Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-07-20
COURT PROCEEDINGS.
The Corson Murder Trial at Sioux Falls
and other Doinss of the Court
Corson's Sentence.

NNH-t III ASa1NA0H " az
case OF the Territory vs.. CoIson, 1 send you
herewith the copy OF the eour, records,
which explain the whole proceedings as
we'll, and in much fewer words Than l cculd
do it.
There vas enc Other criminal case-that
OF the Territory vs.. MR.. Canu, and James
Foster The detesse moved to qussh The
Indictment; motion sustained and defend
ants he'd in bonds of 5000 for their appear
ancs before the grand jury st its next ses-
sioa.
The sewing machine case Of Wheeler &
Farren vs.. D. ". Oaks, resulted in a yer
DICT for plaiatifs for so. Oaks agreed 10
settle before trial for sG5.
The crops are splendid, as a general thing
more han an average crep will be bar
vested, if no further damage done. Barley
nearly all cut; farmers busy and merchants
hopeful. Should the crops be unmolestcd
for two weeks more, the dullness in town
will give place to such a show of life as
has not been witnessed here for years.
THE coRsoN CASE.
The TERRITORY OF DAKOTA,
VS..
Alonzo B. Corson.
Be it remembered that on the 25lh dav
of May, A. d. 1877, the grand jury, in and
for the judicial subdivision, composed &
the counties of Minnet aha and Lake re.
turned into Ibis court a true bill of indict-
ment, charging the defendant, Alonzo V.
Corson, with the crime and felony Of muir
der; that on the 2Sth day of May, 1877,
said defendant was called to plead to said
indictment, and then and there orally plead.
ed not guilty" and the cause set for trial
on the 18th day of July, A. D. 1877, and
the Honorable Granville G. Bennett, ssso-
ciate justice of the supreme court and
judge of the first judicial district, d~esigna.
ted and appointed to preside at and during
said trial and be it further remembered,
that on the 18th day of July, 1877, said
cause being called, aud the defendant, Alon.
70 B. Corson, being present IN person and
by counsel, and the the district attorney
and NJ. Grigsby, Esq, of counsel for the
Territory, being also present, the defendant
asked leave to withdraw the plea OF mot
guilty" heretofore entered herein, for the
purpose of entering a plea of guilty of man
slaughter in the first degree, and the coun-
sci for the Territory not Directing thereto,
but asserting to the same, the motion and
request OF defendant was allowed, and his
plea of mot guilty " Withdrawn, whereup-
on the defendant was asked if he was ready
to plead, and stated that he was, and then
and there orally pleaded that he is not
guilty of murder, as charged in the ndict-
ment. but that he is guilty of manslaughter
in the first degree; which said plea was &C.
cepted by counsel for the territory, and
judgment and sentence asked thereon.
Whereupon, the court, in anticipation OF an
the evening OF July 18th, 1877, then and
there fixed july 18th, 1877, at the hour of
two O'Clock p. m, as the time for pronoun-
cling judgment, and on the suggestion of
M. Grigsby, Esq, of counsel for the terri
tory, notified the parties that Immediately
before pronouncing judgment, the court
would hear testimony in relation TO cir
cumstances which might properly be taken
into view either in aggraYation or mitiea-
ton of the punishment.
And now on this 18th day of July, 1877,
at the hour of 2 o'clock p, M, the defend
ant, Alonzo Y. Corson, being present in
person and by counsel, and counsel for the
territory being also present, the court hav-
ing heard testimony, both on part of the
territory and the defendant, in relation to
circumstances in aggravation and mitiga-
ton of the punishment, the defendant is
called for judgment, and being informed of
the nature of the, Indictment against him,
and of his plea OF guilty of mapslaughter
in the first degree, and is asked whether he
has any legal cause to show why judgment
should not be pronounced against him. and
defendant answering that he has none. The
court %pronources The following
JUDGMENT:
1t is the judgment of this court that you.
AloDzo V. Corson, be confined at bard la
cor in the Iowa state penitentiary, located
a: Fort Madison, in the state of Iowa, and
designated by the proper authorities Of this
territory, as the territorial prison, for the
term or period of seven years. There to be
and remain during said term, under the
control of the proper officers, and subject
to oil the rules and regulations of said
prison.
LSigned GRANVILLE G. BENNETT,
Associate Justice suprems Court and Pre-
siding Judge.
REAL ESTATE.