Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-01-11
WetnlOre's Sentence.

"cJmOFc'S Sc0GeAces
Theodore R. Wetmore, late Vice President
Of the Security Life and Indemnity Company,
Gu! victed on Tuesday of a conspiracy to obstruct
tbs enforcement of the insurance laws. was sen.
t..nocd in the Court of Oyer and Terminer. yes
terday, by Judge Daniels. to the full penalty of
the law. At eleven o'cock, the usual hour of
opening the court, the prisoner was brought 10
by Officer James Nesls, who had had him iu
charge during the night. BE looked pale and
much cast down, evidently feeling deeply the
degradation OF bis position. District Attorney
Phelps having moved for sapteuce MIR. Mott,
one Of the counsel for the prisoner, said that
alter consultation il was decided 10 yield to
their clients desire and accept sentence at once.
The prisoner was directed By Mr. Sparks. the
clerk, to stand Up. aod 10 reply to the usual
questions said he was fifty one years f age,
resident of Alexandra, Va. aod had no me
ohancal trade.
"Have you anything to say, and if ~ what.
Why sentence should not now be passed % you
blythe Court?"
The prisoner, 10 voio, husky with sup
pressed emotion; said -
would like to say very few words. For
the last three years worked day and night to
try and save the institution. | have nothing
to say 10 relation to he past but that look
was such that had been obliged to advance 10
stand before the Court penniess man, de
pending on the charity of iIi,ud'. My
former home on the Hudson. 10 which my seven
children were born, is advertised for sale, under
foreclosure. and both children and wife are now
wanderers in distant State. only ask that
the Court, under these circumstances, shall be
as lenient as il Gao, and whatever sentence it
may impose shall be received without murmur,
for this is the FIRST time | have ever been in
court, and feel that | would rather die than
60 through second trial.
Judge Daniels, in passing sentence, said it
was always painful to impose penalty, but
doubly so where the prisoner has had the ad.
vantsges Of education and position such as I'm.
der ordinary circumstances are expected to pre-.
vent persons from the commission of crime. 1t
is very startling that crimes Of the description
that brought shout the present melancholy exhi-
bition are of frequent occurencean are commit
ted by class who have enjoyed large amount
Ct public confidence, and who failed 10 meet the
expectation placed in them. thus weakening the
confidence of the people in the integrity OF hu.
man nature. thus impelling to crime those who
have no such educational and social advantages
and who srestmulated to wrong dongs by want
and necessity. When these restraints are over
looked and crime committed The Court has but
one duty. When these restraints arising from
fortunate position and circumstances are vioat.
cd it is an sggravation of the crime itsolf. The
law as it stands as to penalties for defalcstioIs,
is the same as it was fifty years ago, when there
was no opportunity for such heavy defslcations,
and, in my opinion, is defective. 1t is an alarm
ing circumstance that what are ordinarily OK.
pected TO BIO restraints against crime arc disre-
garGed, and sll We can do in your case or any
case where the Indictment is simply for INSIDE.
meanor is to infict the full penalty. 1t would
be matter of qualification to the Court if it
could giant your request but in view Of the cir.
cumstances, the full penalty should be imposed.
Your own testimony showed that for years be.
fore the report was made your company was in
solvent; Jet you, and very likely the other Of
fcers, knowing this permitted money 10 be
taken from contiding persons for your policies
when you knew that your contracts were worth.
less The Court hopes that the experience you
have gained, if Of 30 sad nature, will aid in re-.
storing you to your former relations with socie-
ty and that it will deter others similarly situat.
ed from yielding to temptation.
1.-The sentence of the Court is" the Judge
concluded, that you be imprisoned in the PEN
itentary at hard labor for the term of one year.
and pay fine of $3.50, and that you stand COM
mitted until the fine is paid for not more than
one day for each dollar"
The prisoner was then removed by permission
of the Judge to the Sherif's Office for the pur-
pose Of having an interview with his aged father.
and was thence taken to the Tombs.-Ne's Irk.
HeqrlG