Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-10
DURKIN CONVICTED;
PENALTY FIXED At
s. YEARS BY Jury
Verdict Reached in Few
Hours, But Men Debate
Long on Sentence.
"SHEIK" BANDIT. ACCUSED
OF KILLING U. S. AGENT
Granted IL Continuances When At.
torneys Declined to Defend
Case in Chicago Courts.
By the Associated Press.

4 Cf11CAS1Os July 1V.--AAtAI LII - Deh
kin, sheik automobile thief and gun
man. 10 guilty Of numbering Edwin g.
Shanahan, Federal agent. Thirty-hve
years in prison is the penalty recon-
mended by the jury.
The youthful outlaw. who fed TO
California and back with one sweet
heart, later to return and marry an
other girl, was found to have shot the
officer while the latter was attempting
his arrest, for automobile theft. The
State had pleaded for q hanging ver-
dict, while the defense contended Dur
kin shot in self defense
Durlan, who Is "a years old. show.
ed no emotion when the verdict was
read.
The jury had voted him guilty at 2
am, after retiring at 1850 o'clock
last night. Then for nearly six hours
the jurors debated his punishment.
whether galloWs or prisoT-and short
iy before 8 am reached an agree
ment.
The verdict ending six.week trial
before Superior Judge HI. B. Miller
was read at S.45.
Was Killed Last October.
shanahan was slain on october II,
1925, in garage.
Durkin's plea was self defense, that
he had shot the Federal operative De
cause he believed him q bandit
jeoparSiizing the $4,000 Of admittedly
liquor profits which the youth carried
at the time.
The conviction agreement was
reached on the fourth ballot. The
4 q Gr,n n
next was 8 to 3, and on the third. ID
had been won to q guilty decision.
The Jurors began their elaboration
81 1887 O'clock Friday ni&lit. after
the court concluded long session
with . charge coyeriHgs fOisE verdict
Judge Miller. balancing the States
contention that ShanAhan was max
ing legal arrest In q justifiabls
manner and Durkin's self-defenseI
plea, pointed out that the. drawing
of weapon did not imply malice,
but fear, and legitimate fear if the
person believed himself In danger.
The court. also pointed out, however,
that II Durkin had any intimation Of
Shanahan's identity. he was resisting
arrest and guilty OF murder.
Gave -Four Alternatives.
-, 49,.
fae SaV0 tnS ~. Inese aass SlsSs.
GuiiIy ana Ine deaLn penaLg sunsy
ana HE imprisonment; guilty. ana 3
auittal.
known only casually 70 police Iass
- 81 Wno1 e.. -. y. .,.s a"s 80. ..,s.S.
the alleged theft Of a motor sedan
In California. DurfZin became In a.
low u1ys = n,an h'hy haeiOhaily hutleeu -
an arcn-crlmiIial.
me coas1to-coasI scope oL aus nlsnt
from afTesI: the Doiuness ana success
oL nls EVASION. lne parL n nus pere'
gTlnaAions ol three erstWniie sweet
hearts and the trail Of death left IN
the wake Of MS pursuit IOcussed the
spotlignk OF pnDhc a1tentom on TINS
youth ana his career OF crime.
Traahng Durkin from the Pacific
Coast 70 ms Chicago honne. omcers dis
coVered 10 e garage nery last Ocfoper
tne car lney sougnt: Mnen Durkin
entered at its wheel, Shaziahan. an
operative Of the Federal Department
OF Justice. approached him TO make
MS arrest.
Shots were fred. Durlkin fed In his
car. and Shanahan diad =. Yax,, hn,,s.,.s
later from gun rrl,-,,rr wounds n nis ado.
men. EarIy the next morning Durkin
was taken by car to VnIparaiso Irlll..
where he boarded 4. train FOR eIeve.
land.
- o.
Sorveo " SvOfsl W.
Durkin had served with the cana,
dian army abroed Siursnc tS,e yVorid
war. Discharred while vef IN s his n
teens. he married Ruth Fiebeck. and