St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-02
DR.. Pearce Sentenced to That
Term Of Labor at Still
water.
He Delivers a Pathetic and
Sensational Grafton to
the Court,
Declaring Witnesses Lied and
He Did Not Do the
Deed.
Judge Kelly InfiietS the Sem
tenee With a Brief
Talk.

Dr. Thomas J. Pearce was Yesterday
sentenced by Judge William Louis Kelly
10 seven years IN the penitentiary at
Saltwater. He was found guilty few
weeks ago of manslaughter, after two
trials. on the charge of causing the
death of Mrs. Helen Clayton by COM
hitting an abortion. The trial was
long one and well tried on both Sides
and the conviction was novelty III TINS
county.
DIR. Pearce was somewhat nervous
when taken before the court yesterday
morning. The court room was well
filled by spectators, who anticipated
that sentence would be pronounced
after the court should dispose OF the
motion for a new trial. Judge Kelly
reviewed the argument and the points
raised on the motion for new trial,
and. after declaring his belief that the
trial had been Il fair one, denied the
motion to set aside the verdict OF Inc
Jury and to grant a retrlal. 10 TINS
ruling of the court {. 2. Brown, counsel
for DR.. Pearce, asked the court to grant
him an exception, and will take an
appeal to the supreme court. Pending
the application for new trial III the
supreme court. DR.. Pearce Will be con-
fined in the penitentiary, as he Will be
taken there in day or two.
Pearce Reads speech.
The officials and spectators were
treated to a surprise by DIR. Pearce max
ing an extended speech before sentence
was pronounced. When the court asked
the doctor if he had anything 10 say
why the sentence of the court should
not be pronounced, he gave an at1lrma-
tive nod and spoke as follows:
Have l anything 10 say why sentence
should not be pronounced upon me?
Yes. Your honor, l have much that L
should like to say, but, as my memory
is very poor, beg the Indulgence or the
court while read what l have to say.
This is the first time that my voice
has heen heard inside these walls. 1t
will be remembered that | was not per-
mitted to take the witness stand-in my
own defense, for the reason that my at
tOrneys feared that my mind was so en-
teebled by long confinement and grief
that [ would not be able to stand the
rigid croSS-eXamination of the prose-
cutting attorney. l am a poor, I'M
fortunate man. 1t has beeR-my fate
TO be misunderstood from my youth.
Born of Door but respectable parents,
my youth was but a struggle with sick
ness and poverty. For twenty years L
have been subject to epilepsy. The
attacks always occurred during sleep,
rendering it extremely dangerous Tor
me to sleep alone. The frequent at
lacks of this terrible malady have some
Ii \ nd nFnn
NE. at times, unfit for business. Do you
think it is right, your honor, and Will 1t
be a credit to the great state of Mime
sofa to sentence an epileptic to hard
labor and solitary confinement?
His Story Of the Deed.
Ten years ago came to st. Paul in
search of my health, and began business
in a small way. | soon sent for my
family, consisting of my wife and three
daughters. Eight years ago a great
calamity overlook me in the loss OF two
darling children. Since then, L have
been a discouraged and broken-hearted
man. | am fOrty-fve years old. and
now another calamity has oveltaken
me- | have been tried and convicted of
manslaughter in the first degree, a
terrible crime. second only 10 muir
der. | here protest, before God and
the world, that | am innocent. L am
not the cause of Helen ClaytOn'S death.
] did all in my power to relieve the poor
woman of her suffering, bat upon eXam-
inatiOn | found that she had been Oper
ated upon by some one, and that disease
and inflammation had already begun to
do their deadly work. | don't believe
that Helen Clayton ever made the ante
mOTtem statement testified to by Mrs.
Wrede, and l here denOunce the evil
dence of Stephen Douglas Clayton as
false
Il have been denounced as butcher,
murderer and a monster of cruelty.
God forgive them who say so. My
heart is as tender as wOman's, and
has always melted for human suffering.
l would not harm a little child. | nave
endeavOred 10 live a peaceful and quiet
life among my neighbOrS. as the people
in ST. Paul well know. For fourteen
weeks have been prisoner in Ram
sey county jail, and have been depied
that freedom. air and Sunlight which
God in His infinite wisdom vOuchSafed
to all His creatures.
A Pathetic Appeal.
Il have been separated from family
and friends, and my business has been
ruined. | had LAID up a little fortune
which | proudly hoped would be the
support of my family and the stay OF
my declining years. The greatest part
of this has been swept away by this
cruel prosecution. My aged parents live
in Southern Missouri They are both
very old and feeble, and cannot live
much longer. l had hoped tO
visit my dear old mother once
more before her death, and was making
preparations to do so when l was ar
rested. When am sent to prison my
family will soon be left penniless, and
my daughter, who is the Idol of my life.
will be deprived of a fathers love and
care. l could go into confinement with
out a<murmur were it not for the pow
erty and disgrace which shall fall upon
them. | am now past middle life, and
my years have been full Of trouble. /
need not kneel here to beg the mercy OF
the court. The jury have already rec
commended that in their verdict. But
in sentencing me to hard labor and soil
tary confinement l hope the court viii
remember my family-my aged parents
my beloved daughter, my faSt-failing
health, my ruined fortune, and the fac
that | have never before been arrested
on any charge. | am ready for my SEN
tence.
AllOl AC"uIliS tlilS Sldl liluS StdtSluell
DIR. Pearce rested his head on his hand
with his elbow on the table at his side
while Judge Kelly proceeded to com
ment on the subject of the deliveranci
by tie prisoner in the following Ian
guage:
Judge keIly's Sentence.
"Yon have said to me that you are
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