Huntsville gazette., 1891-01-10

Partially yindicated-The State of Geor-
eia Lost "a Good Citizen When Capt.
Forsyth was Assassinated-Ihe Ohio
Penitentiary VIII Receive His Slayers
as Hostages for the Cowardly Crime.
MACON, Ga, Jan. S.-The great con-
spiracy case has. ended, and with its
ending the homes of three once happy
families have been darkened, and happl-
ness there has forever ended.
III passing sentence upon the prison
ers, Judge Speer ordered them to stand
up, when he proceeded with the un-
pleasant and painful duty.
The sentences are as follows:
To you, John K. Lancaster, the court
will observe that, while your crime was
great, it does not appear to be as heinous
as that of your associates. While you
undoubtedly participated in this conspir-
acy to a certain extent, the court does
not esteem you as guilty as the men with
whom you were leagued, and believes
that you were to some extent dragged
lllO WIODS, anu 1t Will, IueIeIOTe,
temper justice with mercy.
1t is therefore ordered by the court
that you be imprisoned in the Ohio PEN
itentiary for the full term of six years,
and that you be fined the sum Of 81.
Further, that you be denied the right to
hold office or to exercise the right of
suffrage, or positions of honor, for the
balance of your natural life. The court
ho+
will become changed during the period
OF your confinement, and that you will
return to your wife and little ones at the
end of that time better man.
To you, Louis Knight, the court will
observe that you appear to be deeply in
volved in these transactions, which have
made one of the best portions Of our
great state perfect pandemoniun. The
court excluded from the jury the fact
that this was not your first attempt at
assassination, and allowed them to Judge
you on the merits of this case 1t is
therefore ordered that you be imprisoned
in the Ohio penitentiary for the full term
of ten years, and that you pay fine of
81. Further, that you be denied the right
to hold office, or exercise the right Of
suffrage or to hold positions of honor
during the balance of your natural life
Knight shed tears while the sentence
was being pronounced.
Imprisoned for Life.
To you, Wright Lancaster, the court
will observe, that you, an officer entrust-
ed with the enforcement Of the law.
have used that high office to pervert the
ends of justice and to plan and execute
the most daStardiy crime. The fact that
while in the exercise of your honorable
position you slept with and were in
league with a convicted criminal and u
gitIve, is enough to condemn you in the
eyes Of all. Your youthful appearance
would evoke sympathy for you, but the
Nervousness of your crime and a regard
for the law makes it necessary that ius-
tice be done, and these thin Is must fail
to intercede for YOU 1t is therefore Or
dered that you be imprisoned in the Ohio
penitentiary for the full term of your
natural life
To you, Charles Clements. the court
will observe that while YOU appear
stepped in infamy for long time. it
seems that you have allowed yourself to
be made a tool of in CARRYING out this
awful crime. Little sympathy can be ex-
pressed for you, but the court expresses
a feeling of commisseration for that
poor old father WHO, in his last moments.
must witness this ordeal, and whose head
Is bowed by his sons disgrace. 1t is,
therefore, ordered that you be impris-
oned in the Ohio penitentiary for the full
term of your natural life.
Clements wept freely while the Judge
spoke these words.
To you, Luther A. Hall, the court
would heap its greatest condemnation.
Occupying as you did an influential posi-
ton in the community in which YOU
lived, you have used this position to en-
courage crime of the vllest character.
Through the rulings of this court YOU
were made to suffer for your efforts at
infringing on the rights of others and
applying to your own ends the property
of others, and it was in revenge for this
punishment, and through a desire to
still continue your unlawful and dishon-
able course, that you planned and had
executed this foul conspiracy and
murder.
The court is as fully satisfied Of your
guilt as IL 1t had seen you fire the gun
that sent the buckshot crashing through
the brain of that noble. honable and low
able man, John Q. Forsyth. You not
OILY uOpi ifed tHio iildll OIL MS lie, but
you have influenced others into a crime
that has brought upon them lasting dis
grace and punishment in vindication of
the blow that struck out the life of Capt.
Forsyth. All of these circumstances cry
for vengeance.
The court hopes that after ridding that
God-favored section of your poisonous
and dastardly influence; after having re-
moved from that fair county the evil
spirit that has kept it in a constant tur-
mol, and which your crimes made nox-
ious, it may blossom anew, and become
the home of a happy and prosperous peo-
pie. You are sentenced to the Ohio
penitentiary for the full term of your
natural life.