| Show A VERDICT AT LAST coughlin burke and bunze guilty JOHN THE DEED the jury the from alie noose how the verdict effected the prisoners Kui izes ont burst of innocence from thursdays DAILY special to the ENQUIRER CHICAGO dec 16 one of alie most memorable trials in alie criminal history of america closed aliis afternoon when the jury oliree months ago rendered its verdict in the cronin case the return orthis jury with a verdict and not a disagreement is a source of much congratulation holthe public mind I 1 and although is naturally much division of sentiment on the question of an approval of alie verdict the sense of relict which is experienced at the final culmination of the case is unanimous however bitter too may have been alie feelings engendered by alie two factions into which the irish people have been divided in the case it cannot fail to bo a source of congratulation to judge mcconnel that ids impartial conduct as presiding judge has been such as to win lor him not only the applause of bogli of these opposing factions auf the approval alike of the leading jurists ot the land upon alie validity of his rulings As tho court convened at 2 p m he received the verdict of the enry gentleman said the court 1 I understand you haye reached a conclusion in this case with a bow foreman clarke took from his pocket a large envelope and handed it to the judge who in turn handed it to the clerk TheS clerk will read the verdict said the court instantly a hush so profound that as the clerk tore open the envelope the sound fell discordantly upon alie anxious ears A moment later this anxiety became painful iu its intensity as alie sonorous voice of the clerk began reading the verdict of alie jury as follows we the jury find the defendant john F beggs not guilty we the jury find alie defendant jolin kunze guilty of manslaughter as cli arged in the indictment and fix his punishment at imprisonment in alie penitentiary for the term of three years we the jury find the defendants daniel coughlin patrick and martin Burke guilty of murder in alie manner and form as charged in the indictment and fix the penalty at imprison mentin alie penitentiary for the term of their natural lives at the request of alie defense the jury was alien polled and reaffirmed their verdict simultaneous with the an the verdict coughlin and burko turned deadly pale while kunze started suddenly from his seat and a moment later dropped his head upon his breast and burst into tears beggs face was luminous with joy and immediately after the polling of the jury lie arose from amid alie prisoners walked over to the jury box and during alie breathless lull that followed shook foreman darks hand heartily and said gentlemen I 1 thank you 1 trust the future may confirm your judgment upon me and you will never regret that you found men not guilty of aliis terrible charge T lie only sound eliat broke alie stillness following aliis was the deep sobs of little kunze deburst out with god knows I 1 am innocent I 1 never was in lakeview Lake view that night 0 god knows I 1 am innocent gentlemen was the only one of alie oliree prisoners who found refuge in tears for a moment they trickled down his cheeks but moment later his black eyes flashed with defiance of re of courage and dashing his hand across his brow lie braced up in his seat and cast a longing glance around the courtroom atlie only evidence of terror to be perceived in coughlin was alie increased pallor eliat overspread his face as lie fully realized alie significance of the sentence of life imprisonment and liis lips twitched nervously during alie colloquy that followed between alie attorney and the court relative to a motion for a new trial martin burke unquestionably was the least affected of all alie prisoners his usually florid face took on a pallor as the verdict was announced but a moment later liis jaws again began a mastication of gum as regularly as at any previous time during alie trial As the verdict was announced and the large audience contemplated little bunzes grief beggs turned to a reporter and said its a shame to sentence kunze poor little fellow I 1 think hes as innocent as I 1 am its a d shame to send him to alie penitentiary for three years ho biad no more idea of being found guilty than you had HELD THE JURY special to alie CHICAGO dec 18 state attorney longenecker last evening biad a conference with one of the Cronin jury whose name he withheld who told him the verdict was reached as be surmised john culver who spent much of his spare time during the long evenings reading the bible was the influential factor the first incident in this con lection tion occurred while the trial was in ri j ii ryn ry n gig progress at the time when mrs conklin testified that evening lie notified his fellow jurors that lie solemnly believed she had committed perjury later mrs hertel lie thought was a liar and martinson the did not really know burke while the carlsone Carl sons were plainly telling falsehoods to illustrate as to martinson mr culver told of a mistake made bv the wife of his partner who one day saw a man riding in a haggy whom she was sure was culver H lien in point of fact she was entirely mistaken culver seemed to see in nearly every witness for the state a vindictive or a perjurer he plainly hinted it looked like a conspiracy on the states part the matter of having witnesses under the charge of detectives was one of alie things he thought looked bad he sure dr cronin ever went to the carlson cottage and when asked how do you account for the bloody trunk said why for all we know a dog may have been taken mit the cause of grinins onins Gr death has not been proved he contended and aft was impressed with the udea that daniel coughlin had a good face anen the time for balloting arrived culver voted for the acquittal of all the defendants he steadfastly declared that beggs particularly lie would not send to jail even for one day the result was a long struggle and repeated in the compromise verdict announced farmer pierson had voted steadily for the execution of all five defendants and was the last man to yield it was he who was holding out toward the end and not until an hour or so before the verdict reached the public did he in to the entreaties of his comrades the leading thought of a majority of the jurors other than culver and pierson seemed to be to prevent a disagreement they apparently believed that a mistrial was aliat had been aimed at by the defense there was a sound of weeping in the visitors cage in the jail this morning the friends of the four men yesterday convicted called on them and deplored their fate burke alone received no callers he preserved the same careless demeanor he lias exhibited since the trial began little kunze had recovered his spirits the fact is all the prisoners now that the suspense is oyer are looking forward with hope to the possibility of a new trial |
