Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-03-31
SENTENCED ONE DAY
FOR MANSLAUCHTER
Jury Inclined to Leniency
in Trial of Steve
4 NrOnatz.
HAD THREE VERDICTS
Finding Claimed to Be the
Lightest Ever Returned
z in Similar Case.
HAD THREE VERDICTS

1--WE, the jury, find Steve Vronatz
guilty of manslaughter in the second
degree, but in consideration of tho
ume he has been confined in Jail rec
oinmend that his punishment be
tixed at one day in the county Jail"
Z After deliberating for nearly seven
hours, this was the third and final
Verdict to be returned and accepted
BY Judge Conn Linn of the district
court in the trial of Steve Vronat2 for
The murder of Roy Burrows. The
sentcnce is probably the lightest ever
passed upon prisoner for second
degree mansaughter, but was even
heavier than that which the jury de-
termned upon when they returned
Their first verdict ut about o'clock
lASt night. Vronatz will be sentenced
this morning and will be released
spme time during the day.
Two Vcrdicts Refused.
Tie first two verdicts brought into
court by the jurors proved contrary
70 the penalty provided by law.
Judge Linn refused to accept them
and sent the jurymen back to their
room.
n The first verdict found Vronatz
gliilty of manslaughter and set his
enlistment at one year in Jail, but
asked that the time he has been
confined in Jail be deducted from
his sentence. 1t was found that he
had been confined in the county Jail
JUS six days more than yetY
and tho jury was sent back.
After another hour or SO another
verdict was read in which Vronatz
wns found guilty Of manslaughter
and recommended that he be confined
In the county iail until April l. This
verdict was also refused by the court
and again the jury was sent back.
Asked to BE Discharged.
= Before returning several Jurors pro-
tested that it was impossible to agree
on a verdict which took on any other
form and asked that they be dis
Charged Judge Linn refused to do
this and ordered them to go back.
2 At about $40, after having made
trip to the Keystone rooms to visit
the scene of the murder and returned
two invalid verdicts the jurors sent
word down to the bailiff that they
had arrived upon another decision.
The jurors walked into the courtroom
ond offered their third verdict, which
was accepted.
Attorney John Sykes who, with A.
g. Roberts, acted as counsel for Nro-
natz, insisted that Judge Linn pass
aentence on their client at once so
that he might expedite his serving the
sentence The court gave notice that
Ne would sentence VronatZ this morn
ing at 3 o'clock.
Scene in Jury Room.
Il One of the jurors told of the scenes
enacted in the jury room. "On the
drst ballot we stood nine for acquit-
tai. one for manslaughter in the first
degree, and two for manslaughter in
the second degree. Several ballots
were taken and finally one of the
jurors declared he wanted to visit the
scene of the murder
W after we returned another ballot
was taken but there was no change.
Then we tried persuasion and oratory
and finally we found we could agree
by compromising and we brought in
our first ballot
After it had been refused all that
remained was to word it different as
the Jurors who were holding out re-
fused to agree to sentence of less
than year. We never could have
agreed If the third ballot had not
been accepted.
= VIOnatz Still Smiles.
Il Vronatz was still smiling when the
fury filed into the room the last time
and when the verdict was read the
jrrors filed past him and shook his
hand.
He shot and killed Roy Burrows in
self-defense in the Keystone rooms
March 90, 1915. Since that time he
HAS been awaiting trial in the county
jail.
" The trial occupied the attention Of
the court for two days. after the at
torneys completed their arguments to
the jury at 2 o'clock yesterday after
Noon.
4 a. S. Roberts. probably the young
est attorney in the city. together with
John Sykes handled the defense while
the state was represented by County
attorney j. =. Evers and Assistant
County Attorney Ed Warren.
Penn State Wins