Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-11-30
POSTPONED TO DEC. II
The Sentencing of Kent Postponed
BY Judge Winchester Until
December 18th.
Attorneys for the Defense Wish to
File Afidavits For a New
Trial.
Brief History of the Career of Myron
Kent With Digest of the
Evidence.
Sentence

urday, Attorney Hildreth moved for a
stay of thirty days in the Kent murder
case. He desired to move for a new
trial, on the grounds that two of the
jurors had formed or expressed opinions
concerning the guilt Of the defendant,
and that one Of the jurors had been an
inmate of an insane asylum. Mr.. Hill
dreth also claimed that he had some
new evidence, material to the defense
of the defendant. The date of sentenc-
ing the defendant was then put off till
the 18th of December.
The finding of a verdict of guilty in
the Kent case, and the other facts of
the trial, render interesting a brief &C.
count Of Kent's past history, although it
is so we'll known as to need no extended
description:
Myron R. Kent was born in Burbank,
Ohio, in 1S48, and spent his boyhood in
that place. He studied law in the Office
Of H. G. Blake, at Medina, Ohio, and was
admitted to the bar. In 1871 he was
elected prosecuting attorney for that
county and served one year. He engaged
in the banking business, and in 1872 was
made bookkeeper of the First National
Bank of Medina. He married the beau
tiful daughter of W. L. Terrlll, a promi-
nent citizen of that place, but the young
wife died inside of two years.
The bank closed it's doors on May 2,
1874, and an examination showed that it's
capital had been impaired so per cent by
Pancoast's dishonesty. In the meantime
he had made his escape and was never
punished for his populations, which are
supposed to have aggregated $4,000,
consumed in high living.
When Pancoast came to Minneapolis
he called himself M. R. Kent, and repre-
sented himself as an Eng]ishman, and
had succeeded in covering up all traces
of his past. He managed to ingratlate
himself into good society in the Mill
City, and, among others became ac-
quainted with the Lairds.
Shortly after he married Miss Julia
Laird, for whose death he will pay the
penalty upon the scaffold. The parents
of the lady we're not pleased with the
match, but concluded to make the best
of a bad bargain, and Kent was given
employment in the lumber business Of
his fa~ther.in-law. It is said he embezzled
$4,000 of the firms money. When dis
covered he was given $1,000 and told to
shift for himself. He and his new wife
then separated, Kent going to Chicago
and afterward to Mandan. Meant me he
correspondent with his wife, and a recon-
| Citation was effected.
On the night of March - last, Kent
came across the river to Bismarck, tell
ing his wife he would return the next
day. On this night his wife was shot and
,, KILLED under what seemed to be excusa-
! bic circumstances. The story Of her
death is as follows: On that night Tom
Swidenski, the hired man, awoke Mrs.
Kent upon the pretext that some men
we're proving about. When she ap-
peared at the window a shotgun in his
hands was discharged, apparently by &C
cident, as at the time he pretended to be
looking for intruders. The shot took
effect in Mrs. Kent, killing her instantly.
Swidenski gave himself up, and told the
story as above. Later, however, he con-
fessed that he had been hired by Kent to
kill his wife, he to receive pay for the
deed. Detectives were placed upon the
case, and Kent brought back to Mandan
and tried, with the result above stated.
The testimony in the case is quite ex-
t~ensive. Swidenski the hired man, test.
fed to the several interviews with Kent,
in which the latter offered him $4,000
to make way with Mrs. Kent, and how
he finally yielded to Kent's persuasion.
The plot, from Swidenski's testimony,
was a cold blooded one, and it's details
are sickening. Testimony was also given
as to the absence of any footprints upon
the banking about the house, on the
morning Of the murder, after it was
claimed burglars we're seen at the win
dow. &c. Clark testified to taking from
Swidenski the book, containing Swiden-
skis notes of how he was to testify be-
fore the coroner's jury. Other damaging
testimony was also given.
For the defense, several witnesses tes.
titled that Kent and his wife seemed to
live happily together. S. B. Seavey tes-
titled to having lived with the Kents, and
that their relations with each other were
happy. Mr.. and Mrs. w. E. Martin gave
similar testimony, and Dan Trumbull
testified as to Swidenski's story before
the %coroner's jury, where be claimed the
shooting was accidental.
Young Mems Reading Room.
The directors-elect of the Young Mems
Reading Room met last Saturday in the
reading room aud proceeding to organ.
%ization by formally accepting their off.
cial duties and choosing officers: Presi.
/ = - TIT