The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-10-04
BERESFOKD Gagged.
Judge Matt Henry Sentenced Him to Six
Years in the PenitentiMrY.


Judge Matt Henry Sentenced Him to Six
Years in the Pententinry.
| Rome, Ca, September %. -(Specfal. y
The deputy sheriff arrived in Rome today
| from Albany, N. Y, with Walter S.
Beresford, alias Sidney Lascelles, the
noted English bogus lord and fOrger. A
large crowd was at the depot to see the
criminal. AS soon as the train stopped
the officers made their way through the
crowd with the prisoner and took him in
a close carriage to the county prison.
AS it rolled away from the depot the
people gave a mighty yell.
All Rome rejOices over his capture, as
he is the Slickest scOundrel that ever in
Tested the city. No further action will
be taken in his case other than that he
will be brought before Judge McHenry to
receive his sentence and be sent to the
penitentiary.
He appeared very nervous, and soon after
entering the Jail office he broke down and
cried like child He was put in his old cell,
where Frank Wilkerson, the slayer fT. Q.
Stephens, is confined. 1t Is the same cell
in which Mrs. Ora Mckee was kept during
her Imprisonment for the murder OF Mrs
Wimpee. Another cell is being fitted up for
BereSford, and in q few days he WILL pc trans
ferred to it.
Immediately after entering his cell he had
private interview with Mr.. w. V. Brumby,
who had been In his employ while Beresford
was in business here. He was then visited
by a number Of newspaper reporters, but
would not talk much to them, saying he felt
more like going to lunatic asylum than doing
anything else. Later he was seen Dy Inc
Constitution representative, and to him he
talked with great freedom and to some length.
Term III stripes.
Rome, Ga, September 3O.-(Speclal.)-
T.1 I nvI
from his cell in Floyd county JAIL and car
red before Judge w. NJ Henry to be SEN
fenced for forgery.
'Nir Beresford, have you anything to
say before sentence is passed upon you.
Beresford rose slowly from his chair and
walked to the clerks desk: lie tremblcd
as one about to swoon. He clutched the
railing and attempted to speak. bis bps
moved. Great tears rolled down his pale
cheeks and he sobbed like child. He said
he was not guilty of forgery, that he had
been bitterly prosecuted by his brother-in-
law, Parr, of New York, who held the
power of attorney over his wifes property,
and begged the court to allow
him a few days in which to arrange an
appeal to the federal courts, as he was sure
he could get reversal of Judgment. lie
stopped several times and made a great
effort to control himseN. The scene was
an extremely touching one and even Judge
Henry was visibly affected.
Beresford ceased speaking and Judge
Henry in voice which clearly betrayed
emotion asked him if he had nothing more to
say. The judge then told Beresford that
while it might be an anomaly to give way
to human sympathy, yet he had been touch
ed with pity for the defendant, and his SEN
tence would be mitigated from what he
had intended. The statute calls for from
two to seven years. and the judge said he had
intended to give Beresford the full limit of
the statute, but had changed his mind. He
said it was n painful duty to be called upon
to pass sentence on man OF Sucn intennll-
gence and accomplishments.
You show" said the judge, that you
have somewhere enjoyed the very best of
circumstances and yet you have used all
of your enviable gifts against the interests
of society"
The judge then leaned back in his chair,
and looking Beresford squarely in the eyes,
said:
1t is ordered and adjudged by this court,
that you be sent to the penitcntiary of this
state and there confined at hard labor for
SIX years and then be discharged
He Meets the Inevitable.
Beresford had ceased weeping when the
Judge commenced to talk, and
he bit his lips vigorously but did not
change his position until Deputy Sheriff
Dallas Turr1r- took hof1 or f,fe AID
made him sit. He was carried back to
Keeper Jones sends a guard for him. He
will then be sent TO some of the convict
camps of the state. Under the law of Geor-
gia to a sentence to penal servitude for more
than two years gives a divorce and it |
seemed to grieve Beresford much that his |
wife would soon be Miss Maud Lilenthal |
again.