The People v. Francis

On August 2, 1933, Joseph Hartel was shot to death while delivering milk in Chicago. Joseph Francis, aged thirty-five, a negro, was indicted for the crime, tried before a jury, found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by the criminal court of Cook county. A writ of error brings the case here.

The undisputed evidence shows that Hartel, an employee of the Bowman Dairy Company, was accosted by Francis (hereafter called defendant) at about 6:00 A. M. near Forestville avenue and Fiftieth street. Defendant, whose motive was robbery, saw Hartel put some bottles in wire trays and leave his milk…