People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1894 — ON GOOD FRIDAY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ON GOOD FRIDAY.

The Date Set for the Execution of Prendergast. Judge Brentano Sentence* Carter HarrL •on'* Murderer to Be Hanged on March 23—The Doomed Sian's Rambling Speech. SENTENCED TO DEATH. Chicago, Febi 27. Unless the supreme court or the governor of the state interfere Patrick Eugene Prendergast will on March 23, in the courtyard of the county jail, pay the penalty of his life for the murder of Carter H. Harrison. Sentence was passed upon him Saturday by Judge Brentano after his honor had overruled the motion for a new trial, entered by de fendant’s attorneys. As Judge Brentano went upon the bench Prendergast stepped forward and took a seat in the front row of chairs in the jury box. From the expression on his face it was evident that

he expected the worst, and was making a strong effort to conceal his fear. The zourtroom was filled with spectators. Judge Brentano read a lengthy decision overruling the motion for a new trial. Prendergast arose in response to the court’s order, and the crowd surged forward. No attention was paid to the orders of the bailiffs, and the anxious spectators could not be quieted. When asked by the court if he knew of any reason why sentence should not be passed upon him, Prendergast arose. Producing a few sheets of paper, he began to read, as follows: “Your honor, I have nothing particular to say. I suppose your honor is under the impression that you have done your duty. But this p,ea of insanity has been set up by my attorneys without my consent. It was an Infamous, a dirty and disreputable plea, and done against my objections. Now as for Juror Murray, it is certain to my mind that from the manner he answered questions he was anxious to be a juror in the case. There was something wrong also in regard to summoning the veniremen. Juror Larkin came here on a written statement. but, of course, the defendant had no control over this part of the court’s work. Newspapers had whole columns about it at the time and it is not necessary for me to go into it further now. We had no opportunity to watch the proceedings in summoning tho jurors.” Here Prendergast laid aside his notes and seemed to become animated with his subject. liaising his voice he extended his long, thin arm, and, gesticulating like a lawyer addressing the court, continued: , “Now, your honor says that Harrison was a great and good man. I deny. this. A good man is generally faithful to his friends, and Harrison was not If he had been a good man he would not have been hostile toward me. Harrison was attacked by the newspaper trust We have been attacked by the newspaper trust, and if the sentence of this court is carried out on me you will all bo at the mercy of this newspaper trust. No mans character or reputation will bo safe. Flattery, blackmail and corruption will prevail. 1 don't know what the result will be. ‘ The issue in this case was whether I did right or wrong; whether I did my duty or not; whether I did the will of God or not. If I did wrong 1 should be condemned, and if I did right X should be justified and acquitted. This was the real issue in the ease, and that issue was never settled. If the court wants to shirk the respoasibility in this case it will not be my fault The most of the motions made by the attorneys for me have been overruled by the court, and that was wrong. “This great grade-crossing issue—if you consent to my death, my execution, my being legally murdered, you also consent to this—that caused me to shoot Harrison as much as his uufailhfulness—l am feeling much better than when I came here.”

He closed by declaring that if he went : to the scaffold the jury and doctors would be infamous throughout all the ages. Then Judge Brentano said: “Patrick Eugene Prendergast, it is my pjin- ; ful duty to sentence you to death. The stutence of the court is that on March 23, between the hours of 10 and 12 a m., In the county jail, you be hanged by the neck till you are dead. ' As the last words left the judge’s lips Prendergast reeled as if he had been struck a heavy blow'. The bailiffs tried to catch his arm, but before they could reach him, he had steadied himself by taking hold of Attorney Gregory’s chair. Resuming his position he again justified his act. He would have spoken further, but the bailiffs led him away to jail. Attorney Darrow, for Prendergast, asked leave to file a bill of exceptions within thirty days to take the case to the supreme court. This was granted, although the court had overruled his motion for an arrest of judgment. New York, Feb. 20.—A communication addressed to the New York Times brings up a coincidence that has not yet been commented on. The writer, who signs himself “Good Friday,” says: “Has the day appointed by Judge Brentano, of Chicago, Maroh 23, for the execution of P.-en-dergast, the assassin of Carter Harrison, t een designedly selected because it will be Good Friday, or was it an accidental selection, and ir so. will the sentence be executed? The sanctity of this holy day, reverenced almost universally for its one preordained execution, has not ia the recollection of man been deseer-ted by such an unhallowed act”

PATRICK EUGENE PRENDERGAST.