The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-07-20
HE WILL HANG.
St. Clair ResentenCed to
the GailoWs.
WILL DIE IN SEPTEMBER.
He Hears His Fate With Stolid
COmposure.
WILL DIE IN SEPTEMBER.
TECHNICAL OBJECTIONS RAISED.
The Condemned Declares His Inno-
cence and Accuses Hansen and
Sparf of the rIurder.

Thomas ST. Clair, one of the three men,
bers Of The crew ofithe bark Hespers who
were convicted of the murder of Second
Mate FitZ gerald, was called before Judge
McKenna in the United States Circuits
Court yesterday afternoon to ba resen-
fenced He and Sparf and Hansen, who
were convicted with him, were sentenced
to death about one year ago, but appealed
10 the United States Supreme Court. That
tribunal denied ST. Clair new trial. but
has not yet decided the appeal OF Sparf
and Hansen. who. with st. Clair, are con-
fined in the County Jail at San Jose, to
which place they were transferred after
an attempt to break out of the County Jail
in this city.
Before the sentence was uttered 81.
Clair's attorney made two technical OBJ
jectious. He contended that the court
could not sentence. because the Supreme
Court in returning the writ OF error mad
set no date for the execution, and because
continuances had been granted in the
case during the absence of the defendant.
Judge McKenna decided that he had
jurisdiction and set Sepiem ber q mex, be-
tween 10 A. NJ. and P. NJ, rs The date of
the execution. In The mean ime ST. Clair
will be confined at San Jose. The con-
demned displayed no signs OF emotion
when the sentence was declared, but few
moments later asked permission 10 make
statement, which the court readily
granted.
ST. Clair asserted that the majority
of the men on the Hesper were q perverse
set, by whom the second mate could get
no hing done. The captain sided with the
men and treated the officer shame1ully.
The first rate followed the captains ex-
NIL o,6 a n o- fnyr I'd III
ter and the cook, until the second mates
life became burden.
After we had been at sea Tor some
time" ST. Clair continued, 1.-THE second
mate and | found that We were IF the
same nationality, and this was the b. GIN
ming of a friendship that lasted until the
tragedy. He and l kept logboOk and
we arrived at this port, but the captain
took the book away. II its contents had
been made public it would have been seen
that the captain was not in possession OF
the angelic qualities aitr buted to him by
the local newspapers,
This intimacy with Fitzgerald very
soon involved me in quarrels with the
other men. and in a short time ] was as
much dislike1 as he. On a few occasions
he struck some of the men, but he was
driven TO II. On one occasion, after
quarrel between him and Sparf and Han
sen, / heard Hansen say L should have
dumped him then. it was my chance
The second mate, L subsequently, learned,
had struck Hansen for impudence, and
Hansen came near being killed. He (the
second mate) told mo then that he would
Il OF raise his hand again to any of them,
not even IL they struck him.
II was asleep in the small boat when
the tragedy occurred. The first l knew of
1t was al IL o'clock that night, when the
capnnI nata oOul6 ha tound NaYt
day The captain placed Sparf. Hansen and
me in irons, although | told him that | was
asleep and knew nothing about the crime.
"When approaching Tahiti, Greene, one
of Hansen's friends. gave me hammer
and a file. saying that they were from
Hansen. who advised me to use them and
make my escape as land was in sight. If
l had attempted to escape it would have
confirmed the lies they told against me-
While we were detained at Tahiti | was
isolated from the others, but they were
left together in one room and perfected
their plans against me.
Two of those men were In court during
my trial Greene saw them, which no
doubt accounted for his answering the
questions of my attorney. eliciting lie
reply that he had been talking about my
case and that he did say lie wanted to zee
me hang Had my attorney INTERCEPTED
him further the court would have learned
that they had cast lots to see who would
stand trial and who go free. Hansen lost
but the others did not keep their agree
ment TO say nothing against him.
Twice during my trial | saw the cap
tain talking 10 jurors. a different juror on
each occasion. At the time | thought
nothing of it, and it was long after that l
learned that should have drawn immedi-
ate attention to the ONT. But it has
been the same all along. | acquired my
knowledge OF the law when it was too late
and | am paving dear for it"
st. Clair continued TO criticise his attor-
ney and the manner in which the case had
been tried until the court became weary
and moirned him to his seat
81 don't know exactly why you have
made this statement" said the Judge,
nor is it necessary for ME 10 contrnvert
il. You had an impartial trial and the
verdict of the jury is sufficient. If you
now IN passing ont of this courtroom have
any suspicion in your mind that you have
not had q fair and impartial trial you
ought 10 dismiss it from your mind; ii you
have an idea that the attorney appointed
for you did not give you able and faithful
service you ought to dismiss it. The
accusation as To your cO-defendaniS. it
seems 10 me, is unnecessary.
III you think that any partially has
been shown TO them you SHOULD dismiss it
from your tnind, because they TOO have
been convicted Of murder. Hence you
should dismiss that, and you should, as ]
told you before, in the short time that you
have to live on this earth, address YOUR
self to asking forgiveness for the offense
ia rrana II ynurcalf FIR ho haraaftar