The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-08-30
THE MT. VERNON MURDER.


Onthe 18th inst. VIM. Bergin was con.
victed of murder in the first degree in
taking the life of Thomas j. MCBri lie. OF
Mt. Vernon. Just stsixty-tive days elapsed
since the tragedy, and after two hours
and half of able argument by the de-
fense,on Monday,to which the State made
no reply, the motion for the arrest OF
judgment was overruled as was the mo-
tion for anew trial. The prisoner arose
at the request of the Court. Judge
Adams pronounced the sentence, but
before proceeding further the Judge
accorded the right which the law gives
the prisoner of saying why the judgement
OF the court should not be pronounced
against him. The prisoner arose and
spoke as follows:
"To the Judge who tried my case re-
turn my sincere thanks for the indulgence
and impartiality which has marked his
bearing throughout my trial, and l regret
that the members of the jury are not
present, that might have the opportuni.
ty Of thanking them for their kind and
patient attention during the investigation
of the charge made against me. The kill
ing of Mcbride, the widowhood of his
wife, and the orphanage of his children,
sincerely deplore. The act on my part
was without malice and generalization,
and the result of an instantaneous i'm
pulse which overthrow my reason and my
power of self control. My mind had be-
come totally broken up by week of deS
bauch, and it may be, the taint of the her
editary disease, for the existence of which
l feel that l am not responsible before
Almighty God. Although it may not have
been the result of bad motive, the testi-
mony of several of the witnesses was a
distortion of the facts. When / left the
Office Of Mr.. Greer it was still the purpose
of my mind to obtain my saChel by the
simple process of the law, and with this
intention went to the Office of Mr.. Hart
for the second time that morning and
found it closed; and although [ hal strain
ed my will to the utmost tention to control
my mind, on leaving Mr. Harris office a
feeling of dependency overcame me. l
started down street without motive; a
feeling of utter destruction and abandon
ment took possession of me and l deter.
mined to relieve myself ofthe burden of
this earth, and for this purpose l went to
the shop of Mr., Gregory to procure the
instrument by which / should end my
unhappy life, which l had determined to
take at the bridge. Why selected that
place, | do not understand myself, and,
therefore, cannot explain. With a great
effort | assumed an air of Indifference in
order to get the fatal pistol, but / cannot
recall the facts as stated by Mr.. Gregory;
for my mind was fast verging toward a
state of confusion.
During all of this time l did not once
think of killing Mcbride, and this sol
EMMY declare in the presence of AL
mighty God, to whom l must answer for
all my acts in this life. 1t is impossible
for me to say where crossed Main street,
My doing so was the result of instinct
and habit, and have no recollection OF
it whatever, nor can explain why en-
tered the Bergin House instead of contin-
uing down to th3 bridge. l only remem-
Der seeing Mcbride, and the fatal impulse
which was beyond my control, and which
resulted in his unprecedented death, II
was tie the work of an insta ut, and mol
the work of deliberation.
81 have already thanked the Judge fol
the impartial manner with which my
case has been tried. To Sheriff Gay my
sincere thanks are also due tor his uni
form consideration and kindness for me
while have been in his custody. To
ward the Prosecuting Attorney ] feel thai
l have no cause of reproach, for / am in
the hope that Colonel Cooper may be as
freely forgiven by his own conscience
and the Great Judge before whom ht
must appear as | now forgive him."
The Judge then said;
Feeling the solemnity Of my duty thu
saddest of my professional and judicia
life, pronounce the judgment of tn
Court upon the verdict of the jury, which
is that William S. Bergin be hanged BY
the neck until dead on Friday, December
Z, between the hours Of 10 A. NJ. and
NJ"