Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-02-05
nuuble aalrekp Gbrune aaleOmtsOap ftbratp S, 1873

more for the public than the prisoner. The |
usual motive is to attract attention TO the |
fortunate fact that, however cunning
" devised niianses are not com united with !
impunity; and thus, arrest MS far as posi-
bile, all who are contemplating crime. No
effort to enhance your own appreciation of
the magnitude and gravity Of your
wrongs is necessary, With an intelligence
beyond that Of the average of your fellow
citizens it Is quite impossible that the tur-
pitudc involved in the continuous COM
mission of the numerous frauds periurics,
! forgeries and corruptious of public officers,
so amply exposed by the proof s not rs
/ fully realized by you as 10y either Judge up
/ on the bench. Now, il not before, you
must feel, with an exceptional force, the
anguish, resulting from having broug ht
! disgrace upon your hitherto respectable
| family. 1t Is not that disgrace alone which
! Is inSeparablc from the Criminality of one OF
its leading and influential members, but
! 10y connecting the names of relatives,
! friends and neighbors frequently, with the
/ instrumCntalitics of your own crimes,
| clouds at least are resting upon some Of
them. They are to pass through the or
! deal which has not spared you.
We will not do you the injustice Of sup
posing it needs suggestion from us TO
! awaken all the sorrow which even the
! worst of men must feel for those whom he
has subjected to suspicion and public
prosecution. If beyond this, they too are
guilty it can but add to your regret that
you led them into temptation. 1t is not
with an unfecling desire to increase your
dependency now that we refer to these
more affecting consequences of your
| wrongs, but for a wider purpose. a large
audience has witnessed your exciting trial
and many are here to listen to your sem
tcnce. You will pardon the temporary
pain it may cause, if the occasion is inn
tn osl- hai az ~
lasting remembrance to the lesson which
your sadshistory affords.
You, we know, will authorize us to say
that from the first moment you entered
upon their commission, these crimes have
left you no peace of mind. We should all
know this without a confession on your
part. 1t is but an ignorant and vulgar
judgment which sees in the bold ictions
and desperate resorts which attended your
flight, but additional evidences OF insensi-
biity and Indifference to crime.
; We read its lesson differently. No man
but one suffering from fear, a continuous
unrest and mental pain which he could
| not endure, would voluntarily attempt the
complicated crimes by which you sought
! to cover your escape.
? The corruption of new accOmpliCCs, the
robbery Of the grave, the pretense of as
sassination and murder, the subornation
| of false witnesses, the disgusting and re.
I
D a negro that yonr family and friends might
e follow it to the grave and your poor wife
l weep over it as that of her dead husband
the mockery of funeral, the de
t liberate suggestion on the the record G
= your death that the government
:. might bo still further defraud
: ed, constitute an aggregate of repulsive in
d cidents from which every man would
d shrink if he were not goaded to despera
ton and suffering in excess. And we BET
e all who relate the exciting story of you
g numerous otleuses, when the details q
> those complicated and bold frauds whicl
e constitute the foundation OF the twenty
n seven indictments against you now upol
our records, and the still more numerou
n crimes which an impolitic and unenlight
If ened statute of limitations of twenty
d four months places beyond the law
II reach are related, that they in no wis
forget to accompany it with the fact tina
sorrow unmitigated came alike to the lead
er audhis coadiutors;,and that they would
FL one and all, resign not only what the,
II have dishonesty taken, but all else the.
,, have on earth, could they wipe from tn
u slate OF the last six years every d:shOnes
act against the Government
lie In view OF this extraordinary history w
have felt embarrassed to justify to the pub
lie lie the seemingly light punishment of tiv
l. years incarceration in the State Pcniten
tiary and n fine of 50, 600. But il mus
Is be remembered that you have been tric'
Il and convicted upon one fraud only, ant
l. that for this one otiense we have gone L
+, the limit of the law. 1t allows no more
Were you guilty of but one, were the of
{, fence exceptional il your history, tina
III would be ample. perhaps, eXcessiv" pun
ishment. We look, however, to the othe
facts-to the five other cases so clearl.
proved on the trial of this one and il
ne which you plead guilty. This is voluntar.
as on YOUR part. We could not increase GU
II. sentence if you refused to do it. w
ar shall not only add nothing to it now o.
IL account of those confessions, but see in tn
n act rather cause for recommendin
is what we cheerfully do: that If the presen
~ sentence is submitted and the fire PAID
of If this circle of bad men who have SUI
~ rounded you, cease their nj
ri tempts to promote escapes that tn
b. residue of the indictments is not prosecute
is against you. We do not go into details i
d. reference to the motives which induce
ms what to some may seem an unenlightene
re liberality. Thoroughly convinced oul
selves that this measure of mercy ut lea'
ut will be far moro beneficial than Il create
rs severity and that in probability when tn
IT. term of imprisonment is passed there Wi
n remain no motive for reproducing heloi
lg the public the exciting incidents II anoth
OF Cr trial we unite in the recomn. 2ndatio
we have made.
al You are sentenced under the indictment
at upon which you have been convicted
a. ion fst.t