Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-14
DOUGLASS, DEFENCE.
what He Said Before Receiving His
Sentence.

what He Said Before Receiving His
Sentence.
It has already been published that VIM
Seymour Douglass was, in Mineral county,
convicted the second time of the murder OF
young Heiser, the Grant county mail car
rier. When Judge Armstrong was ready
to sentence him, he put the usual question:
"Have you anything to say why sentence
should not be passed upon your
At the first trial, Douglass said nothing,
hut this time he responded:
Your HONOR: When you have spoken il
will have been the second time you have
pronounced the sentence OF the law upon
me for the same offence and also like SEN
tence of imprisonment for life. On the
former occasion / had nothing to say be-
cause l was under the Influence OF liquor,
and consequently to great degree insensi.
BILE TO the grave surroundings. But feel
thankful that | stand before you all and
before God this morning, in full possession
of all my faculties, and can declare to you
and all the world that am innocent Who'll
ly innocent-of the fearful, heinous crime
with which ! stand twice con-
victed. In all the mass of evidence
produced by the State in the former trial,
through so or 100 witnesses, but one mate
rial circumstance was testified to that j
knew to be false. But not so on this occa-
sion. No less than six witnesses have come
upon that stand and have sworn blackly
false, false, false! and that, too, in the most
damaging circumstances OF this case. With
but two exceptions these witnesses stand
high as good and true citizens, and [ am
disposed to believe they were honestly mis-
taken, notwithstanding the fearful conse.
quences 10 me. know that you regard me
as guilty man beyond doubt, but l thank
God that does not make me so. The
prosecution in this case have often re-
ferred to the hand of Providence pursuing
me al every step and pointing me out as
the guilty man. How far this is true the
circumstances of the case fully show. /
cannot explain them. Would to God
could! My innocence would be established.
And though / am now sent away to lig-
ing tomb, there is a great and good and
al all wise God who will not forsake me,
but will, in His own good time, provide
way OF deliyeranCe. Have the eloquent
gentlemen on the prosecution noticed the
hand OF the loving Father on my side OF
the case? Have they in all the annals OF
criminal procedure throughout the ages,
or in their own experience, known
of man charged with o foul and das-
tardly crime as that with which l stand
twice convicted, whose neck has been
twice saved? Did they vent their spleen
and pursue and urge my blood to be taken?
These very walls almost yet resound their
cries for blood, blood, blood, Have they
ever reflected as to what hand ruled the
minds of men at this moment? Yes, sir;
there is an ALL wise and good God who will
never let me die for this crime. hope to
bear the burden now 10 be placed upon
NE with such patience and fortitude OF
sOul that His smiles NAV 90 with me and
strengthen me in all the lonely hours of
my prison life.
I am covered with shame and confusion
when | look back at the abused and neg.
lected opportunities of my life. But out
of it all how glad feel that can stand be-
fore God, who knows al things, and declare
that NV hands are not stained with the
blood Of this good man.
And now, sir, l will only say that you can
proceed with your duty and send me away