Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-04-17

~ ~ tWUOOW0
He Rsesavss I've Years aaa .Rlss .
ol,eoo-rsseineny "a Misigatiss
Admitted.
This morning at half past nine O'CLOCK
Dr.. Parsons was brought into court 70
sentence. He was accompanied BY hi
consul. Alfred N. Flag. Alter MAXIM
the proper e~ntries. upon the suggestlon Q
Mr.. Flagg, tho prisoner was allowed I,
produce testimony with the object of niti
eating the penalty. Dr.. Parsons himsel
testified substantially that he resided Q
Finlay, Turner county, 10 this territory
that previous to the commission of the Of
fence charged against him. the dryer o
the Sioux Falls and Yankton stage had
frequently purchased liquor for him and
when under influence Of the liquor had
urged him to the commission of the crime
also furnishing him with tho revolver,
His statement Wa to tho same effect, q
the statement heretofore published.
MI. FlaEE testified that he had known
Dr.. Parsons for several years; that he was
. man of professional ability, generous i'm.
pulses and genial social qualities; that with
the exception of occasional protracted
sprees. he vas fsultless 10 character, and
he'd been esteemed by those who knew
him, his friends 10 Turner county sympa.
thising with him In this misfortune, be.
lieving as they did, that he had been en-.
shared into the commission of the crime by
one who had q motive. Mr.. Flagg then re.
ferred to Edward Creppep, who had acted
the decoy and detective in the matter, stat.
ing that Creppen had already left the coun.
try, and that he had heard Creppen ssy
that he had promised . position for his
services in capturing Dr.. Parsons.
At the conclusion of this testimony
Judge Shannon aeked the prisoner if he
had anything to say whv sentence should
not be passed upon him. He announced IN
the negative, when his honor began 10
speak feelingly of the circumstances con.
nected with the case. This was the old,
old story repeated-the indulgences to ex
cess In strong drink with its attendant evil
associations leading to the violation of law
He had no wish to harrow up his feelings
% he never spoke upon such occasions fol
the purpose Of %wounding the feeling Of the
most vicious criminal. but because it wal
by law made the duty of the court to ex
plain to the prisoner the object of punish.
ment Of crime to reform the criminal and
to deter others from breaking the laws. &c
also referred TO the intelligent appearance
of the prisoner, and hoped that when be
came forth from his imprisonment he would
be . changed and better man; stating also
that if in the investigation to be made with
reference to q more complete development
of the facts connected with the attempted
robbery, facts should be ELECTED tending
to mitigate the punishment in his
case, steps would promptly be taken
to procure q pardon. Reference was made
to the law with respect to voluntary intox'
~ication; that it was no excuse or palliation
for the infraction Of Law or the commission
of crime. At the conclusion of these re
marks, the sentence of the court was tina
the prisoner pay to the United States a fin,
of mi thousand dallars, and tina. he be i'm
prisoned in the Detroit house of correction
in the state of Michigan, for a period Of tw,
years.
This sentence was received BY the prison
er without emotion, though his appearance
indicated that he feels keenly = sense of hi
disgrace. He is a young man, tall and We
formed, rather handsome face, with larg,
mild looking blue eyes, and black hair, ii
clined to curl, and wears a brown must.ch'
He certainly has not the appearance of
man stepped in crime.