The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-11-26

nom DIS I0ul1ly anu xO1mok AIAO1Uct ouA oUu.
sign him to fate 80 many have suffered before,
but in other cities than this. ....
Standing before the judge in court room
80 silent that few dared to breathe hard fOr
fear of marrlng the solemn stillness, the
doomed man was startled by these words
spoken by the clerk in . clear but low tone:
Have you anything to say Why sentence
nothing" came slowly from tho lips of Mr..
Keen. moments pause, in which one could
almost fancy the beatings of his heart could
be heard across the room, and
JUDGE YOUNG DELIVERED HIS CHARGE.
1T is perhaps unnecessary to say to you, Mr..
Keene, that pronouncing the sentence of the
law upon you in this case, is al duty from
which the Judge of this court would, if posi-
BILE, gladly be relieved. The relations which
we have sustained to you rs business man for
several years, and the confidence growing out
of such relations renders the duty more than
ordinarily painful, and were to yield to that
natural sympathy and pity, which all who have
known and respected you in the position which
you have SO long occupied, feel for you. such
feelings would ind expression IN light SEN
tence pronounced. Ard not only is this sym
patty entertained for yourself, but there are
others whose hearts are saddened by your I'M
fortunate condition, who were not partakers of
your crime, but who must to the fullest extent
have but the kindest feelings. There are,
however other considerations which must de-
termine in the administration of the law, and
OF which an intelligent business man you
cannot be unmindful; and to execute the law
is the Office of the court.
The crime of which you are accused by this
indictment, and to which you have entered
plea of guilty, involves a serious offense
against the law, and in its commission q
breach of confidence and trust toward those who
had contided important interests to your keep
ing. -|r it,.
The crime of which you are guilty is one
which perhaps more than any other disturbs
business, by creating general distrust among
business men. Confidence il, and reliance
upon the integrity of those to whom great
business interests are entrusted, is essential in
the prosecution of Those varied branches of
business in which the country is engaged, and
anything which disturbs this relation by Great
ing distrust in the honesty OF those persons
who from necessity occupy confidential rela-
tions strikes at the very foundation of bust
ness prosperity. Now the law seeks to protect
these interests, and the only way in which it
can give such protection is by severely punish
ing those who violate the law, and to this end
the severity of the punishment should bear q
reasonable proportion to the magnitude of the
Offense.
You stand convicted by your own plea of the
larceny of over 81, 900 from the bank in which
you held an Office if confidence and trust. The
crime is therefore more dangerous one to pub
lie interests, than though ~ professional bur
glar you had broken into the bank in the night
time and abstracted like amount; a. in the
latter case it would have been the act of an en-
envy, whereas your wrong was perpetrated un-
der the guise of friendship. The one can
usually be guarded against, but the other can
not. Now, it scarcely seems possible that, in
your case, this crime should have been the
result of sudden temptation, but must have
been rather that of a Systematic and skillful
plan on your part to rob Your employers of this
large sum of money, and which your conf
Dental position afforded ample opportunity to
successfully carry out. This to you may seem
to be harsh view to take of the case, but
yours is but one of q class of crimes which
have for the past few years cursed this country
to suppose that your case is exceptional in its
character. We may, perhaps, in char
ity to yourself, presume that the
moral turpitude which this great crime evil
dences must be the result of a gradual growth
extending over perhaps months, and developed
of heart. If this be true, it certainly gives
additional proof of fact of which you cannot
Lave been ignorant, that it is very unsafe for
one to famiIiarize himself with those PRACTICES
which are 50 incompatible with legitimate hon
esty. 1t is but a single step from strict in
tegrity to the deepest disgrace, for when one
purposely steps over the line which separates
honesty from dishonesty there is no limit to
The possible crime which such step may induce
TO cover up the first wrong-deception, forgery
and other like offenses are the natural out
growth Of such wrongful act. Whether such
has been your experience in this case the court
s not advised; we have only here to deal with
the crime charged in the indictment. 'ssA
In view of these facts, the court would be
dlrelect in the discharge of this important
duty did it fail to make the law as effective az
possible for the suppression of crime in gen
eral, and in OBTAINING others situated as you
were from committing like effense. This
nearly commensurate with the gravity of the
offense as the statute warrants. As before
stated, great confidence was reposed in you
you have proved yourself unworthy of that
confidence and Eccreant to your trust, and the
offense of larceny with which you are charged
is greatly aggravated by this unfaithfulness on
your part. Now, it is not the purpose Of tho
court by these remarks to render your burden
less bearable, for with your intelligence and
sensitive nature, this 10 not for you IN easy one
to carry, but it 10 in receiving the sentence of
the court proper that you shall fully under
stand the enormity of your offense viewed
from the standpoint of the law and of that of
In pronouncing this sentence the court de-
sires to assure you that while the law which
in this regard fairly reflects healthy public
sentiment, will not tolerate or allow any excuse
for your crime, but requires that tho penalty
which you have invited be imposed and fully
paid; yet, when yon shall have paid this PEN
Atty, when you shall have served your term in
prison, you will be allowed to again take your
place a. . citizen, with all your rights and
privileges restored, and you will receive all the
aid and encouragement which You may need,
to regain and re.establish the good name which
you have SO unfortunately lost. You are COM
of many years in which to engage in active
business for which you are 60 well qualified,
and if this sad experience shall have the effect
to correct the errors into which you have fallen
and establish you upon foundation Of truth
and honesty, and lead you to higher and
better life you may yet be q honored, respect
full and useful member of society; and
feel warranted in assuring you, that if such
shall be your purpose and desire, you will never
want for faithful friends to stand by and en-
courage you in the prosecution Of such pur-