The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1852-11-20
TIE OTTAWA FREE TRADER,
Ottawa, Nopsmbsr 90, 1859.
TRIAL and Sentence OF William Scan,an To-
Murder.

oatuIua' hlSh', Tue Jury returning verdict Of
guilty. The case was brought to this county by
change of venue, on the application Of tho prs.
oner The facts as detailed by the Witnesses are
about as follows The prisoner is man Of over
sixty years of rgc, he resided on Crow Creek in
Marshall county, where he had a small farms. A
married daughter Of the prisoner lived near.
Some disagreement had existed between the =, e
oner and the deceased, so that they COIL no, live
happily together, aud hal separated some few
months b@.1re the murder. n the interim tho
prisoner had lived sometimes at his own place.
and sometimes al his sou in laws. He had been
anxious that bis wife should return AMI live with
him, and on the day Of the murder, they were
both at The married daughters and discussed tue
matter there, and the deceased refused to 20 with
him, and started away from the house fer the
purpose Of returning 10 the place where. she was
stopping. Shortly after she LEFT, the prisoner
started after her, with the avowel purpose Of
persuading her to return. He overlook her
hort distance from the house, and they walked
along together for some 20 or 80 rods til they
came 10 a ience--the deceased attempted to ret
over the fence, when the prisoner took hold of
her and pulled her back. and then took club
some q feet long. and 2! inches IN diameter, and
struck her across the side Of her bcad-she FELL,
and then the prisoner Struck another Slow. The
married daughter was the only witness who saw
the transI ctiOn, and she was at the house. some
. IL F.g, a. l.
The deceased was found dead where she had
fallen.
The defence relied upon was insanity, and
a large number Of witnesses wcr. introduced
appeared that the prisoner had been in the
hab. Of drinking freely, aud had before the
murder was committed, had an attack Of dii
rum tremens but whether be WAS laboring un
der any thing Of that kind at the time Of the
murder WAS left doubtful The testimony
showed pretty clearly ,hat either from age, or
from bis habits Of indulgence, or from both
causes the mind of the prisoner was somewhat
impaired or weakened.
The prisoner was ably defended By Messrs
Knowltcn Of Peoria, and Ramsey { Fleming
of Lacon.
After the verdict of guilty was rendered, the
prisoner was remanded 70 Jail, and on Thurs
day morning, he was brought into court for the
purpose Of receiving his srnencs He appear
ed somewhat stolid, but stood up promptly
when ordered by the court. and Judge Leland
Ii 70 10 "a
/ following terms:
I Aftera trial in which yeu have had the benefit
Of all those safeguards by which the law protects
the accused-a trial proceeded in with debera
ten, and one in which you have been defended
with zeal and ability by your counsel, you have
been found guilty by an impartial jury of the
highest crime known to the aw--ri The crime Of
Turder-the murder of your wife. 0ne whom it
WAS your duty TO protect and cherish, YOU have
stricken down and slain--aud f Won were then
in the full possession Of your ordinary mental /
faculties it was cruelty and brutslly done
What provoca'ion, il any, occurred after you !
left the house II your sonin law and before the /
nc, OF killing took place, you alobe Of those on
earth know. The probability Is that because your
wife would not 20 back with YOU to the house !
which you had just left for the purpose Of per
suadiug her so to do, or because she would no; |
consent TO return to that home which by your
habits Of into xication had been as it always is by
this cause, rendered an unhappy one-a home |
where past experience had taught her she could |
not expect to live happily safely in future, you
gave the fatal blow which deprived her of life, |
and which has readered it the duty OF the court
to sentence you 10 n feon's death upon the scat
fold
The death of yom murdered wife ny your hand
with all its attendant wocs-the sentence Of death
now about to be pronounced upon you--all caused
10y your indulgence in the use Of intoxicating
liquors, adds to those already so frequent and 50
impressive. another warning example Of the
dangers to be feared and Of he misery to be pro
duced BY this rccursed habit. Let the thought
that the example Of all this wretchedness and
misery may, after you shall have passed away
from earth be the means Of increasing the happi
ness OF yOsr fellow beings by lettering them
from forming or indugng in habit fraught with
so much evil, he a consolation to you in your dis
tress. Let il be a solace to YOU in your affection,
shat some good may come Of the evil YOU have
done.
For the offence of which you have been con.
victed the penalty by the law of the land is death.
by that law you have been fairly tried-by that
law you have been convicted; and by the iudg.
ment Of the court under that law you must die,
unless Dy reason OF the recommendation To mercy
by the jury at the time Of rendering their verdict,
or for fear that your mind may have been dis
dered at the time Of the offence, the Ex, cntiye
may be induced to substitute the punishment
of imprisonment for life. for that of death.
! Let not however. the faint hope of Executive in.
( terpositon cause you to neglect to prepare for
death under the sentence now about to be pro.
nounced upon you. Spend the short tins which
remains before the day fixed for your execution,
in preparation for that event as one which will
probably happen, Seek the consolation which
religion affords, and so prepare yourself that YOU
may theuby be enabled to meet your fate IS
chrstian.A and as Al man
Nothing now remains, but to pronounce the
sentence Of the law, which is that you be taken
from hence to the jail the county--that you be
there confined until Friday the twenty fourth day
OF December next, that on that day YOU be taken
from thence TO some suitable place in the county
Of La Sale, TO be .eleced by tho sheriff Of said
county, and that there. between the hours Of one
o'clock and five o'clock Of the afternoon Of said
day, bs and under the direction of said sheriff
you be hanged by the neck until you are dead
and may God have mercy on yeur soul.
The prisoner appeared deeply affected under
the sentence Of the court and the whole scene
WIS one Of the most impressive that has ever &C.
cur, led in our court lie was remanded TO await
the exc. ution Of his sentence.
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O. l.a,l.t.I NJ co,ntnrf,i,s on Tho E,rmora