Plymouth weekly banner. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1856, 1855-12-13
An Affecting Sfene.i

weeks ago in Iowa of the murder of one
McCardle in 1910. The prisoner is now
eighty yenrs Of age. The cause of the
murder was quarrel over the title to the
land. 1t appeared that McCardle owned
and occupied piece of land. and had
sown a crop upon it. Jones laid claim
to it. and commenced reaping the crop.
McCardle demonstrated and Jones shot
him. He Immediately fed, but lately
returned to Iowa, Was arrested. tried and
convicted. Upon being brought up for
sentence, he made the following address
to the court:
May it please the Honorable Court:
am an old man. fast tottering down
to the grave. The frosts of seveniylhree
winters-lhouSh they have not whitened
my brow. have wrinkled my face and chill
led my heart with many sorrows. Mine
has been a chequered life; and now when
about to be separated from my fellows,
may give a truthful version OF the past.
had family-and a home-a rude
home ii is true. and plain and humble
family but they were my oil. The de-
ceased robbed me of the one and invaded
the sanciity of The other two small sons,
lovely daughter and wife--a cherished
wife. On returning 10 that home the day
of the fatal deed. learned the certainty
OF the maddening truth. and fastened to
the field, my rifle still in hand. know
no. why | went. / had no fixed design
he met me with q club shot him
and though | claim not 10 have acted in
defence, ! do assert that there was mutual
combat. You know the rest. fled, my
family followed. but for the fifteen years
lived at L0cklanG, / made no secret of
the deed that had done. Now. time has
done its work The government itself has
changed, new laws are passed and old
ones are repealed. and those tho then sur
rounded me have mostly passed away
A different people now are in the land
a different code of morals now prevails.
drank liquor it is said-and true it is.
| drank it; not to have done so then would
have the objection. Men in high station
leaned upon the dram shops Tor support,
and to treat ones fellow TO the poisoning
cup, was proof positive OF genteel train
ing. may not be held responsible alone
for the vices of society, il is enough that
| have been their victim. Those days are
passed. and that loved wife is gone
borne down with trouble. she sank into
an early grave. That lovely daughter is
now hopeless cripple wearing haggard
face. OF those two boys who should have
been the props of my old age. the one is
gone to join his injured mother as witness
es against the dead destroyer of their
peace--the other--and my heart sinks
within me when ! say it. lives, but not
to me--wiih an ear deaf to my calamity
he comes not near me, but forgive.
To this Honorable Court. the Jury. ut
torneys and officers, and to the people Of
this community. | return my humble
thanks for their impartial bearing.
l have never been a criminal of choice,
but Ia Their the creature of circumstances
beneath the weight OF which far better
men than have sunk. / may have been
too jealous Of mine honor, have never
once proved faithless TO a trust. When
my country's rights were invaded aven-
ged them. and so did mine honor. With
General Jackson in al! his Greek cam
psigns, | battled for my country and its
laws. At the feast in the wilderness ]
was there--at the feast Of acorns ] was
there-at Emucfau and Teedega | was
there-and when the shouts of victory
drowned the cries OF the dying al the bat
tie of the Horseshoe. in the front ranks oil
my country. l was there, and then the
name OF him whom we call Jones was but
another word for deeds of daring. These
are of the pasta long life is nearly spen,
the scene has thanged--but He alone
who reads the human heart is further than
the formal sentence of the law ompelent
TO condemn me. john JONES
The penalty provided by law for the
crime at the time OF its commission was
death; since then Iowa has become a
State, and the death penalty is no longer
in force. The court giving the prisoner
the benefit Of wha tever doubt existed as
TO whether he should suffer death or not,
sentenced him to imprisonment for the
balance of his life.--Chicago Times.