The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-10-14
Brownf1eld and Hopkirk, the
Henry County Murderers
Sentenced.
Judge CAN'T Says they Shall
be Hanged Novem-
Der 2lSt.
They Receive their Sentence
With a Cool and Start
ling Indifference.

Clinton, Mo-, Oct S.-[Srecial This
morning at 1870 Judge CAN'T ordered that
the mufderers of John Wells be brought
into court for sentence. When they made
heir appearance accompanied by the sher-
i'll, there W quite ripple OF sensation
created IN the audience and every eye was
turned ppon them, but TO trace OF excite
ment or fear appeared upon their faces.
When they were seated behind the bar In
the prisoners dock, Judge CAN'T inquired
Of their attorneys if they had shy further
motions to make b=fOre the sentence should
be passed, when Mr.. NJ. A. Fyke passed up
a paper to b filed in arres' Of Judgment in
the Hopki, case and c. G. Dickinson 6led
similar paper In behalf of Brownfeld. A
motion from the attorney of each had pre-
viousIv been filed and Overrnle1, for new
trial as was sl>o the motions in arr. ST of
Judgment. Thee papers having been dis
posed of the Judge stated that sentence
wou be passed upon the prisoners. and
upon Hopkirk first. He r ques,ei Frank
10 stand up. He arose promptly, with a
smile, ana with one hand upon the back of
the chair of one of his attorneys who sal
before him. Listened alter lively to the pre-
liminary rem rks and the death sen,euce
by the judge, showing no psrceptable emo
ton OF any time. His cheeks were slightly
flushed and this was the only evidence that
re felt or re al zed the terrible porteut OF
the words which condemned him to a fell
on's death.
To the question Have you anything to
say why sentence of death should not now be
passed upon your Hopkirk repli. d in a
calm de iberotei voice, "No sir / believe
rot" Judge CAN'T then stated in what he
was about TO do, he was not acting as an
Individual but an Instrument in the
hands of The great common wealth of Mis-
souri,. He made an able review OF the clses
as they had progressed and gave his re asons
for his Ov rulings the vsri Us motions of
the defendants lawyers. After which he
spoke of the ch ,racter of the Jurors who
sat upon the cases aud whose verdict hid
rendered NJ ssary the pres mi ACTON, say
ing they were q jury of peers, q Jury
OF sober, int lligent men and cit q ms, who
had so conducted them elves that not the
slightest charge or suspicion OF ought but
Conscientious discharge of a painful
duty could be brought against them, and
clos d with the usual formulIted sentence
of death by hanging, on Friday,
November 2lst, 1884 AS be closed, Hop
kirk resumed his seat, with a smile more
nssmbliug that Of chided schoolhOy than
a man who had Just heard the words which
were so soon to cut short his earthly bsiDg
BrJwnfield was then called before the b Il
and exhibited a nolchslence thst even ex-
ceeded, II pCss.b BILE. that of his generally
Col sidered less culpable sccomplite.
Judge CAN'T In passing his
sentence, dwell more frlly upon the
Nervousness OF the crime which had rem
dered this pain; ul duty nec ssary and re-
viewed, at some length, the terrible To-
iqui'y, could conceive and execute it, and
the justice of the sentence and punishment
the Law provided for its perpst ator
Brown6 Id. however, maintained his In
difference and received his senteLcs with
out al v outward show of feeling or excite
lent beyond slight pslents' and looE
which could only be Construed as show o.
obstinate Iesolu ion.