The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1853-04-14
sentanoe Of Iames shirleY.


! Through the kindness of Judge TAYIoR, says
the Hollidayshurg Wing. we have been furnish
ell WITT copy OF his sentence OF JANIS SiiR-
LEY. cCnyicted'at the late term Of our court for
the crime Of MURnER, It's a beautful piece
of coruj csition. fully sustains the high clarac-
ter Of our able. tlcnted, and wertly Judge;
and VIII be read with interest By .;il.
Judge TAYLOR addressed the prisoner as fol
lows:-5s
JAMES SHIHLEy-stand upi
"Have You anything 10 say Why sentence Of
death should NOT be pronounced aqafuet vnu 90
The prisoner replied Il rccolieat nothing Of
it: ana Uot gai'ty of 5he crime
The Judge then rroccpdcd
The J,rg horc found uou Guilty: and You are
here to receive the sentence Of the law which
you have violated, and which dooms you to
suffer its highest penalty.
You stand here convicted Of MURDFR-a crimc
against the laws of God and man which cannot
be thought Of withoHt horror:-not Of murder
simply. bnt murder of the highest grade v'ilfnl
and premcditatod of the wilIfui. Deliberate
and premelitated murderer a woman defence
less woman. that woman your wife whom every
attr.hu e Of your manhood should have prompt
cd you to protect rather. even ut the neril Of
your own life of her murder on the eve Of her
confinement condition which should have ex-
cited some feeling in the most derrlvci and cal
lous heart, although nothing could move Won to
moments pHuse in your prrmedtated work, rs
Is but too plainly shown hv the wounds upnn the
arms and hands raised ia vain appeals r. the
sympathy Of monster husband of hor mur
der. II manner thc most harharous and revol
ting hv striking her drfeucp'ess head with =
hammer uutl the skull was beaten in broken
fragments into the brain! Our utmost concpp-
tious Of human wicke1uess and denravitv wou'd
scarce recoHcil- us to the thought that yor could
have perprTatel the numeloss deed. were not
the proofs of it so overw helniug that vou are
rHv 4gtI tIaFf f1 .lTg4f~ 81 al
you could have heen sane. hut foi. tho fact clear
ly established hY che evidence t1at from the day
Of ynur marriage till the hour Of hor. death Won
cherished t0war Is your victim feelings Of iaaI
OHsy and hatred, manifested bv words and
threats. by repeated inii@nitios and acts Of vio-
leuce and brutal outrage 10 her person. IF not
attempts upou her life. MI IF which I'm the usu.
nj progress and tendency of depravitv and crime.
MURDER was the natural climax and we ore
recnncied also to the crimson dranrrv which
hangs over the foul and unnatural deed and n ~
gravHtes it beyond the horrors Of naked naur-
der, in the fact that the contents Of that TN were
no doubt intended TO drown any sensihility stilI
lingering in your bosom and TO nerve YOUR.
murderous hand for its work
Your defence WAS patiently heard You had
able and eloquent counsel who exertcd their
pawer~ to the utmost. and whom il is not in
your power sufficiently to reward for their zeal
and lahors in your behalf You had tbrouob
which the law extends 10 one charged with hirh
crimes The jury which might almost be said
To be of your own choice. manifested lioticea-
hle anxiety, 10 hear consider. and deliberate
that their decision might he right: and we have
no doubt they were conscientious and unbiased
in the verdict they have rendered They have
found you guilty; and we see no good reason to
withhold approval.
This is said TO impress upon you our belief
that the awful sentence which it is no ~ oIIl.
tul duty to pronounce, viii be executed and TO
guard you against deludiug yourself for one
hour OF your UrieI remnant OF life, with the hope
OF obtaining pardon. Even that morbid blind
cruel,-we had almost said, Hlurderous,-
meut Of sympathy for the guilty which mani
tests Itself III efforts 10 paliate aud guilt
and shield it from punishment, though it has
been clearly established aefore the proper tri-l
buual. and which We >OIennly believe is Charge
aide, iu one sense, with much if not ali the in-
uccuut blood that has been shed in this county
within the last two ycIrs,-eNoH that sentiment
such Is the reNU.tn@ character OF your crime /
-wiI not b. likely to pr .upJ To the Iecbest eff
fort IN your behalf: however much it may have /
done l. bring you here. by cucU urtgiug the de- 4
fusion under which you no doubt acted, that \
tcIsnea insanity would shietd You from cuuyic- 1
ton ami punishment. Let not that, any delu
sion prevent YOU from z yiHg aour undivided
thoughts your whole soul, during the few months
YOU haye 10 i've to the great WORK OF preparl-I I
ton To meet Your God. Though your guilt /
were tcn-fod what il Is, you have no reason to /
despair OF pardon through Has Infinite mercy
Ih- sentence oi the ! ~ jS,-
Thai You, JAMES SHIRLEY, be taken hence to I
the place whence you ctme, and thence to the (
plaCe UI execution within the wall or yard Of the
jail oi ;he county OF B,1ir. and that you be 1
there hanged ~ the neck until you De dead.
And may God have nelcy upon your soul!