The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1878-06-18
The Sentence Of VIM. Smith.

Wefnd reported in the Bonneville
Enterprise Of the It'll, a report OF the
sentence Of VIM. Smith, for murder, by
Judge Rogers, at the term Of the circuit
court, just closed, in Logan county.
Smith committed suicide, by hanging
himself in Jail, Il few days, after his sen.
tenee. The following is the Judges
sentence
William Smith it can be of little utility to
you, or Others present, and certainly no plea
sure for me to reeaptulate the circumstances
upon which the jury have determined your
guilt of murder in the first degree. As long
as we are erring mortals, there can be no alb
solute certainty in human affairs. In this
case, however, the evidence against you. is of
that clear strong, cogent and conclusive char
ter which admits no reasonable doubt ofyour
guilt in the mind OF the court and which full
~ authorized the jury in returning the YER
diet they did. What could have been the mo-
tive sEperindneiug this depraved and brutal
act OF yours, for which nothing, save the
blood OF Redeemer can atone, is matter OF
deep speculation and concern to the Court,
whose duty it is to pronounce the judgment
OF the law upon yon What could have inllu-
eneed you to have ehticed this weak and de-
tenseless orphan boy, whose oGsg PfagthNgS,
found upon his dead body, tell the truthful
story of his tender years. into a lonely and
nntreqHenled spot OH the mountain top, and
then deliberately sacrificed his young life, is u
profound secret to all perhaps save you, and
| may say HIM. into whose solemn and august
presence you have ushered unprepared, his
young spirit; where YOU, also, must soon APP
pear, to answer for this deed to Hin Who SUI
iereth not even the sparrow to fall without
Ills knowledge There must have been some
motive called into existence by some erimn-
al act of yonrs which he knew. and which
You desired TO suppress actuating you to this
murderous deed, aud which the evidence has
left undisclosel. However, or whatever chat
may be, the guilt still remains, and the stub
haTi nnerfinA naia-a. i',.,1it@ Yen.
laws proclaim that, except it be done accord
ing to legal and constitutional methods it is
lett for him only. who gave, to take away
human life. WhoSoeyer sheddeth man 5
blood, even so by man shall his own blood be
she'd" beseech you therefore by every
cons liberation touching the eternal welfare OF
your soul, that you lay aside all hope of es-
cape from the penalty of the law you have Vi
olated and prepare at once, with Hll possible
speed and sincerity, to meet the almost cer-
tam doom that awaits You in the near future
II you have enemies forgive them now. 1T
you have WrOnged others, confess 1t to them,
and ask forgiveness. If you have left undone
those things which you ought to have done,
and done those things which you ought not to
have done. hasten at once, rs far us in y@l
lies to repair the wrongs, by giving yourself
over to meditation and thought of your con,
diton, and, by earnest, continuous prayer and
deep contrition, Here lies the wisdom of
your few remaining days, and beg of you to
realize this fact, ana be not foolish and vain
glorious now, in the hour of your supreme
peril. | entreat you, then to surrender all
things temporal, and seize hold on things
spiritual, that you may be permitted to live
v ,1r1'h havn 90 S9 ap's g Pesece
William Smith, it is the judgment OF the law
as pronounced by the Court, that you be re-
manded to the common jail of Logan county
and there safely kept until Friday, the ID of
August, 1875 on which day, between sunrise
and sunset, the Sheritfo of Logan county hang
you by the neck until you are dead. And may
God have mercy on your SOUL