The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-02-05


out the country, OF where they are. and
therefore cvuld ma smbpena anyb.,'y TO
come here for my defense. Fur hermore. I
would ssy I do MOT vish 10 cast anv blame
upon any bOay Who has here prosecuted me.
IL II not my purpo.e to do il: ! do not
ssh To throw blame so f.r upon any Oae,
though these per.ous know. as we'll a do
md their Creator knows. thai thew have
sworn To what il Justly untrue. They
know it and believe In their minds and
h~a'is, that they have done 40. I know
that there IL n"t doubt about IL.
Furthermore. would sxy, with regard tn
my counsel, both of these gentlemen we're
appointed tO defend me. ] don't know the
Judge Who appointed them, il nav have
been the gentleman present, bat that does
not matter. i declined them, and for
long time after. n these gentlemen know.
and NJ have told them, . declined their
counsel for the reason, a. I have stated.
that ] wanted nome not fnr . moment
that ] wi-hed Z" be understand that thew
could not defend me, for suppose they are
NJ competent tn d. il ~ any Others. but
with regard tn NV Innocence or guilt ! xm
totally ~ concerned. ~ this Count can have
seen, whether the vesdict will he guilty. or
not guilty. Some m,v think that il does
concern me. hut il doSs no, Tor the reason
that since my bOyho0d-wha,ever nav
have been my other failings. and I suppose
they have been many, more than ordinarily
falls To the lOs Oi n'en-I have had n belief
that there was Being over me " ho guided
INV course. And though have krem sim
iuI. vet believe that lie MA over me, and
and NJ have asserted tn Those who have
had any connection with me that I have
not had the le~-t doubt An to the re-mlt Of
my trial knowing that ] could not he found
innocent or guilty, only ~ He permitted.
\ Knowing that sn speaking to YOU for
the last time, whether acquitted "r found
guilty, can ssy that don't believe in
swearing; whatever my oflrnse might he,
even though By so-doing aud stating the cir
cum-tancr~ under which l was placed il
might give me my liberty. decline to do
II and leave the Gaze with the Judge and
jury, and let them decide il.
A ] said, ] did not want the aid of
counsel because believed there was sno,h.
~ Being who would defend ME. but am
thankful for their services and for the kind
attention of the court in listening to them
in NV behalf.
think j will have In give up. think
the circumstances are clear enough and
'h"~e xho ere impartial will Judge Of them
IN time Ia come when they nsy see il .
little clesrrr than ut pr~-ent, and oh.
prrj"'iice and everything Of that sort shall
have passed away.
With ~Rard tn the verdict. and whether
] have anything to cay a. u whether sem
iencr should be pronounced, l don't think
for nso,nent-wi,h"ut paying any dis
expect to you a. . Judge, or any other
gentlemen Of the professionalism any.
thing could say would in the slightest
alter the sentence, because know that il il
the usual form for the Court thus To ad-
dress the prisoner. this sentence you may
pass upon me. You may think am vis-
ionsry or trying tn impose up"n you in
stating few things that the people may
look nj. have not been . man whO be-
lieved in yh"~t stories and such things.
In .ll trMthfnlne.s, a. declare before my
Maker. bef.re wh"m stand, to BE- true
So Tar ~ ] am stating. that with regard to
this sentence, that though cunld not pOs-
-'bly say nj the time that ! ever 4, =.
.aw that would he xecuied-as criminal
hut il has been before NV eyes, am 8
wears in America, and year. bsfore I he
fore came and before ] believed I ever
knew what sin Wa, 10 I conld deGae il,
though perhaps sinful and not knowing il,
have seen N clear m the ann in heaven
hef"re me. that wxs ening To he inn
psisoned in Stste Pria,n or County Jill in
America. How il IL ! could not tell.
Some people may say ] was dreaming. IL
may he 10 but don, believe il. I tell you I
have seen IL and il never left my eve. hut
hiss heen before me day and nighi-but
IL has heen clearly hef"re NV mind ior
years before ] ever conceived the idea ri
coming tn America. ] can't account for
it, Some peUple NAV, hut can't. I don't
know how IL il, hut il IL M.
Furthermore, with regard to your zen.
,enee of death, I was thinking last night
wh ] vent Ia NV cell and nv mind Wa
''ccurie,i ~bout this verdics, and though I
didn't feel the slightest alarm, vet I
thought there wxs something Connected
with my proceedings in THE +-nrt, that
might be turned bv newspaper reporters or
others into something which would BE- pat
before the people frum which hey might
c"nee,ve the idea w~a putting m .
hold face and appear to be a. did not
ieel.
This do wish the public tn under.tand :;
Ihave mn idea of imr~ing upon the pub
10
] have acted ~ feel totally unconcerned.
AZ have seen things for . long time
through years, have thought and believed
that there VIA m nse in putting On /.
long face and sppe.r,n. before the public
in manner different from what have
isot vil1 not engage your atteniinn or
take mp your time snv longer, vet ! vunld
say that perhaps nv life has not hesn
svhSH vnnsl~ nae ali s.~~n.~u1~s> os,.~
and ready tn % hefore my Maker. bat IL
length 81 time which the lav allows to
prepare for eternity. shall h. thankful.
During all the time Of the trial and up
to the pro"ouncing 81 his sentence. Woods
has preserved cslm. indifferent manner,
hot ~ the Last words 81 the Judge we're
spoken strange. frightened look creps
over his face and then disappeared. II ID
reported that when he reached his cell he
entirely broke down. During the last mo-
men,s. a. sentence was being spoken. many
people weps, mea and women, and Judge
and counsel were more moved than the un-
fortunate man h,maelf.
The trial has heen one Of great interest,".
Laying aside it, sensaiional character and
the unusual circumstances Of prisoner
pleading his 0wn case beiose the b~s, the
fact that Wo"ds il total stranger, without
friends and without deienar. has gained him
much sympathy. And yet no one can say
bat that his doom il just. He himself
sill nos plead his in"oce"ce.
THR WEATHER.
Tees Prognootications.
Ppnf Tie aeea d.,vm sl> f,l1o~sn~ v>esk.