The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-06-05
to which the plaintiffs could come for

to which the plaintiffs could come TO
redress.
County Attorney Hughes state
that he would not impose the extrem
sentence of the law, and would not in
iuence the court in the least if b
could. He thought that the punish
ment should be suitable to the crime
The amount of money taken and I'm
accounted for was from 5000 to 81, 200
The court stated that he would tax,
into consideration nothing but wha
was proved by the plea of guilty.
Mr.. POwliSOn arose and stated, chok
ing with emotion, that it made NJ
difference what the amounts taker
were, but that he was sorry for wha1
he had done, and he wanted to so live
in the future that the horrible stigma
upon his name would be removed. ]
have suffered untold tortures already
and if there is any place called hell
have had my taste of it. l can, now
| that the end is near, survey the field
and / see that / am now further back
than when / was fifteen years old and
just starting out for myself. | have
noble sisters who cannot raise their
heads on account of the stain upon
our name. / have a father who de-
| ponds upon me for SupporG. l was
reared in home surrounded by all
the riches that an an elegant taste
could suggest. Nothing was wanting.
1t is from this that | have fallen. l
had a beautiful wife whom l adored
and lived only to serve and please.
She was almost god to me. No half
expressed desire of hers but was grant
ed, no wish but it was my supreme
pleasure to grant. have a mother a
thousand miles away, and it was her
chief delight that she had son grow
ing up who would practice the truths
that she taught him at her knee and
do good in the world. This affair is a
thunderbolt to her, but she has sent
no reproof, and the only words she has
written has been "My boy, tell the
truth" | thank God that 1 can
stand here to-day and say that have
told the truth. / stand here to-day
man despised of men-a criminal.
My mother is at home holding out her
hand to me in encouragement. The
golden gate of Heaven is ajar and
from between its portals the bless ed
angles are extending their hands to
her, whom they must soon welcome
there. can say that in this matte r
l have no feeling against any one, and
that Il have malice toward none and
charity for ALA l am ready for my
sentence.
Judge Severance then said: Other
indictments have been returned at
this term of court against you for
kindred offenses. | understand that
you will be punished for all of them
in the one sentence, and that the re-
naming ones will be Quashed. | am
aware that / cannot pass sentence in
this case without receiving criticism.
| never yet did in any case, and il l
did once | should believe that such a
radical change in the people was caus-
ed only by the approach of the diSSol-
ution of the world. Whatever has
been said in the newspapers concern
ing the case cannot influence me.
They have only repeated such defense
and charges as have passed from mouth
to mouth. To this case and its atmOS-
phere, [ must cOnfine myself. This
crime under the old code, was en-
bezzlement, and still is prosecuted as
such. 1t can only be committed by
those who are in the confidence of
their employers. In this respect it is
more aggrovating than larceny, where
no confidence has been betrayed. l
am disposed to take such circum-
stances into consideration as are per-
tinent. There are some things about
the case that are perfectly astounding
to me. l cannot understand how one
who has been so devoted to the church
and it's work, and has spent so much
of his time in that work,
could at the same time be
continually doing criminal act.
1t would seem that there is total
lack of moral standing But | will
give you the benefit of all that you
ought to have the benefit of. l ap-
preciate your family relations and
that you have yOungsand amiable
wife, who can lean on no one else. 1
believe your wife will stand Loyalty
by you and that you will be reunited.
| have the best of evidence that this
being too merciful, but when the last
acts shall all be made known and we
see them in two long columns, those
that were too merciful and those that
were the opposite, hope that my
name may be among those that have
Decu UOO u1cICllul. IucIc tdIc III q
case like this certain persons who are
incensed by its hardships to them,
and some who are affected by an al
most morbid sympathy. | cannot
consider any of them. l have
but one single tribunal to
answer to on this occasion,
and that is my conscience. / must
impose such sentence as shall vindi-
cate the law and deter others from
violating it. One of the purposes OF
punishment is reformation, | do not
forget. hope you will do in moral
way what is necessary to atone for the
crime, so when the law is satisfied
you will have done enough to satisfy
the moral responsibilities.
Judge Severance then sentenced
Powlison to serve three years and
eight months at hard labor at Still
water. He said that if there was no
violation of the rules of the institu-
tion three years would close his term.
SAD INDEED