The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-11-11
A VERY SAD SCENE.
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER SENT TO JAIL
FOR FORGERY, PERJURY AND
CONSPIRACY.

The q, 5. District Court, this morning,
witnessed scene of an unusually sad char
aeter During the week the case OF john
Love. Mrs. Mary NJ. Love, and Mrs. Sarah
f. Mcdowell was called up for trial. They
were indicted on three charges, growing out
Of an attempt to obtain a pension from the
United States and the charges involved con-
spiracy and bribery. It seemed that son
of Mr. and Mrs Love had been in the army,
and that after his return home he had been
attacked with typhoid fever and died. SUD
seouently the parents received blanks from
a pension agent in Washington, accompanied
BY a letter informing them that they were
entitled to a pension, and requesting them
to fill in the blanks so that the application
could be made in due form. They returned
the blanks several times, but finally cOnclud-
ed to attempt to obtain the pepsion which
the agent asserted was due to them. Hav-
ing gone thus far they INDUCED in the crime
of forgery, and also perjury, the latter crime
having been committed in making andavt
that the son had Gied from disease contract
ed while in the service. The husband, wife,
and daughter live in Fairfield township,
WeStmoreIand county, and mp to the time OF
the charges being made in this case, were
highly respected by their neighbors and ac-
quaintanceS.
AS soon as the charges were made, how
ever, the husband, who was an elder IN the
church. was summoned before session, and
after somewhat protracted trial was eX-
onerated. When the case came on for trial
in the District Court this week, District At
tOrney Stone moved for nOlle pros so far
as the husband was concerned, and Mrs.
Love and her daughter. Mrs. Mcdowell,
entered plea of guilty in manner and form
as indicted on the three charges.
This morning the mother and daughter
were present to receive the sentence Of the
Court The mother, who has reached a
venerable age, was bowed down with grief.
Her face was wrinkled, her hair almost
white, and she was clad in deep black. The
daughter sat close to her, and clasped the
hand OF the mother with such earnestness
that it was observed by all spectators VINO
were present The father, who had been
relieved from the tolls Of the law, sat near
his wife, and when she gave way to tears
wiped his eyes in nervous way that indi-
Gated deep feeling.
W. &. Moreland, Esq, attorney for the
defendants. made a brief but feeling address
to the Court. He said the guilt OF the
charges had been admitted, but he asked
the Court to consider the age of the mother,
and the temptations which had been held
out to the daughter. While the father had
been kept in ignorance of what was going
on, the claim agent at Washington had been
insisting on the mother ana daughter filling
in the blanks he had sent them. They had
done wrong, but they did not seem to have
had any conception Of the wrong they were
committing. He hoped the Court would be
as lenient as was consistent with justice.
District Attorney Stone said the case was
one of the saddeSt with which he had ever
been connected. He alluded to the charges
which had been preferred against the de
PENDANTS, and said that as plea Of guilty
had been entered it was his duty to ask the
Court to carry out the law. He alluded
feelingly to the gray haired mother, and said
that while he. was the prosecutor for the
Government ne would ask that justice would
be tempered with mercy.
Judge Acheson, after the attorneys had
concluded their remarks, said the case was
certainly a most distressing one. That two
women, respectfully connected, should en-
gage in such crime and carry II out was
almost beyond belief In view of the plea
made by counsel and the statement made
by the District Attorney the Court had con-
cuded not to send the defendants to the
penitentiary. The Court might err in this
matter, but the error would be on the side
of mercy. The age Of one of the defendants
had influenced the Court in imposing the
sentence, and instead OF sending the con-
victed parties to the penitenJiary they would
be committed to the WestmOreland county
Jail
The parties were then each sentenced to
the WeStmOreland County Jail on two indict-
mentS and on the third were sentenced to
pay fine 0f s., and 500 in addition to the
cost of prosecution. On the third indict-
ment they we're each sentenced TO pay fine
of 800 and costs. After the sentence had
been announced Doth mother and daughter
burst into tears, and some minutes elapsed
before the proceedings were resumed
PittsbUTg Chronicle Of Saturday.
The prisoners were taken TO the Jail at
Greensburg on Saturday afternoon where an
other sad scene was enacted. 1t is the gen
eral opinion that the old lady will not out
live her two years imprisonment.