The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-10-06

middle-aged men deliberated
through most of the night.
They examined the dress Miss
McKechnie had made to wear
at her wedding, believing
Edwards was about to put the
seal Of legality upon their af-
fair. The 172 letters Edwards
wrote his second sweetheart. Miss
Margaret Grain, were sent into the
Juryroom where, presumably, they
were read carefully.
AT $50 a. m. Judge w. A. Valen-
tine reconvened court to receive the
verdict The clerk didn't need ask
for it; it was evident in the faces
of twelve men.
Fatal Words Read
Edwards blanched when the fatal
words were -"guilty-death.
His lips contracted into a thin, white
line. He whispered to his counsel
The jury was polled. Each man
in a firm voice responded: Guilty
in the first degree-death"
Judge Valentine thanked the jury
and adjourned court.
Edwards, 81 years old and even
younger in appearance, produced q
cigaret and lighted it with tren-
bling hand. His face was express
sionless as photographers exploded
their flash bulbs. He put out his
left hand for the manacles that
chained him to deputy sheriff, and
almost ran out of the room. He
was taken to ''murderers' row" of
county prison.
Parents All Absent
Neither Edwards parents nor the
parents Of the murdered girl were
in court. Once close friends, they
had attended all previous sessions
without so much as glancing at one
another. They are next door neigh
bors and leading citizens of the
nearby mining community of Ed
wardsville.
Judge Valentine will formally
sentence Edwards to the electric
chair after defense counsel has had
an opportunity to file notice of ap-
peal. Under Pennsylvania law the
jury fixes both the guilt and the
punishment in capital cases.
Thomas E. Lewis, the prosecutor,
said he thought the verdict very
proper" Defense counsel would not
comment.
Childhood Sweethearts
Edwards and Miss McKechnie
we're childhood sweethearts." She
grew up to become a telephone oper-
ator, but he was more ambitious,
obtained part of a college education,
and had his eye on the ministry.
Miss McKechnie was his love until
he met Miss Grain, of East Aurora,
N. Y, cultured, skilled in music and
literature, at college. Then his love
for Miss McKechnie began to dim.
Last March Miss Grain and Ed
wards were meeting periodically for
"trysts." Between trysts. Edwards
continued his companionship with
Miss McKechnie. In his own story
from the witness stand, he said it
was natural for man to seek COM
partnership in the "other sex"
Then last July, Miss McKechnie
informed him that she would be-
come mother within five months.
Edwards told her they would elope
Aug. l. But the night Of July 30,
he took her swimming at Harvey's
lake in the mountains near Ed
wardsville.
Repudiated Confessions
They put on their bathing suits in
Edwards car which Miss Grain had
bought for him. Edwards concealed
a blackjack in his blouse. They
waded out; then Miss McKechnie
began swimming. When she swan
past him, he is alleged to have hit
her with the blackjack.
The body was found several days
later. Edwards, arrested immedi-
ately, gave three confessions. In
court he repudiated them all, claim
ing that Miss McKechnie died of
shock when her body came in con-
tact with cold lake water, that ne
blackjack her only 70 make her
death appear accidental
The trial began last Monday. The
prosecution produced 172 letters
Edwards wrote Miss Grain and a
like number Miss Grain wrote Ed
wards.
Edwards letters were a strange
mixture of the mystic, the erotic,
the perverse-refecting an approach
TO the universal sex problem of
adolescence that had crossed the
line into the abnormal and sub
normal. Much of this correspond
ence was unprintable.
The jury received the case last
night. 1t deiberated five hours, re-
tired to sleep three hours, delib-
Grated an hour more, then an
nounced 1t had reached verdict.