Weekly journal-miner., 1917-09-26
 FIRST DEGREE MURDER
 IN EIGHTEEN MINUTES
(From Tuesdays Daily.)

(From Tuesdays Daily.)
 Hugh Mckinnon, charged with the murder of John Simpson on the Slate Creek road last December was last night convicted of murder in the first degree, the jury having reached its decision on the first ballot and after having been out but IS minutes. The convict lien carries with 1t a sentence of life in the penitentiary.
 The conviction of the defendant came after a trial which had lasted five days and in which the greater part of the evidence introduced was of a purely circumstantial character. The most damaging testimony pre- scented, and the testimony which in all probability caused the jury to re- turn its verdict in such speedy man. nes, was the recital of the alleged confession which Mrs. Jessie Troutz, a Federal prisoner, swore that Me Kinnon made to her during his in generation in the county jail. Mrs. Troutz on Saturday testified that Nc Kinnon had made a clean breast of the matter to her, evidently hoping to thereby enlist her aid in his plan to escape from the jail.
 McKnnon will be sentenced to the penitentiary on Thursday morning, September 27th.
 The taking of testimony was ended during the afternoon, the defense in troducing but one witness. w. $. Massey, a shoe salesman in local clothing store was put on the stand by the counsel for the defense, in an effort to show that the shoes worn by the defendant on the date of the mur- der could not have made the tracks by which the man was traced to the cabin of C. F. Sannier on the morning of the fugitive's arrest by Officer Fitzgerald.
 Argument Begins.
 County Attorney Neil (. Clark be- gan the opening argument for the State late in the afternoon, his talk occupying several hours time. He was followed by Attorney James Coleman of the defense, who spoke for about two hours. The defense was based largely upon the circum- stantial character of the evidence, which had been introduced against McKinnon, and an effort was also made to discredit the story related by Mrs. Troutz. The States closing argument was made by E. s. Clark, who was assisting his son, Neil, in the prosecution of the case. His talk ended shortly before 10 o'clock, and the lengthy instructions to the jury were then made by Judge Smith. Four forms of verdicts were prepared and handed to the jury They were for verdicts of murder in the frst de- gree, murder in the second degree, manslaughter and acquittal. The jury retired at about l0:3O, and were back in their seats Is minutes later.
 Mrs. Troutz Recalled.
 During the morning session, Mrs. Troutz, whose testimony on Saturday was interrupted by an argument which ensued between opposing counsel, was again placed on the stand, and few minor details of the alleged con fession of McKinnon were gone into.
 Asked as to why she had consented to give this line of testimony if she pretended to be a friend of the ac- cused, she replied that she had con sented to testify only after she had been pinned down by Sheriff Young, and had confessed to him that AcKinnon had told her the details of the murder. She said that she under stood that Sheriff Young had had sus- picions that McKinnon had told her the story of the killings, and that the officer had questioned her so closely that she had at last felt obliged to tell Young what she had heard. She denied, however, that she had been bribed, frightened or coerced into tell ing the story. Following her testi- mony of the morning session, Sheriff Young was again put on the stand, and told a few details regarding the country near the scene of the murder, describing a small bridge near which the men were said to have hid the guns with which they murdered their victims.
 Following the noon recess, Attor- ney Spaulding of the defense, made a motion that the jury be instructed to return a verdict of acquittal because of the faulty manner in which the ln- formation had been drawn mp. Fol lowing a lengthy argument and the citation of numerous instances winch did or did not prove the contention Of inc defense. the motion was over ruled. Several hours were spent m preparing the instructions for the iury and the opening arguments were not begun until about 4 o'clock.
 McKinnon, who was arrested m December a few days after the com mission of the crime, maintained an air of composure all during the trial and it was only at the time that Mrs. Troutz was giving her damaging tes- timony that the defendant seemed nervous and i'll at ease. While he was not placed on the stand, he stead lastly maintained that he had no con nection with the killing of the two Simpsons. Those who followed the