New-York tribune., 1875-10-11
WESTERVELT7S SENTENCE.

SEVEN YEARS IN TIE PENITESTIARY AND A FINE
OF 81 AND CosTS-JUDGE ELCoCKs REMARKS To
IHR PRISONER.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 1O.-1esterday sentence
was passed upon william H. We-tervelt, convicted Of
"conspiring with William Mosher AID Joseph Douglass
and others to kdnap and carry away and after the ali
drcon TO haror conceal and dean the child Charles
Brewster Ross" 1t not generally known that he was
10 be sentenced and only few spectators present
In announcing the penalty the law TO him Judge Fl
cock assured prisoner that he had been ably and de
votedly defended and that perfectly fair trial had been
given him. lie then said
Ihad hoped ere this should have been appealed 10 FOR
q light sentence by some mcrcful cry revealing some
thing OF the fate Of Charley Ross. bat have heard not
even whisper bchcd ray OF nope and If the know
edge OF his fate with you, then You become your
eXecutiOncr. Justice calls loudly for some severe
pu,ishmen and il remains but for ms To announce
entenrn By an act of assembly OF 18th Of February
1873 the kidnapping Of child under 10 years OF age
made felony and punishable by fine not exceeding
10000 and imprisonment OF not more than 25 years
Harborng and conccaiing child IL likewise made
felony aud punishable by fine not exceeding $1,000
and an imprisonment not exceeding - years This act
was passed since the commission OF your ofense and
there evidence In the cause which would JUSTIFY
punishment to you OF harboring and concenling the
child OF conspiracy to do since the OF the
act The section OF the penal code ac oil afch 81 lSoo
relating sracy. which inhcfs punishment Of ~
exceeding $500 and an imprisonment not exceed
ing two years. does not apply to your ease.
The forcble abduction OF child by the Jewish law was
punished by death ExOd XXI chap l6 as il was by the
civil law, and by the common law OF England by nnc
imprisonment and the pilory IL was deemed heinoIS
because IL bdnisDed ths person
and deprived the king OF his subject IN this case de-
prves inc OF her citizen. II is therefore
more than the oense contemplated by the act OF March
81 1860 sec. 127 BY 11s OF the same act tpenal
cOde) every felony, msdemeanor, or Onense whateNer
not specially provided for by this act Is punishable a
thercioforc BY OF Assembly of the 9Th Of April 1890
the punishment OF all crimes not capital for which
burning III the hand mailing the ear or ears to the phi
lory placing III upon the pillory, whipping, ANA I'm
prisonnent for life were inflicted were changed to
solitary Imprisonment al hard labor for term not ex
ceeding two years By an act OF Assembly OF April 4,
1907 the punishment was extended 70 an imprisonment
not exceeding years and by decisions Of our s
preme Crnit the punishment for conspiracy 10 commit
An oense cannot exceed that for the successful perpea
tlon OF the oense. You therefore, punishable
under the act last cited -.
The of the Court is that you pay nne of 81
the costs OF prosecution and that you undergo an I'm
prisoncnt at solitary confinement at labor IN the East
ern Penitenary for the term Of seven years and ths
you stand committed until that sentence be complied
with.
Wtsteryelt listened with the deepest interes and as
he heard the words years" he bent forward and
shook like a leaf Leaning his head uPar hs bands he
began TO cpy Mr. Ford tred 70 oho- him. hut h's con
soIstory words were Of little avail