The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-05-31
CONVICTION OF YOUNG BoYKIN


for Murder In the Second Degree by the
Milan County Court--An Impressive and
Instructive Speech.
am asked by your honor "if have any
thing to say why sentence should not be
pronounced upon me-" feel that ] have
nothing to say that would alter your hon
or's determination TO impose the sentence
In accordance with the verdict of the jury
that has convicted me. The forms, the
rules and tho tcchnicalities of the law have
been complied with. But consider 1t due
TO myself and to those whose blood flows in
my veins not to be silent on this occasion.
| have read of the young lrishman who,
wears ago, when condemned to die by an
English court was asked the same question
by an English Judge. SO humble am and
80 exalted was this young Irish patriot,
whose name will live forever in history and
song, and whose crime consisted in loving
the land of his birth "too well, but not
wisely" that ] would not dare mention
him in connection with myself, but that |
fancy there are in this case some points of
resemblance. He was convicted before the
trial begun. The English court backed by
the English people, had prejudged his case,
and Young Emmett fell victim to popu ar
il may have been; and chivalrous lrishmen
can scarce speak of him to-day without n
tear. He may have been hasty and i'm
pctuous, but he meant no wrong, and the
verdict of posterity is, he was no traitor. |
do here snemnly say that have been con-
victed uniustly. ! do say that never had
any nniriendly feeling tor William Broad
max before the commencement of the I'M
fortunate difficulty which cost him his life
and me my liberty. do say that ! meyer
Intentionally provoked the quarrel nor had
Broadnax the right to think so. And do
say that after it began | abandoned II in
good faith, and would never have
been IN trouble if he had not
called me back by words which
would rather die than submit to without
notice or reply. When | retorted back to
his vile and Infamous epithets, then he
threw the glass, which tried to stop. and
when believed he meant to kill me if he
could, ] shot him. never put my hand IN
my hip pocket Till after coming back, when
he raised the glass. He started to raise u
bottle at me, before Mangum asked me to
stop the fuss, and II was then that said ,
IF you hit me with that will shoot you"
! will swear before my Maker that ! never
heard Broadnax say, go away, want no
fuss" or anything like it, and don't
believe he said it. | will
swear that | never said, 81 don't
like you, Bill Broadnax.n Steve Stewart
and Jim Heily and John Hely may have
heard rumors or talk Just after, that these
things were said, for that agreed with the
general feeling and belief, and they may
have come to believe that they heard
Broadnax and myself say them, as they
were friends Of Broadnax and did not like
me But do say they were never said in
that difficulty. My father was sick in bed
at the time. My enemies had it all their
own way and my own friends were afraid to
sneak. Falsehood got fastened at thu
start, and that side has convicted
me. Old Mr. Durand came nearer
telling the correct tale than anybody else.
And / also here say that j never struck
Broadnax with my hand, but ! jumped
forward and tried to clutch his arm as he
raised the glass. ] here say that believe
the jury that convicted me have acted hon.
estly, and have no Ill will towards them.
But do believe that the common notion,
and the general prejudice, entered into
their deliberations, like the air they breathe
enters their bodies, aud inclined them to
believe the states side IN preference to
mire The honestest men are Vpconsciouslv
governed by their prejullces. and the
honestest jurors sometimes decide against
the weight of the evidence. | believe il
would be almost rs hard for the people of
Milan county to rid themselves of the idea
Of MY guilt as would be for the Christian
to deny the,Bible. But | submit. | have
been wild, bad boy, Notwithstanding the
entrcaties Of my devoted father, and / am
now paying the penalty. III am punished
too much and too harshly, yet 1t may serve
as q good example to others. | shall bear
my punishment without complaint, and
feel more suffering on account of the pain
and sorrow give those so near and dear
than on my own account. My noble and
devoted father can never repay, but will
try in the future to behave
Ike man, and hope vet
l may be q man not altogether unworthy.
To Mr.. Breeding, Judge Broaddus, and
above all, to my faithful, Jealous and elo-
qucnt advocate, Mr. Homan, give my
heartfelt thanks, In the dreary and lonely
solitude of my cell, IL will be the greatest
pleasure and solacc to remember the few
kind friends who have stood by me in my
trial, while those who have prosecuted me,
amongst whom are some | had vainly inn
agined would be my friends, ! shall try to
forget To your honor on the bench and to
the people of Milan county, bid final
farewell; and hope the time may come
when both your honor and the people may
realize that have been sinned against as
well rs SHINING" am done.