Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-05-17
A Life Sentence.


Irving Latimer was taken into the Jack
son court room on the morning of May 10,
10 receive his sentence for the murder of
his mother. When the usual question was
asked, Have you anything TO say why the
sentence OF the court should not be pro
nounced upon you.' he replied very calm
ly: Nothing, thank YOU
The sentencing remarks by Judge Peck
were interrupted once il while by his
emotion They lasted twenty minutes.
He pointed out tue euormity of the offense.
The greatest in my history Of criminal
reading, sid the court. at stands with
out parallel that | can now call to mind.
Heaven has been bOuntiful 10 you, above
your fellows, Latimer,N said the court,
land how you have abused them you know
a well as i. The court then remarked
that any homily he might be disposed TO
give the pr .soner would undoubtedly do lit
tie, if any good, as he had exhibited pecul-
iarIties OF character during the trial that
passed all understanding He said that
with all the knowledge OF the world and its
ways, he doubted that the prisoner could
realize the life that would now open 20 him
in the prison The court then sentenced
Latiner TO "be confined in the state pris N
at hard labor, in solitary confinement for
the term of your natural iife.'
When the sentence ended, the tears were
stealing down the cheeks of half the people
in the room, but the prisoner never chang
ed from the look he had Wien he entered
the roo u. He began whispering to his
aunt and smiled in his old-iashioned way
At the solicitation of Latimer "A reporter
called upon him at the jail. Having been
friends in former Us. Latimer un osomed
himself in a manner not characteristic with
his action during The trial. Greeting the
scribe warmly, he said that he uesi red TO
put himself right in the minds sof
his friends The newspapers had told
some atrocious lies about him, but had
done him no particular harm. II did grind
him TO read the lengthy accounts OF his lack
of emot on. II am just as God made me, )"
said he "and my calm exterior is no indica-
ton Of my inner feelings You cannot con
ceive how | have suffered since my arres',
although | cannot weep. / never could, and
tears would be great relief to me now
/ have never experienced grief, even in my
younger days. that moved me 10 re rs;
still have experienced all the suffering OF
a more demons, rative person
Latimer continued that he could not real
ize his position-the even s of the past three
months appearing TO him like "A dream
He thought when he WIS fairly in prison
the horror Of the thought OF "A life spent
there would tie impressed upon him and
possibly he might bre k down and weep
but il was doubtful lie sa d his trial had
teen f irly conducted ans he nd no COM
plant to make coDccl n ny II, but he hopet
Tor new trial: he won q go mad without
hope. he said he would be glad TO leave
the jail for the prison, for then he would BE-
emp Dyed and not have tine 10 think, as he
| had at the Jail, where he would not live a
! year when they tell me | am TO be de-
/ privel Of nv liberty for liie,' said be, 81
| smile for somet ing better to do, and they
| call me heartless. ! am not; am da ed. y
When asked concerning the story told by
! Dav d No q, the travelling man, who said
! he w / atimer the morning of the murder.
! the prisoner said that is was utterly untrue
! nd not worthy of consideration. Ir part.
! ing wi h the reporter he sa there need be
/ no spe ul lion upon his breaking down
! when sentence was p ssed upon him. lie
/ couti break down, but lie wouldn Z. Talk
! Of nerve | have no nerve. and the news
paper men have not JUDGED me right.
/ There Is not a man OF them that can fgtuOm
{ my emo ion. AS between man and man
have suffered the tornents Of the damned
/ n this ordeal