Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1905 — JIM GILLESPIE GUILTY [ARTICLE]

JIM GILLESPIE GUILTY

Jury at Rising Sun, Ind., Says He Foully Murdered His Twin Sister. BEHTEHCED TO PRIBOH FOB LIFE Asks for a New Trial—Woman Was Shot at Night Through a Win* dow of Her Home. Rising Sun Ind., Jan. 6. James Gillespie, who with his sister, Mrs. Belle Seward, and Mr. and Mrs. Myron Barbour, was indicted for the murder of his twin sister, Miss Elizabeth Gillespie, on the night of Dec. 8, 1903, has been found guilty by a jury and sentenced to life Imprisonment The other three defendants will be tried , separately later. This was the second trial of James Gillespi£ At the former trial, a year ago, the four defendants were tried together, but the jury failed to agree and was dismissed. Since then Mrs. Seward and Mr. and Mrs. Barbour were admitted to bail, but in the case of James Gillespie bail was refused. Where He Mede HU Mistake. When the case again came before the court about five weeks ago James demanded a separate trial, which was granted. This trial was bitterly fought throughout. The jury was given the case at 4:30 p. m., and three hours later announced that It had reached a verdict. The court room was tilled with people before Judge Cornet and the attorneys arrived. Mr. and Mrs. Barbour were the first of the defendants to arrive, closely followed by Dr. William Gillespie, a brother of James, and others. The jury filed slowly into the room. Motion for t Now Trial. After James had arrived and order was established Judge Cornet asked if the jurors had agreed upon a verdict. When they declared that the verdict was guilty and the penalty life imprisonment the crowd broke from the court room and cheers for the jury were given outside. As the verdict was read James Gillespie attempted to smile, but it ended in a failure. Gillespie’s attorneys will file a motion for a new trial. The jurors took but one ballot in finding for conviction, but three were necessary to fix the penalty, as three of the jurors held out for the death penalty. Story of a Daatardly Crime. Miss Elizabeth Gillespie was shot on the night of Dec. 8, 1903, while in the parlor of her home preparing to entertain the Woman’s Literary club, of Rising Sun. The assassin fired through a front window with a double-barreled shotgun, inflicting wounds on the head of the woman, which resulted in her death several hours later. The only other person in the house at the time was the qged mother of the victim. Testimony That Convicted. Several witnesses testified that James and Elizabeth had many quarrels previous to the murder, and that James left home to board with another sister after one of these quarrels. Experts alleged that the wounds were inflicted with a 16-gauge shotgun, and the prosecution brought for ward witnesses who testified Jthat James Gillespie was the owner of the only 10-gauge shotgun in Rising Sun.