The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-01-27
HIS FATAL DAY SET
CLYDE MATTOX MUST SUFFER FOR
HIS CRIEE IN MARCH.
He Listened to His Sentence I'm
moved, But Shed Tears While
Returning to the Jail-The
Sentence Pronounced
by the Judge.


ceived his death sentence yesterday in the
federal court of the United States, but
when he stepped into the Black Maria to
take his journey to his narrow prison
cell an unbidden tear rolled down his sad
and softening countenance.
When the court opened yesterday morn
ing still solemnity seemed to hold the
air, for everybody knew that the penalty
of the law was to be pronounced on those
who were convicted at the then closing
session.
The room was but half filled and no
women were present save the mother OF
Msttox, for it was generally believed that
Mattox would receive his sentence in the
afternoon.
TIE most solemn scene ever witnessed
In Wichita was begun yesterday when
Judge Reddick, Clyde Mattox's lawyer,
arose and made a motion for new trial.
This motion was overruled. Again
Judge Reddick made motion in arrest
of judgment, which was likewise over
ruled.
Judge Williams, with a kind but COM
posed face which showed the dignity of
the law behind it, turned to Clyde and
said In a slow and steady manner,
Clyde Mattox stand up"
Mrs. Hatch, Mattox's mother, at this
point rose and left the court room.
This was more than she could bear.
Clyde stepped to the bar of the court
In the custody of the officer, and
20 silent and awful was the
momentsry suspension that all those who
spoke of ii: afterwards unwittingly lowered
their voices.
"At former term of this court" said
Judge Williams, in we'll measured tones,
''the grand jury returned an Indictment
against you, charging you with the muir
der of John Mullen. Upon this indict-
ment you have had fair and impartial
trial by a jury of your peers, and have
been ably defended by a counsel of your
own selection. Notwithstanding which
defense, verdict has been returned
against you"
The audience held its breath and
hung on the words of the judge
as he continued to speak of the
repeated trials and to give his reasons for
the sentence which he was about to pass.
! He stated among other things that direct
and positive evidence had been given by a
number of witnesses that he was the man
ny whom John Mullen had met his death.
That all the evidence which he, Clyde
Mattox. had brought forth had not been
evidence that he had not killed John
Mullen, but had been directed toward the
Impeachment of witnesses, who, as unin
terested parties, had given evidence for
the government
That all Mattox evidence was of this
negative character and that it had
come from his special friends-those who
were open to the suspicion that they were
deeply interested in the investigation.
When asked if he had anything to say
why sentence should not be passed upon
him Clyde. though he seemed perfectly
cool to the audience, could hardly bring
himself to speak, so the marshal who was
by him, told al EAGLE reporter.
When he did bring himself to it. it was
to say: "Your honor, l am the victim of
circumstances and of perjured witnesses.
ii your honor were endowned with
supernatural powers, and should
knock at the tomb of John Mullen, and
should get reply, and if you should ask
him who killed him, he would answer that
1t was not l.
Judge Williams then proceeded to say
that he had wide experience in criminal
matters, both off and on the BENCH that,
while in practice, he had defended fifty
two men charged with murder in the first
degree; that, as judge, he had been called
npon to weigh evidence in many cases,
both state and federal. and that to assume
Mattox's assertions on this occasion as
true, was to set aside and hold for naught
in arir inc
and, furthermore, that the evidence
left no doubt. whatever. in his mind
that MsCtoX was guilty.
ut is therefore the sentence and iudg-
ment of the court" continued the awful
voice of the law. that you, Clyde Mattox.
be remanded TO the custody of the United
States marshal for the district of Kansas
until the 23d day of March, A. d., 1894,
on which day at the city of Wich ita in the
said district, between the hours of 10
O'Clock a. m. and 2 O'clock p. M, you be
taken by the said marshal and hanged by
the neck until you are dead, and may God
Almighty have mercy on your soul"
With this the marshal and
Clyde left the presence of the
judgment seat. a great deal
of nerve was shown to all appearances
from the audience, even here by the staid
front of MattoX. But the marshal SAYS
that as he got into the wagon which car
ries the prisoner TO aud from he jail, the
briny tear trickled down his cheek.
just before pronouncing sentence, the
judge gave Clyde a good, sensible talk
about getting himself ready to meet mis-
God
Many women came up to the court room
la the afternoon, expecting to hear the
death sentence, but they were too late, AS
Ii had been pissed before dinner.
This was due to the fact that the officers
of the court had given out the notice
wrongly, with the sole purpose OF svoiding
. scene.
1t was well they did SO, for the
court room would have been filled full of |
curious women and the hall jambed with |
men. 1t was quite well enough to see |
these disappointed people dropping their |
heads or holding them up out of contempt |
for the court and its officers and waiting |
their turn to ride down the elevator,
OTHER SENTENCES.
Robert F. Dori, who was found guilty of |
attempting TO get pension under his |
brothers. name, was given five years Of |
hard labor in the penitentiary. He tool. /
his sentence quietly and resigned
Archbishop Dillon, who sat around the |
stoves of the Ness county country |
stores and passed in counterfeit money |
and received back again good hard |
cash, was sent up 10 the same |
quarters for one year and six months and |
w. 6. Dillon, his brother by blood and in |
crime, was given two years in the same |
place. These men quietly heard the