Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-23
ELEVEN INDICTED. AGONY OF A THIEF.
Shellenburger's Conscience Too
Tardy in Action.
A RAsOAL's VAIN REPENTANCE.

The Scene of His Early Trium.s> and
Honors Witnesses His Deep Disgrace
Dramatic Occurrence in Court-An Old
Time Professional and Political Assoc
ciate Sends Him to Prison for Twenty
Two Years-A WeIi-Earned Judgment.
DoYLEsTowS, Pa, May 23.-J. Monroe
Shellenberger, the lawyer whose forgeries
and other criminal escapades caused such
q widespread sensation, has been sentenced
by Judge Yerkes to undergo an imprison-
ment of twenty-five years in the eastern
penitentiary. The prisoner was almost
completely Frustrated by the sentence, and
had to have assistance in leaving the court
room There were seventeen bills of in
dictment against the prisoner covering the
crimes of forgery and ENLIGHTENMENT. The
ordeal of entering the court room proved
too much for the once popular and tai
ented lawyer. who as district attorney of
Bucks county had made his brilliant rep
utation at the bar of this very court.
His Tardy Conscience Aroused.
As he entered the dock he shrank from
the gaze of his former friends, and kept
his head bowed. Congressman Robert
Yardley, who came from Washington to
assist in his defense sat at one of the ia
bles As the bills of indictment were read
loud groans and sobs came from Shellen-
berger His counsel entered the plea of
guilty in each case. Shellenberger acted
at times like mailman. He opened his
handkerchief and threw it over his head,
rubbing his head and face with it, and
nervously shook the ratings of the dock
with his hand and foot. Eventually he leaned
his head forward on the rail and buried it
in his arms rocking himself on the seat
like person suffering from acute pain
Cried Aloud in His Anguish.
At one time Shellenberger groaned so
loud and sobbed with such anguish that
the judge. in nervous sort of way, told
the district attorney to hasten his work
and get il over After all the indictments
were read and plea of guilty was entered
in each case, witnesses were called TO show
the character and extent of Shellenberger' 8
rascalities Several witnesses testified, and
as the testimony was brought out bearing
upon the most aggravated and unpardon-
able cases of rascality and deceit, Shellen-
berger rocked himself violently in the
dock, tossed his head, moved his hands
about like a wild man and cried aloud.
A Righteous Judges Sentence.
Judge Harmon Yerkes an old time per
sonal acquaintance and professional and
political associate of the prisoner for
many years, pronounced the sentence OF
| the court. IL was anticipated that he
| would give Shellenberger a heavy SEN
tence. but nothing like what he gave him
| was looked for. Judge Yerkes drew him
self up and addressed the prisoner in a
low, husky voice. In which there seemed a
slight tremor of emotion. Shellenberger
never raised his head, but went on groan-
ing and weeping violently. Finally the
words dropped from the judges lips
twenty-five years at solitary confinement
| and hard labor"
Nothing More Than His Deserts.
Shellenberger gave groan of anguish.
and almost sank to the floor The scene
caused quite commotion. The blow
seemed to stun the prisoner. 1t was neces
| sary to partly carry him from the court
| room. The sentence was discussed by the
farmers and the people in Doylestown on
| every side. Nothing like it was ever heard
in Bucks county While pity seemed to
| have been awakened in some quarters by
the prisoners exhibition of anguish in the
| courtroom, the general run of old farm
| ers, who reflected upon what Shellenberger
| had been doing for years, seemed to think
that it was just. The scoundrers steal
| ings had spared nobody He had robbed
rich and poor. the widow and orphan