Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-07-20
IT IS EIGHT YEARS
FOR MANY WEARY MONTHS
Judgc 6srtinxasne s<nseueed htaa 10
losaiA--lfc Iook HLs sentence
Without . Mace.

without " tnce-
Leon =. Smith. the nersy young draft
forges vho has gained considerable no
tos'ssy during the last two weeks by his
sudaeious exploits with bank officials.
Ma ssnteneed yesterday morning by
Judge burlingams % eight years i'm
prisonment in the lonia reformatory.
Long before tile young criminal was
taken into court the court room vas
crowded with these who verc curious To
get = look 1T him aud to 30 how hs
would receive his septencc. Tho CORR
doris wers filed and the sidewalk sur
rounding the city hall was crowded with
business men. women and boys There
had not been such crowd in the su-
perior court aimee the trial oe William
Pagan for the murder u Patrick O'Con.
nor. The three front seats were occu-
pied BY young women and dozsn girls
stood up behind the railing near tho
stenographer's desk
smith Broughs In.
At go Under Sheriff Davis appeared
with the prisoner and the crowd outside
the city hall made rush for the court
room. The officer took him into tho
clerks Office. where he met his mother
and several young friends who had
called 10 chat with him. Smith had on
his neat black suit and black yachting
cap. lie wore instead Ut his negligec
shirt white shirt aud standing collar.
with blue tie. His whole outfit was
brushed and arranged with much carefor
the occasion. He carried his he1d erect
and glanced at the crowd as be passed
through il with the air Of one who Was
about To receive an honor rather than "a
punishment for crime. After talk
ing few minutes pleasantly with
hls mother and young friends the officer
conducted him into the court room and
seated him in the prisoners box with
with some colored boys who were wait
ing 10 be arraignei for burglary. The
whole crowd craned their neeks 10 get a
look at the faultlessly attired prisoner.
and crowded each other To get near 10
the front. lie sat there in perfect com
posture until Judge Burlingame arrived.
When the judge was seated on the
bench prosecuting Attorney Woicott
arose and addressed the court.
Moved His Sentence.
IF the court please, move for SEN
tence in the case 81 the People against
Leon s. Smith. he having pleaded
guilty
The prisoner made his way TO the
front Of the judges seat with some diff
Guilty through the crowd of lawyers and
reporters inside the railing. Judge Bur
| lingame then said: How old are your"
smith: Twenty
The Court: Have YOU anything to
say why the court should not pronounce
/ sentence against you!"
Smith: NO. sir."
| The court; You have pleaded guilty
/ Ia very grave offense: the offense Of
taking tue property OF other people
through forgery ~ one or the grayesf
offenses. You stand before me now
with the power in my hands To send YOU
10 prison for fourteen years; that is the
situation YOU are in. 1 shall not send
/ YOU for fourteen years, but the reason
81 my not doing it is not the fact that
you were detected. caught and arrested
with the results OF your crime in your
/ possession. SO that those whom you have
robbed in this way are able 10 get pos
session of some Of that property. That
IL not it. The reason that do not i'm
pose the full sentence ia not because
i you came before this court and pleaded
/ guilty. after. as l understand. there was
indubitble proof IL your guilt. | shall
sentence You because You are young
man and may don't know whether
YOU will or not-when you shall have
\ worked out and paid the state OF Nichi-
gan what you honestly owe II. and after
the good people Of this community are
secure for a while from further deprcda-
tons from YOU. and after young men of
like proclivities Of yours have had an ex-
ample ~ learning that il is better 10 be-
an honest man than a thief hope you
will become n good citizen--I don't know
! whether you will or not.
The sentence 81 the court ia that you
be imprisoned at hard labor and dis
/ cipline at the state house of correction
aud reformstory at Ionia for period 81
eight years from and including today"
Was Not Confused.
When he arose for sentence he pulled
silk handkerchief from his pocket.
and while the court was pronouncing
sentence upon him twirled IL around
bis fingers and kept his eyes cast down
ward lie was not the least confused.
and showed no evidences ~ weak
eued nerve His mother did not enter
the court room and did not hear the
sentence pronounced by the judge. She
heard the news with conf ara:ivc calm
ness and made no demonstration II dis.
appointment Deputy sheriff Powers
took the young man back 81 Jail. but on
his way over stopped At a photographer :
and the prisoner was photographed 40
that his mother and friends might have
a recent picture IL him. lie went into
cigar store with the officer and bought
cigar and they started for the Jail the
prisoner smoking leisurely nn the way.
lie chatted socishly about his sentence.
saying that he was somevhss surprised
az the term. ne he did not expect more
than i've years
He viii study Law
The prisoner Vas seen AZ the iaif
shortly after he had been returned from
the court and ia answer to questions
said. 1T was little stronger than 4
expected but war not greatly sur
priced. didn't think votili get more
than I've years but y ~ prepared ~ re.
celse the limit fourteen years Having
alsays lei a rather rowing and eaey
going life have learned - ioek upon