Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-11-11
IN A C0NvICT's CELL.
Ferdinand Ward Sentenced to Ten
Years imprisonment at Hard
Labor.
Conducted to Prison with scathing De-
nunciations Ringing in His
Ears

courtroom, says New YORK dispatch, to
receive the sentence of the law for one Of
the many crimes which he has committed
in the world of finance. The Sheriff and
the Warden Of the Ludlow Street Jail ac-
companied him. Throwing off his over
coat with an easy air, he bowed to and
shook hands with his counsel. As he
looked around the room he saw few
familiar faces.
The District Attorney arose and said:
ferdinand Ward, the prisoner at the bar,
has been found guilty of the crime with
which he was charged. The counsel at the
last session Of this court gave notice that
at this time a motion for new trial would
be made. l move that the motion be made
at this time"
Gen. Tracy, of War.,s counsel arose,
and in low tone, scarcely audible ten feet
away, moved for an arrest of judgment. and
read long bill Of exceptions upon which
his client asked for a new trial
When Gen. Tracy had finished reading
his bill Of exceptions and had taken his
seat, District Attorney MARITIME said: IL
move that Ferdinand Ward be now SEN
fenced by the Court"
Ward arose and stood in front of the bar
by the side of his counsel. His face was
pale but firm. He did not finch as Judge
Barrett pronounced the sentence. and stood
unmoved while the Court poured upon his
head the words Of condemnation. The
court room was hushed, and an almost i'm
pressive silence fell upon the several hun
dred men who watched the prisoner with
feverish eagerness.
Ward. you have been convicted by an
intelligent and conscientious jury Of the
crime Of which you have been charged"
began the Judge. directing his gaze upon
the prisoner "You have certainly had O
fair and impartial trial. The jurors were
most carefully selected, and came TO the
trial of your case with apparently unprcju-
diced minds. The court guarded all your
rights and privileges from infringement to
the best Of his ability. You were convicted
because you had no defense. You offered
no defense to the facts. 1t is only matter
Of conjecture why so intelligent jury
should have taken SO long time to decide
your case. If your case had been that Of
person wholly unknown the jury need
not have left their seats; on the contrary.
your case has had the benefit of q
more careful consideration. You have
been most ably defended by your
counsel, and an address as brilliant and
scholarly as any ever heard in this court
room was made in your defense. You were
not convicted on popular clamor. The Jury
probably delayed in its judgment because
they were afraid that in some way they
might be accused of being influenced by
popular clamor, which tended to make the
conviction doubtful.
II have nothing to say to YOU in the way
of homily, because / think it would be
wholly useless. You have shown yourself
to be wholly Indifferent throughout this
trial to the charges which have been
brought against you. You seem to expert
ence no remorse whatever over the ruin and
sorrow which you have broughtto hundreds
of people in this country. You have done
more to unsettle public confidence in
moneyed institutions than any other man
of this generation. And yet, through this
entire trial, you have shown yourself to be
wholly unrepentant for the sins you have
committed.
This being the fact, must simply con-
tent myself with pronouncing the sentence
Of the court, which is that you shall be con-
fined in the State prison at hard labor for
the period of ten years"
Not a muscle of the prisoners face
changed while these scathing remarks were
made. He bowed his head but did moi
tremble or show any evidence of feeling.
| He put on his oyercoat, took his derby hat,
and left the court room, accompanied by
his keepers.
Ward reached Sing Sing at 3:27 in the
afternoon. As it was not known that Ward
had been sentenced there were not even O
dozen villagers on hand to receive him
The Sheriff aud his charge passed quickly
| through the station and took a hack to the
prison, which is about half mile south OF
Sing Sing. Upon their arrival at the prison
| Ward was conducted to the Chaplain's Of
| fee to undergo examination. He was
| placed facing the west wall, and with arms
| folded was not permitted to speak or look
| about Twenty minutes later the clerk oi
| the prison arrived and Ward faced about
| In response to the stereotyped question:
! Ward answered that his name was Ferdinand
Ward; age, 33; occupation, banker and
broker; religion, Protestant; could read and
write; used tobacco moderately; and
was never in any priosn before. He was
then told to empty his pockets ON the table
These formalities completed, he was di-
rected to sign the letter-book which author.
izes the prison authorities TO open and read
all his letters, at the same time being told
| that unless he did sign this he could neither
! write nor receive any letters. OF course he
signed. He was then escorted to the State
shop, given bath, and dressed in thu
prison stripes. After this he was placed il
| the barber's chair and shaved. His hail
was decided to be short enough. Thii
| done Ward was taken to DIR. BARRIERS Office
to be weighed, measured, and examined
His weight was 1876 pounds, and height
| five feet nine and one-half inches. HI
was decided to be an able bodied man and
able to go to work. He was accordingly
assigned to Perry & Co.'S stove contract
/ He was given the usual advice and informa.
ton as TO his rights, and told that from hi
sentence Of ten years three years and sil
months might be deducted Cor good be.
havior and obeying the rules. He was en-.
| titled to receive one letter n month, and re.
! ceive eatables and friends once in two
months, provided he behaved himself.
/ During all these formalities Ward hal
nothing to say to anybody.