Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1896 — PRISON FOR A YEAR. [ARTICLE]

PRISON FOR A YEAR.

SUPREME COURT SUSTAINS THE MEAOQWCRQFT SENTENCE. Must Pay the Ptlliltj for Criminally Handling Money—Crime of a Brutal Assassin in Ohio—Chicago Burglars Cteverly Caugh t While a't Work. —The Meadowcroft Case. Several opinions of importance were handed down by the Illinois Supreme *’<*urt late Saturday night. Chief among -them, ia the decision. sustaining the verdict rendered in Judge Brents no's court, sentencing Trank K.. and Charles J. Meadowcroft, of Chicago, to -one year each in the penitentiary. The verdict was rendered Pec; 14, ISSM, since which time the Meadowcrofts have been "out on bail pending the .final decision of the Supreme Court. The decision is especially important, as it establishes the constitutionality of tbe-banking law under which they were convicted, thus being the first case under that law in this Sttate. The case WAs a long and bitterly fought one. The Meadowcrofts were convicted of receiving deposits when they knew they were insolvent. They were defended Uy ex-Judge Collins. Edwin Walker and A. J. Eddy, while A. S. Trude conducted the prosecution. Judge Collins"said We case was taken to the Supreme Court on cdnstltutfonal grounds. Unless the opinion discussed the exceptions entered by the defense (hiring the trial, they would have grounds for another appeal. In their appeal to the Supreme Court their argument was they were conducting a legitimate business, such as a dry goods or any other business, and claimed the hanking law was unconstitutional because it placed certain restrictions on one branch of business and not on all. Kills an Aged Couple. At an early hour Sunday morning a don blent order—it tnayj*rovet«*be a-triple murder—\\a s couHtrin ed on a farm seven miles east of Akron. O. Alvin N. Stone, aged 08, and his wife, Serena, aged 03, are the victims, and Ira Stillsou. the hired man, is fatally injured. Two daughters, Emma, aged 39, and Hattie, aged 33, are seriously injured, while a third daughter, l'h;c*,.is.4hn=e»4y one of lire etmro household who escaped the assassin's, murderous blows. The crime was committed about 1 o'clock by an unknown man wearing a mask. The crime is a mysjerv. There is no possible--motive for'the tfarttr- , ders so far as eat) be learned. Certainly the murderer was not bent on robbery, for in a bureau drawer in Mr. Stone's room were two gold watches and some money and nothing had beeuAaktm apparently. N'oChangc in Trade. It. G. Dun & Co.’s Weekly Review of Trade says: “No important change has occurred in the general condition of business during the week, and if trade iu Some respects looks worse, in other respects it looks better. Some failures of magnitude have occurred, which caused much apprehension and unwillingness 1 to lend among bankers, and there have been somewhat less favorable features in the dry goods market, but in iron and steel conditions are slightly improved, and in boots and shoes considerably more hoi»e is felt. The' labor controversies, mainly in the clothing trade, still cause much interruption of that,business. Foreign trade is a little more satisfactory.'* Caught in the Act. Secreted behind a sofa Policeman Ed Dodd, of the Chicago |Vti: ral Detail Police Station, witnessed Frank Swift, an ex-convict, loot a safe in the home of Catherine Johann, at No. 4-Ut South Clinto« street Friday -night. Then, when the burglar had prepared to leave with his plunder, the jKdieeman leaped forward and overpowered him. Policeman Cleary, whw hrard Temalued ornstde. arresred-rurw of Swift’s two con federates, who was identified at the station as Michael Murphy, said by the police to be a wellknown burglar. The-third man escaped, but it Is believed by the police his. apprehension will soon follow. r Bay State for Reed, The State convention for the election of delegates to {he Republican national convention At SL Louis was held at Boston Friday. Delegatos-at-large are H. C. lawlge. W. T. M. Crane. Eben S. Draper, Uur’Rl'Guifil Jr. Alternates—L. 'Tv' Southard. R. HVBoutwell. It. F. Hawkins. S. E. Courtney. They were instructed for T. B. Reed, of Maine.