The Princeton union., 1894-07-05
i'd, where the circumstances are

hand, where the circumstances are
only 50 far excepti tional as the conduct
and methods of the debased and hard
ened criminal are exceptional to those
Of the honest man, do not see how a
judge could make the required certif-
cate without stultifying his reason and
his conscience.
& The exceptional circumstances
claimed in this case are: First That |
this defendant is only twenty years Of |
age. It is pitful that one SO young
should have become so hardened in
crime; but it is part of the history
OF crime in this age and country that |
among; the most bloodthirsty and cruel |
murderers Of the day are young men
no older than this defendant. The
time has gone by, if it ever existed,
when that can be called an exceptional
circumstance.
Second-It is urged that defendant is |
of low order of moral and intellectual
development. This is undoubtedly
true, and I am sorry to say there are
many others of like condition in this
community. tits hard to conceive of
mind so debased and moral nature so
depraved as to be willing to deliber-
ately take the life of a fellow being for
the paltry gain of the few dollars or
cents likely to be found in the beer sa-
loon OF an honest German, and yet this
is just what this defendant did. I be-
lieve it is the duty of this court to pro-
tect peaceable and law-abiding citizens
against such characters, by the only
influence that will reach such a nature,
namely, the assurance that following
such a crime will come punishment,
swift, certain and severe.
Third-It is claimed that the defend
ant is afflicted with dipsomania and
with some form of epilepsy, and while
under the influence of these diseases
acts abnormally, and is at times ire
sponsible for his conduct. This may be
to some extent true, although the evi-
dence, if such it can be called, to SUBJ
stantiate it is to my mind of the most
unsatisfactory character. Doubtless the
excessive use of Intoxicating liquor
had much to do with the criminal recs
ord of the defendant. It is potent
factor in the majority of crimes. But
take the career of this young man, so
far as it has been disclosed: In 1892 he
is sent to the reformatory at St. Cloud,
upon an indeterminate sentence; on
April 13 of this year he is released on
parole, presumably reformed; he i'm
mediately, almost as soon as he leaves
the gates of that institution, enters
again upon a course of crime, and fol-
lows it Systematically day by day and
night by night, until the eliminating
crime of murder, for which he is now
to be sentenced; and these crimes,
which he committed during those two
Tor three weeks, including this last
land greatest crime Of all, were not
such as are usually induced by and
i attri to drunkenness or mental
imbecility, but such as require Gun.
ming, forethought, GOODNESS and mental
equilibrium as we'll as boldness. I have
watched this defendant closely while
in court and while testifying upon the
stand, and I have seen no evidence o1
mental unsoundness or of moral IRE.
sponsibility. 49,.
It has become a reproach to the ad
ministration of justice in this country
that this claim of mental unsoundness
has been permitted so often to shield
confessed and indisputable murderers
from the consequences of their crime
do not intend that such a reproact
:, shall rest upon this court. In short
there is not palliating circumstance
nor redeeming feature connected
with this crime. It was deliberately
planned, deliberately executed, cold
blooded, heartless murder, and I have
, no sentimental compunctions about i'm
posing the highest penalty provided BY
law for such a crime.
Within a period of six months pre-
ceding the commission of this offense
three murders, essentially similar in al
their characteristics, were committed
in this city. The good people Of this
city, the honest, peaceable, law-abiding
citizens, have the right to expect and
demand from this court the protection
of their lives and property, so far as
the fearless and impartial administra.
tion of justice may accomplish that end
have challenged my conscience and
my Judgment, and feel that I would
be recreant to the responsibilities the
law and this community have imposed
upon me, and my duty as I conceive it
to be, if certified to any circumstance
in this case exceptional in the sense
| l. eLr- .