Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-01-14

skill and devotion. You have been
supported, and sustained by the sym
pathy of loving relatives and ardent
| friends. All that wealth, affection, OF
! industry could do for you has been
| cheerfully and well done. A Jury
carefully selected of intelligent and
upright gentlemen, have listened pa
| tiently and kindly to your own ac-
count of this most terrible act. as well
| as to the other evidence which has
been put in your behalf And they
have found you guilty of murder III
the first degree-the highest crime
known in our LAWN having caused
the death of James Fisk, Jr., one
year ago to-day. This verdict was
wrung from their judgment, not
prompted by their hearts. I am sure
L do each juror but justice in saying,
and in assuring you, that this concur
renee in this verdict was the most
painful act of his life. The result is
not the fruit of unkindness to you,
but of just respect for and obedience
to the law. The evidence in the case
even your own testimony-I am
constrained to believe sanctions their
conclusion and justifies their verdict.
/ am not conscious, so far as l am per-
sonally concerned, that | have erred
in any respect against you. During
the progress of this trial l have en-
deavored in all cases of doubt to give
you the benefit of such doubt. To
me remains the painful duty of pro-
nOuncing the judgment of the law,
not alone as a punishment of your
crime, but also that by your example
others may take warning. / am sad
over your unhappy fate-so young,
so attractive in person, with so
many fountains of joy yet untasted.-
Still greater is my sorrow to realize
the unmerited anguish you have
brought upon your family and friends
Your disgrace is reflected upon them
who are pure. Your dshonor casts
an unjust but unavoidable stain npOn
their. truth and virtue. 1t is fright
ful legacy to leave to family-a spec
tire that death alone can vanquiSh. 1t
were idle, if it were possible, for me
to trace the paths from innocence to
crime to tell the tale of appetites un-
restrained, of passions fierce, vim
dictive. and unbridled. l cannot
do it. Let the time which the law
gives you be devoted to reflections up
on your past, repentance for yOgr sins,
and preparation for that great change
so fearfully near you. Don't delude
yourself with uncertain hopes of par
don and clemency. Edward S. Stokes.
in obedience TO the requirements of
the law this Court orders and directs
that you be taken hence, in the custo-
dy of the Sheriff of the City and coun-
ty of New York, to the prison from
whence you came; that you be there
confined in close custody by said Sher-
if until the 2Sth day of February,
1873; and that OH that day. between
the hours of eleven o'clock in the
morning and three O'Clock in the af-
ternCon, you be hanged by the neck
until you be dead, and may God have
mercy on your soul.
AS the different illusions in the
Judges words came, one after another,
TO the counsel, to the jury, and to the
Judges own action during the case,
Stokes raised, his eyes glanced from
one to another of those named or nod
ded as if in assent. With something
OF sadness in them, his eyes rested on
his mother and brother for a moment
as the Judge spoke of his youth and
the disgrace his crime would bring up
on his family. But his self possession
kept down any further emotion, and
he silently sat down as the sentence
ended.