Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-06
RECORD IS MADE
| IN EARLY ENDING
OF MURDER CASE
Death Penalty Verdict Fixed by Jury
81 Days After Carter Commit
ted the Crime. -,
CANNOT HANG BEFORE FEBRUARY
Statute Contains Law Which VIII
Keep Negro From Gallows at
Least Two Months
RECORD OF MURDER CASE.
Murder 0ccurred-4:30 q. me-

Garter arested-o n. Ms NOV. 4.
Confession made III a. nl~
Nov. 4.
Held to grand jnry-Nor. 5.
Mob forms to lynch Negro
Nov. II.
Taken to Davenport iail-Noy.
-.
Indicted by grand jnry-Nov. III.
Case postponed Nov. II.
Trial opened p. M, Dec. 3.
Jury completed-i0:3o a. Ms
Dec. 4. ~
Testimony closed-1i:30 a. m-
Dec. ).
Arguments Clbsed-6:15 p. M,
Dec. 5.
Verdict returned-9 p N,
Dec. ).
Thirty-two days after William Car
ter, Negro prowler, murdered Peter
Jelyek in cold blood as he sat IN
half upright posture in bed, jury IN
circuit court brought in a verdict fix
ing the death penalty.
This is believed to be a record In
point OF time for prosecution OF q
crime carrying with 1t the maximum
punishment. The foregoing record
shows the detailed steps in the case.
Had il not been for the request of a
postponement two weeks ago, which
was granted by the court, 1t is entire
" probable that state record would
have been established in speeding JUS
tice
| officials were very anxious to clean
ND the case in short order owing to
/ the state of mind of the public. There
was constant demand that Carter be
given a hearing at once and that the
death penalty be inflicted, news Of
his confession q few hours after the
shooting occurred, convincing the
public that the police had apprehend-
ed the murderer.
Removed From jail.
So heated did pubic opinion become
/ that on the night of Nov II mob Of
angry citizens formed and stormcd
the county Jail in an effort to get tht
Negro and lynch him. The day follow
] ing Carter was removed from the loca
! Jail and taken out of the city. 1t has
since been learned that he was placed
. in the Scott county jail in Davenport
Carpenters of the tri-cities were
particularly loud in their threat:
against the Negro. Jeivek, the victim
of the cold-blooded murder, was a car
penter. employed by Stone & WebsteI
on construction work at the Rock Is
land arsenal. He was member o
the carpenters union and his broth
ers Of the craft were In high stat
Of excitement
The surprising feature of the cas-
was that although public demands TO
the death penalty were so numerous
but comparative few spectators at
: tended the trial It was thought b
i court attaches that the case would at
= tract SPECTATORS by the scores and til
j capacity of the courtroom would b
taxed. II Is explained that the smal
attendance was due largely to the fac
j that the case was tried a few day
o earlier than 1t was anticipated ar
e that the trial was so short, the pull
9 lie had not fully realized the progress
d that was being made In the hearing.
: Immediately after the verdict wa
e brought In last night, counsel for th
e defense made motion for new tria
II Arguments on this wifi be heard earl
Y next week, probably Tuesday If tn
o motion is oVerruled, as the states a
n torpey believes it will be, claimin
: there is nothing substantial upo
It which to base a motion for a ne
d hearing, the Judge will sentence II
Negro. In this event, his attorney
R. V. Western and e. C. Willis, bot
l. of Davenport, probably will appeal Il
case. Then the supreme court wi
J have to act. The supreme court ma
), either order a new trial or confirm q
:, Judgment,
J. Not Before February.
lie The hanging cannot take pla
earlier than February. as the statut
N provide that the death penalty shs
Of not be inflicted before the next Sc
le sion OF the supreme court followil
tn the return Of the verdict. In Il
r. event that the case is appealed, Il
H. sentence Of course will not be il
lg posed until such time that the hi
IN tribunal confirms the Judgment.
toll Should execution follow the verdi
IL the hanging will take place in I
as yard of the Rock Island county cou
t. house. A mistaken impression h
been gained that the execution wou
Mt take place at Joliet at the state Del
st tentiary. A law to this effect was re
hi commended some time ago to the leg
lis lature by the Sheriffs' Association, /
nm the bill never became law.
- NEW ROSTnM cor HTup