witnesses. Tho burden of the
work fell upon he ..s.y prosecutor
and he proved himself more than
equal 10 the task
DEFTNSE SURPRISED.
There is no Eainsaying the fact that
the defense was surprised al the YER
dict rendered. They cid not E-pe for
an lcquittal but lid bell We that there
would be a disagreement and that be-
cause OF the heavy expense involved
the case would not be tried again. II
Is alleged that after the jury reported
In court yesterday morning the work
CT winning over the Jour who stood
Ter ucquittal was started and that las,
evening all but one was willing to
sign the verdict of guilty. Il was not
until after breakfast this morning at
o'clock when the fL, ballot was
taken that the lone juror was induced
TO sign the verdict after almost two
solid days and nights of argument
But few were in court when the
jury came in. The general opinion
was that the jury could not get to-
gether and that the court would call
them in this morning al. discharge
them, but at 10 O'Clock, while divorce
matters were being heard, the Jury
came IN OF its own accord and brought
in its verdict. Sidney Pea-scn, fore
man, whose name appears last on the
verdict, when asked by the court if a
verdict had been reached, stated that
It had. 1t was handed 10 the court
and from him to the circuit clerk, who
announced the verdict When the IA
tai words which meant another long
term in the state penitentiary were
spoken, Clyde Stratton, charged with
the murder Of Banker j. Lee Crowder
OF Silyis, never lost his composure for
minute. He smiled in the same old
way rs though thoroughly indifferent
as to the punishment meted out TO
him for his dastardly deed He had
been Clearly shaver, had a clean col
lar on and looked like a prosperous
onlooker rather than the defendant
in one Of the county's most noted muir
der trials. He had in the lapel of his
coat the emblem of one of the popular
secret orders. His attorney, Henry
]. Nowlan OF Peoria, who also has
smiled continually in a sarcastic fash
ion at the whole proceeding. attempt
ing evidently 10 beiittle all of the evil
dence introduced and resting solely
on the alleged weakness Of the con
fession OF Thomas jefferson, pal of
Stratton who peaChed on Stratton and
named him as the man who dealt the
lbow that caused the death Of Mr.
Crowder, was not In cour. when the
verdict was read. He left for home
last evening, presumably because he
was so confident OF the result of the
case. and the defendant was repre-
sonted in court by W. a. Petersen OF
Davenport
HEINOUS CRIME.
Local people are already familiar
with most of the details OF the STRAIT
ton-Crowder murder. On the night OF
Dec. Z, 1912, a gang of four yeggmen
entered the bank of J. Lee Crowder
at Silvis and after tying him up in a
sheet and gagging him, beat him into
insensibility and then took $500 from