Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-01
TAKES EDICT
CALMLY;HAD
EXPECTED. IT
CONTINUED from Page ons.)

ended.
Gentlemen: Have you reached .
verdict" the Judge asked.
L. r. Kiel. foreman. arose and
answered In the Affirmative. Bailih
Charles Truxell stepped forward to
accept the proffered envelope. He
carried It to the hands Of the walt
ing clerk. There was NOT . sound
In the room ~ the seal was broken
and Mr.. Gamble commenced to
read. clearly and evenly:
I'VE, the Jury. hnd the defendant
guilty In manner and form 40
charged in the Indictment, and We
find his age at the time Of the COM
mission Of tho crime to have been
% years. and we fix his punishment
at Imprisonment in the penitentiary
for the rest OF his natural life."
O'Riley's head was tilted. He
was looking directly at the man
reading the decree. The Argus re-
porter kept his eyes glued on the
convicted mans features. O'Rileys
expression did not change. not SO
much as by the flicker OF an eye
lash. When the clerk concluded,
O'Riley looked about again and 1t
was the same immobile counte-
nance.
Thanks Attorney.
Sheriff Miller and Deputy Hanna
arose when the Judge announced
that the Jury. was excused from
further service. O'Riley did like
wise without prompting. He ex-
tended his hand to Mr.. Olmsted,
smiled bravely again and uttered
the two words, Goodbye. In
f, that handshake he expressed his
deep thanks and appreciation Tor
the unrestrained efforts his attof-
neys had put forth in his behalf.
On his way, back to his cell he
remarked to the sheriff, well,
when will they take me?" Il don't
know yet" was the reply. 1.-THE
sooner the better" spoke the con-
victed man.
He handed the sheriff a letter
unsealed, with the request that II
be mailed for him. He had taken
the time, however. to insert the
words, Joliet for life." 1t was ad.
dressed to Mrs. George Hendrick-
son Of Chicago.
Not Morose.
The letter indicates that O'Riley
did not permit himself to develop
a morose state OF mind IN the las
trying moments. II reveals in
stead that his thoughts were Of hi
mother. 1t was written in a free
legible manner. There was not {
waver in the lines to show hi
hand might have been the leas
unsteady. It follows in full:
Friday, P. M.
NY dear Mrs. Hendricksen:
Please read this to my moth
er as soon a. possible. sup
pose she will be angry. hut nay
case was shorter than l ex-
pected. My case went to the
jury today at 2 o'clock and ct
$3.50 tonight they returned a
verdict of guilty and sentenced
me to Joliet for life.
Now tell her not to worry as
there ID nothing can be done
now, % II Is all over. am /,
writinx this before hear the
verdict and perhaps I may be
mistaken. am leaving blank
space for the verdict. Tell
Mother I send all my love and
kisses and ask God to bless her
forever and ever. Again I want
to thank ycu for your kindness
and courtesy towards Mother
and myself and I am sure God
will always bless you and
yours forever.
Twill close now, % It IL
time to 30 to court. beg to
remain %
Your friends,
HALE O'RILEY.
II u now e:26 .. m.
Do not como q I don't knoy
when ! will leave. VIII write
you from Joliet. Love and
kisses. II HALE.
The strain Of the trial at an On
the Jurors laughed and shook hant
with those IN the court. There u
much plsasanter duties than pas
ine on the fate Of q man four
guilty of murder.
Tho tuTy could never ha,
aTreed On inflicting the death pei
atty. Ons 81 the number said tn
this could not have been. II thu
had argued for 80 days. =
Stats Content.
Assistant states Attorney Eag
exprcssed himself as satisfied wi
the verdict. This seemed to Il
conssnsss Of opinion. It was ga
that the state had offered to recon
mend . life sentence II O'Riley h,
entered : plea Of guilty. but tn
he declined, preferring to take h
chance with . Jury.
The jaFy was composed Of Il
followiuk: L. n. Kiel. Molin
eorsman: John A. CLANS, Hampto,
Marry shay. Carbon Cliff: r.
Benson, Rock Island: H. N. He
dren. Rock Island; A. W. Suisse
5ilvis; Lei Schneider, East Molin,
Warren Cook. Black Hawk tow
ship; William Powell, Moline; Va
uey d. zigmer, Rock Island; E.
Braman, Rock Island. and W.
Mccarthy. Rock Island.
PAsbEs EXAMINATION.