The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-01-18
and upright gentlemen, have listened
patiently and kindly to your own ac-
nn,,r< nf %hi. <orr;h1o mt oa ro1l nm

patiently and kindly to your own ac-
count of this terrible act, as we'll as
to the other evidence that has been
put in in your behalf. They have
found you guilty of murder in the first
degree-the highest crime known to
our laws-in 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. l am sure l do each ju-
ror but justice in saying and in assur-
ing you that this decision was the
most painful act Of his life. The re-
suit is not the fruit Of unkindness to
you, but Of just respect for and in
obedience to law. The evidence in
the case-even your own testimony
l am constrained to believe, sanctions
their conclusion and justifies their
verdict. am not conscious, so far as
l am personally concerned, that have
erred in any respect against you.
During the progress Of this trial l
have endeavOred in all cases of doubt
to give you the benefit of that doubt.
To me remains the painful duty of
pronouncing the Judgment Of the law,
not alone as a punishment of your
crime, but also that by your example
others will take warning. l am sad
over your unhappy fate-so young, 80
attractive in person, with so many
fountains of joy yet untasted. Still
greater is my sorrow to realize the un-
merited anguish you have brought
upon your family and friends. Your
disgrace is reflected upon them who
are pure. Your dishoner casts an un-
just but unavoidable stain upon their
truth and virtue. It was a frightful
legacy to leave to family, spectre
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 fappetites un-
restrained, of passions fierce, vindict-
i've and unbridled. l can not do it.
Let the time which the law gives you
be devoted to reflections upon your
past, repentance for your sins, and
preparation for that great change so
fearfully near You. Don't delude
yourself with uncertain hopes of par
uO0 ana clemency.
edward s. Stokes, in obedience to
the requirements of law, this court
orders and directs that you be taken
hence, in the custody of the Sheriff Of
the city ;:ad county OF New York, to
the prison from whence you came, and
that you be there confined in close
custody by said Sheriff until the 25tl,
day of February, 1873, and that on
that day, between the hours of eleven
o'clock in the morning and three
o'clock in the afternoon, you be hanged
by the neck until you be dead, and
may God have mercy on your soul"
We believe that there will be very
few to call in question the righteous
ness of the verdict or the sentence.
Should the sentence be carried out,
and not by the trickery Of the law or
by corrupt means deferred aud evaded,
the citizens of New York will have
more hope of enjoying in the future
the protection of their lives by the
civil authorities. We have been liv-
ing i'll a fearful state of tl,ings. Muir
ders have been committed in open
day and with perfect impunity, the
murderers being shielded from the
consequences of their crimes, and So
ciety more and more imperilled by
their impunity. We can not but hope
that the conviction of Stokes indicates
IL new era, that of law and of the
greater security Of life among us.