Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-05-04
JOHN THORNTON's SENTENCE.

The Former Citizen of Rapids Ci,y
60 be Hanged Mt FIT. Smith, Ark,
June Is, for the Murder of His
Daughter.
John Thornton. formerly of Rock ISL
and county. mention of whose trlal snd
conviction of the murder of his daughter
has heretofore appeared in THE ARGUS,
received his death sentence at Fl. Smith,
Ark, on April 80 After being asked by
Judge Parker if he had anything to say
why sentence should not be passed, and
replying in the negative, the court adj
dressed the prisoner as follows:
John Thornton: You have been con-
victed of willfully. and with malice afore,
thought killing your own daughter, Laura
Moynier. What l say to you is not to
upbraid you or to wound your feelings,
but that you may be reminded of your
true condition and what your duty to
your God and yourself is. The murder
was one of great wickedness and one
which exhibited great depravity.
From the evidence it was entirely I'M
provoked, being committed upon an in
nocent and unoffending girl who had just
been married, and who was apparently
filed with the anticips ions of the great-
est happiness. She seemed to have re,
joiced because she had husband to pro-
tect her. The cause of your killing your
daughter is not absolutely known, but
there is strong. ard may say, reason
ably well grounded opinion. that you in
cold blood killed this unoffending girl,
because you either had committed, OF
that you attempted to commit that terri-
BILE crime which is worse than death.
God. your murdered victim ind you
only know whe her this is true. hope
| it is not, as the crime of murder is baG
enough. but the crime of murder coupled
with the other terrible crime against mo
rality, decencY and virtue. is SO base snG
so wicked, as to show depth of mora
deprsvity scarcely to be looked for in 9
human being. While have not become
acquainted with all the details OF you
past life, | have learned enough to satisfy
me that it has been one of cruelty TOWARD
and outrage upon women who have born
you the relation of wife. You have hat
many wives, and aside from your Indial
wife the same story of sbu e, cruelty
outrage and wrong rom you towar
them comes from them all. You hav
led life without moral restraint. You
have led life controlled by your base
passions. You have led life character
lied by total disregard Of your duiie
coward others, especially those who haC
put their trust and confidence in you a
your wives. One in the face of such
record as you have, one situated as yoI
are, has resting on him the greatest dut
TO himself. Ii is strongly probable tina
you will soon have TO answer to you
God for the wrongs and crimes you hay
committed. Your unquestioned duty un
der such circumstances is to prepare L
stand in the presence of the Judge of tn
Quick and the Dead. There is mercy IN
der His government for even one who hs
done what even the wild beasts do nc
do-destroy their own offspring. Bu
the government of God is just as well 8
merciful. Its very justice demands tbs
mortsls should do something for then
selves. If you are to be forgiven you
crimes you must prepare to conform I
the just laws of your Maker. You mu
approach your God with sorrow, wit
sadness, over your past misconduct, an
with q repentsnt spirit. You must fir
fully understand the great wickedness
the crime for which you have been COZ
victed, as we'll as your past life. "
must atone for your sins and for Il
wrongs you have committed. Your tin
to do this is comparatively short. YC
must make diligent use CT it, l beseec
you TO do so. Then approach your &c
with sorrow, with desire for mercy, ca
to your aid those who can give you goo
advice, and lose no time in pIepsrstit
fo- the great hereafter.
Thornton remand standing during Il
trying ordeal and did not manifest Il
slightest emotion. Judge Parker the
passed sentence fixing the date of his exc
| cution as June % next