Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-05-06
Sentence Of Ira Stout.

The following is the sentence pronounced 10y
Judge WELLS upon Ira Stout, convicted of the
murder Of Charles W. Littles, at Rochester,
last week. The murder was perpctrated on the
evening Of the 18th of December last. Sarah
Lttles, wife of the murdered man, and sister Of
the prisoner, also stands indicted for the mur-
der On the rendition of the verdict against
Ira, her counsel proposed to put in a plea of
manslaughter in the second degree in her case
The Court declined such plea, but ntimated
that plea Of manSlaughter in the first degree
would be accepted. Sue declined entering
such q plea and will therefore be tried 10y
Jury.
Judge Wells addressed the prisoner as fol-
lows
Ira Stout stand up. (The prisoner arose.
You stand convicted of the crime of murder
the murder Of Charles W. Littles. Have yoa
anything to say before the judgment Of the law
is pronounced upon you
Prisoner-Nothing to SO say, sir. Too much
has been already said.
Judge WELLS said
You have been indicted by Grand Jury Of
this county for the murder OF Charles w. Lit
ties To this indictment you have plead not
guilty, and demanded a trial by jury of your
peers. A jury for your trial has with great Ia
bor, deberation aud care been chosen, tried
and sworn who, after patiently listening to the
evidence produced in support of the proof Ell
listed on your own behalf, have on their oaths
pronounced you guilty of the murder charged
against you. You have had the benefit of able
and faithful counsel throughout the whole of
this lauorious and protracted trial and Of eve
ry doubt in the minds of law in the course of
the trial, aud the jury have been instructed to
extend to you the same advantage OF questions
of fact which might arise in their minds. The
Court is satisfied that they have acted without
partiality, and that thcir verdict is fully sup
ported and warranted by the evidence. You
are aware of the dreadful doom that now awaits
you. Before diSchargiug their last painful du-
ty the Court feel called upon to address YOU in
few words Of friendly admonition, aud in do
ing so we have no desire to wound or aggravate
your already lacerated feelings. In the first
place, we urge upon you to realize fully your
situation. You are guilty of taking the life
Of your fellow man of eXtinguishng that life
which God alone was able to kindle, and Of
hurrying that immortal soul to the presence of
its Maker. While the evidence failed to estab-
lish with what weapon or in what particular
manner you pcrpetrated the dreadful deed,
enough appeared TO show that it was attended
by great and cruel atrocty.
1t was on a dark and incIemcnt night, in the
dreary month Of December, at a place, and un-
der circumstances calculated to fill the soul
with horror, and which evnced hardihood of
feeling in so young a man, the existence Of
nothing but the clear and convincing evidence
in the case is able to establish. Itleads to the
painful conclusion that it was not your first
great crime, and that you must have been
SchoOled in iniquity, aud in violations of law,
both human and Divine. You nave not only
imbucd your hands in the blood of your fellow
man, but you have done so in company with
your own sister, and your victim her hus-
band
Think. then, upon what you have done, OF
the gull. which stains your soul, and rests upon
your devoted head.
In few short weeks you are to expiate with
your life, this crime of which you now stand
convicted.
Improve the time, we entreat YOU, which
shall intervene in preparing for your exit from
time to eternity prepare to stand before that
great and unerring tribunal, where the secrets
of all hearts are known, and to meet the retri-
button which will be there accorded-where
you will meet not only your murdered victim,
and all assembled universe, but all the sins of
your life, of thought and word, aud action.
Seek pardon now while it may be found
through the atoning blood Of the Son of God
through which alone, and by faith Of him, for
gvenness can be found that blood is suffi
cielt 10 atone for the deepest guilt. Seek at
once with peniteDce, prayer aud faith, an in
.erest in that blood, and God in his mercy,
grant that you may find it.
Dismiss from your mind any inGdel senti-
ments you may have imbibed, believe that the
Bible is Gods word, which is able to make
you wise unto salvation. Study its sacred doc
trines and precepts do all this and it may be
we'll with you at last.
1t remains only for the Court to pronounce
the sentence Of the law upon you, which is
that you be taken from the place from which
YOU last came, and on the eighteenth day of
June next, you be taken to the place of execu
ton, and on that day, between the hours of II
O'Clock at noon, and o'clock in the afternoon
you be hanged by the neck until you shall be
dead, and may God have mercy on your soul
RELIGIOUS lNTELLIGENCE.-Last Sabbath be-
ing the regular communion Sabbath at the