The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1875-10-24
DOOMED!
THE ASSASSIN OF WILLIAM SPENCE
ON TRIAL!
| Marshall Grain Sentenced 10 he
Hung!
trgvptian Press, Extra, Oct. 2?.l

Egyptian Press, EStfa, Oct. 20,
Judge Crawford announced on We'd
nesday. when Marshall Grain plead guilty
to the indictment for the murder of vii.
liam Spence. that he would commence to
hear the investigation OF Grains case at y
o'clock yesterday morning. At that
hour Grain was brought into court.
and the investigation was promv,i,
begun, by the introduction of the cvi-
dcnce for the people. The most import
ant witnesses for the state
| were SAM Music. one Of
| Grains accomplices, and Monroe Bull
ner, who sworc that Grain told him. a
few DAYS after the death of Spence. that
he GRAIN killed him. The attorneys for
the defense made very vigorous cross
examinations and they introduced sew
eral witnesses for the defendant. to show
that the statements made by Music could
not be true : and others to prove that the
defendant was of weak mind; and
further that he had some reason to be-
licvc that Spence was harboring the Sis
nry boys in his store.
| At hnli-past 2 o'clock the examination
ended, and the judge asked the attorneys
If they desired to say anything. Both
sides declined making any remarks, pre-
ierring to leave the case entirely on the
evidence.
BY this tune the court room was
crammcd with anxious aud almost
breathless spectators. many OF whom
were respectable ladies Of this place. all
eager to hear what would be the fate of
the prisoner at the bar. While Judge
Crawford was writing out the sentence
every thing was perfect stiffness. and
when he looked over the audience before
commencing to speak, there could be
read in the faces of all deep anxiety for
the coming result. The Judge, In his
remarks, spoke of the great responsibility
that this case had placed upon him OF
the great depth of this crime. of its being
Il premeditated and cold.clooded murder.
| lie spoke of the opportunity
offered the criminal to have
his case tried by jury OF
his couhtrymcn; of his explanation to
the prisoner OF the probable result,
should he plead guilty to the charge OF
! murder that with n full knowledge OF
these things, he had still entered plea
oil guilty: The Judge then spoke of the
| penalty fixed by our laws for the crime
of murder; of the law Itself, lis true in.
tents and meaning. When he spoke OF
this. the final doom of the prisoner wa,
fixed IN the minds of many that were
present. Many in the audience wer,
weeping by tins time. and the judge him.
sell shed copious tears. seeming almos,
overcome. He placed his handkerchief
TO his eyes and bowed his head for few
moments-sience in the room was per-
fect-but soon rallied himself and
said: - must do my duty before
my God and my fellow-meu. "
and with few words pronounced
the sentence of death on Marshall Grain
When the sentence was pronounced.
Grains wife, who had been at hi, side all
! day. gave way to her feelings and wepl
| bitterly.
During the entire trial the prisoner did
not appear the least alarmed. and did not
| seem to be even affected when the Judge
spoke his doom. Grain was asked If he
had anything TO say why sentcnc,
| should not be pronounced on him. He
answered that he did, and rose up anu
said that the people had forced him tc
trial before he had time tc
defend himself: that he had
been led into these crime,
| by John Bullner, man who was
smarter than he was; and he did no
think he deserved to be hung. The judg,
| then pronounced the sentence-tha
Marshall Grain should be hung by tn,
| neck until dead.
! The day fixed for his execution is Fri
day. the 2lst day of January, 1876.
Grain is guilty of the highest crime
known to the law--one of the most viii
full murders ever committed among any
people. and is the first man ever sen
fenced TO be hung in Williamson county