Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1905 — GILLESPIE GOES UP FOR LIFE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GILLESPIE GOES UP FOR LIFE.

Jury on First Ballot Finds Him Guilty of Slaying; His Sister. James Gillespie, accused of the murder of his twin sister, Elizabeth Gillespie, on the night of Dec. 8, 1903, was found guilty at Rising Sun, Ind., and sentenced to life imprisonment. The other three defendants, Mrs. Belle Seward, James Gillespie's sister, and Mr. and Mrs. Carrie Barbour, will be tried separately later. This was the second trial of James Gillespie. At the former trial, a year ago, the four defendants were tried together, but the jury failed to agree. When the jury declared that the verdict was guilty and the penalty life impris-

onment, the crowd broke from the court room and cheers for the jury were given outside. Gillespie received the verdict with a ghastly smile. His attorneys will file a motion for a new trial. The jurors took one ballot in finding for conviction, but three were necessary to fix the penalty, as three of the jurors held out for hanging. Elizabeth Gillespie was shot on the night of Dec. 8, 1!)03, while in the parlor of her home preparing to entertain the Woman’s Literary Club of Rising Sun. Experts said the wounds were inflicted with a 10-gauge shotgun, and the prosecution brought forward witnesses who testified that James Gillespie was the owner of the only 10-gauge shotgun in Rising Sun.

JAMES GILLESPIE.