The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-17
HAMMER PLEADS GUILTY.
The Lynchburs Emb.ulsr Sentenced to
Seven Years. Imprisonment.
HIS COUNSEL'S APPEAL FOR MERCY.
A Touching Scene in Judge Paups Court
Yesterday-Captain sheppard Tells
what He Knows OF ths Virginia
Campaign of 1882

| The case Of the United states vs Walker
+. Hammer, for embezzlement, came up
for trial this morning in the United
States District Court here-Judge John
| Paul presiding.
A few minutes before 10 o'clock the
wife and daughter Of the accused came
| into court, accompanied by his counsel
| and two Of his sons. \ few minutes later
| Mr.. Hammer entered from the JUDGES
room and took a seat near them They
sat and talked until the court was called
| 20 order by this time the room was
| crowded to its utmost capacity, but not
| a sound could be heard. The clerk called
| the roll Of the jury. and his voice sound
| ed sharp and clear in the death-llke
stiffness.
MIR. MANsoN's APrRAL.
Mr.. y. G. Manson, counsel for the ac-
| crsed. then addressed the court, saying
| that he wished to enter a plea OF guilty
| for his client, and at once commenced
strong and touching appeal for mercy
| The Judge and the spectators were Visl-
| bly, touched by this appeal, and when Mr..
| Manson sat down there was hardy
| dry eye !n the house.
| Mr. Manson said: The defendant admits
| his guilt. and asks the mercy OF the
| Court. that it leaye 10 him some hope
| OF life after ne shall have undergone
| the penalty which the violation of the
| laws Of his country denounce against
the crime which he confesses.
Never has this community been more
| shocked and greved than when on that
| beautiful Sabbath morning the baleful
| tidings Of Walker Hammers ruin mingled
! with the church-bels chimes. The de-
fendant is now in his fiftleth year. lie
| has a beloved wife and ten dear children,
| the Youngest just seven years of age
| and an old mother now approaching her
| eightieth year. ! am not here to mann
| tain that this act is the less crime
| because il has been committed by a eoo1
| man. but ] 10 say that the blackness oil
| this deed should not utterly obscure all
| the goodness and brightness of his past
| The penalty which your Honor, i'm the
| discharge Of your duty, shall infict upon
J this defendant Is only a small part OF the
| punlshment he must suffer for this deed.
| He was a man peculiarly affectionate ana
| happy in his family relations. Never was
| husband or father more tenderly beloved
| and no mans life was ever blessed ana
| frightened by a happier or more beauu-
| ful family circle.
| How the iron must enter into his own
soul when he sees their cup of overlooking
! happiness turned to gall and wOrmwood
| by his fatal deed With what longing
| tenderness, with what pathetic yearninS
| during the coming years must his men,
| ory revert to this sacred home life Oh,
| your Honor need not fear that this de-
Gendant Will escape with too light a
| punishment
CANNOT TESTIFY AGAINST PANEILL.
Hammer will not be permitted to tes-
| tify in the trial of r. H. Pannill. charged
| with being i'm Collusion with him 10 rob
| the bank. The statutes are explicit on
| that subject, and unless a felOn has suf-
| fered the penalty of his crime or been
| pardoned, he cannot appear as wit
! ness.
In pronouncing sentence Judge Paul
| spoke of the painful duty he had TO per-
form, stating that it was the saddest act
Of his official life. His sentence was
! seven years 81 hard labor. The whole
| time consumed in the hearing was less
| than twenty minutes.
Mr.. Hammer Will be confined In the
prison at Brooklyn. and will be carried
there at the close Of the criminal docket.
DEATH OF MR. FRANKLIN.
4 telegram was received here to-day
| announcing the death Of Mr.. Edgar
| Franklin. at Orlando, Fla. His malady
was consumption. and he left here some
| months ago hoping that the climate Of
| Florida would prove beneficial TO his
! health He was tWenty-eight years Of
age. and one of the brightest young busI-
ness men that our city has ever turned
out. At the time Of his death he was
the Secretary of the Board Of Trade,
which position he has held for several
years, and the duties Of which he has
| discharged with signal ability. Three
| years ago he married Miss Margaret
| Quinby, of Accomac county, who survives
bim. There are no children. His remains
VIII lie inferred near the old home Of his
| wife in AccOmac county.
CAPTAIN SHEPPARD on oTHEB CAMPAIGNS.
Captain Hambleton Sheppard was eX-
| amined to-day as "a witness In the Yost-
Tucker contest The time taken in secu-
ring his deposition was about five hours.
The points on which he was examined
was the purging Of the pOll-books in 1889
| throughout the State to show whether
or not the Tenth congressional district
underwent a more thorough purging than
The remainder of the State, and to estab-
lish the fact Of the opposition Of the con-
testants father to General Malone I'm
1884, at which time the elder Mr.. Yost
used his influence to defeat the plans
of the General.
MIR. Thomas Whitehead. Jr., represent
cd Mr.. Tucker. while both Mr.. Yost and
| his counsel, Mr.. James ID. Brady, were
present.