The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-05-28
Prisoners Sentenced.


Saturday morning, by j. b. Robson Esq.
for the prisoner and District Attorney
Billmeyer for the Commonwealth. The
reasons filed were all to the effect that the
court erred in its rulings during the trial,
! except one, which stated that new evidence
had Ebeen discovered. This alleged that
| u witness had been found who kept n
| record of all snow storms, and who would
testify that on the day of the fire snow
ceased to fall at about half past six o'clock.
| This witness lives about 81 miles above
Benton, and his testimony was not con-
sidered sufficient ground for new trial,
the Judge in his opinion saying, that 1t
might easily have happened that the snow
ceased there before it did In Benton. The
rule is not that new trial will be granted
on after discovered evidence that might
! possibly have caused a different verdict,
| but it must be evidence whose legitimate
eifect would.bc to require different ver-
| dict
Decision was reserved until o'clock in
the afternoon, when Waltman and jenkins
were brought into court, and on the ring
| ing of the bell the court room was filed
with spectators to hear the sentences. In
an oral opinion Judge Elwell overrulcd
the motion in arrest Of judgment and for a
new trial in the case of Waltman, and
called the defendant before the bench to
receive his sentence. The Judge said in
substance "You have been convicted
by an intelligent jury in spite of the zeal
Ols efforts of able counsel In your behalf
of the crime with which you are charged
| in the Indictment. Under the evidence we
cannot say that the verdict is wrong. You
were surrounded by chain of circumstan-
ces that pointed strongly to your guilt and
though we have no doubt the jury would
gladly have acquitted you II it were posi-
bic in conscientious discharge OF their
duty, it seems that the evidence satisfied
them that you are the person who set the
| fire. A large number OF very respectable
witnesses were called who testified to the
good character which you previously sus-
tanned and we gave you the full benefit of
this in our charge to the jury. If you are
| the victim of circumstances 1t is great
misfortune for you, but there is nothing
| left for us to do hut to pronounce the SEN
| tcnce of the law. Have you anything to
say why this should not be done" The
| prisoner was visbly affected, and raising
| his left hand high above his head he said.
"As God is my judge, l am innocent of
| this great crime. | was not able to pro-
| cure witnesses, because | was confined,
and | was permitted to talk with my
| friends only through the bars of the Jail,
| and by letter. could haye shown n very
good reason why went up to the Benton
bridge, but the question was not asked
me. | am the victim of circumstances,
| and bow submissively to the will of the
law. / have nothing more to say" The
court then said, at is never pleasant
duty for us to pass sentence upon any one,
and if what you say is true, you are
very unfortunate. The sentence Of
court Is that you, Isaac Waltman, pay a
| fine of $500 and the costs of prosecution
| and undergo Imprisonment in the eastern
| penitentary in solitary confinement at
manual labor for a period of three years,
| the sheriff to conduct you thither within
ten days" The prisoner took his seat and
great drops of perspiration rolled from his
face.
jenkins was then called mp. He is q
| hard looking customer, and has the coun-
tenance and eye OF an outcast who would
| not hesitate to commit the highest crime
known to the law. During his imprison-
ment he has been most vicious, his
conduct in some respects being unfit for
publication. One day after an exhibition
of his depraved character Sheriff Smith
| took him from his cell to escort him to the
dark cell prepared for unruly prisoners,
and as they got out in the corridor jenkins
struck at the sheriff, but the blow was
warded off and fell lightly on his head,
whereupon the sheriff proceeded for few
minutes to exercise mis- BLACKSMITH"
muscle on the tramp until he called for
mercy. Last week Wednesday irons were
| prepared for him, with the inten tion to
chain to a ring in the floor, il he persisted
in his viciousness, but they were not used.
When called up for sentence jenkins
staggered up to the pedestal before the
bench in an insolent way, and several
times he laughed in the face of the Judge
while passing sentence. The court said.
"You have been CONVICTED of heing q
tramp, and as one Of that tribe of carrying
concealed weapons upon your person.
Even before the justice you had butcher
knife concealed in your coat sleeve. Your
vile conduct while in Jail is known to MS,
and we do not propose to waste any time
| in giving you good advice. 1t would be
utterly useless" A sentence of two and a
half years in the penitentary was then pro-
nounced upon him on this indictment, and
on the indictment charging him With
murderous assault on Connor, fellow.
nrisoner, by cpttiLg his head open with an
| iron hook maliciously hurled, he was given
two years and half more, to commence
Immediately upon the expiration OF the
first sentence, thus giving him five years
in all. He is hardened criminal of the
worst type and society will be well rid Of
him. No one knows where he came from
but it is probable that this is not the first
time he has worked for the state. AS the
second sentence was pronounced, his man
ner suddenly changed, and his long sen