Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-11-24
FOR LIFE.

Last Tuesday morning early cur
tain fell in another act of the Geo. Weil
Christmas tragedy-the shooting OF
Sterling Riggs when Geo. Weir was
sentenced by our Court to be taken to
the penftentiary of Ohio, there to be
kept at hard labor during life. The fact
that Weir was to be brought into Court
and plead guilty. of murder in the second
degree, was for some cause, best known
TO the officers of the Court. kept within
their. own knowledge. Court convened
at 8 O'Clock, earlier than usual, when
the prisoner, who was indicted for MUIR
der in. the first degree, was brought into
Court by the Sheriff and Deputy Green.
L. Danford, Esq, of counsel for prison
er, addressed the Court, saying that his
client wished to withdraw his plea of
mot guilty" to the charge of murder in
the first degree, and enter, by permission
of the Court, and the attorney for the
State, a plea OF guilty" of murder in the
second degree Prosecutor Mitchell said
that owing to the circumstances sur
rounding the case, he had concluded to
give his consent that a plea of murder
in the I'd degree might be entered. The
prisoner, who appeared somewhat SUBJ
dued and a little more nervous than
formerly, was asked by the Court if-it
was his desire to plead guilty Of mur-
der in the I'd degree, when an afirma-i
tive response was given by the prisoner.
He was then asked to stand up, when he
arose, and Judge 0key inquired if he
had anything to say why the sentence
of the law should not be imposed upon
him. The prisoner replied that he had
nothingto say, when the Court prenoun-
ced the sentence of imprisonment for
life, remarking, in concluding, that he
hoped that he would live long enough to
repent Of his terrible crime. The prison.
er bore, what was to the lOokers-on, a
painful ordeal, with his usual "grit,
showing no signs of contrition, or prick
ings of conscience for the horriblecrime
upon the person OF his victim and against
society.
The Sheriff, who had made previous
took the prisoner back to
Jail, and shortly afterward placed him
in a carriage, and with Deputy Green,
drove'to Lewis Mills, where they took
the train for Columbus. Owing to the
fact that several threats had been made
that the prisoner should not be taken
alive to Columbus, the Sheriff thought
it prudent to avoid any risk.
: There will arise some difference
of opinion as to the propriety of this ac-
ton by the Court Many believe that,
while the Court technically had thej
right to accept plea of guilty of low
er grade of crime than that of which
the prisoner stood charged, in a easel
of such gravity, and of SO atrocious a ma
ture, that the determination of his guilt
should have been left to jury. On the
other hand it is claimed that upon trial
a jury failed to convict, and disagreed, |
and that there was little probability of |
i verdict of guilty as charged in the in
dictment. because of the advantage grow
ing cut, of the selection ola jury in cap-t
ital cases in. favor of the accused. ALL
ready the case had cost the county and
State about $500 Possibly the result is
The best that could be attained, yet to !
those who witnessed the crime, and to al
which has been oppressed byf
awlessness, the punishment does not
appear commensurate with the cnormi-I
~ of the Offense. ..-