The herald., 1895-05-16

placed in the arena to wrestle with the
tiger or fight, hand to fangs, with the
lion.
Attorney Harris filed motion for an
arrest of judgment, and one for new
trial. He made no particular argument
and the motions were promptly denied,
the attorney going through the customary
.Orm OF entering exceptions.
Judge Smith had evidently lost the
prisoner's Christian name. The poor
devil had been known as kid" Thomp-
son. but it would be unconventional, un.
Impressive. undignitied and dangerously
close to pleasantly to say. kid, stand
up and hear that you are to be hanged. I"
MIR. Clerk. the prisoner has been
known as William H. Thompson, has he
not?' querried the judge.
The clerk fumbled among his papers;
The court room was as quiet as stellar
space. and soon the reply came, ''w. H.
Thompson. your honor"
Meanwhile the kid stepped forward
from his seat among a. lot of larcenists
and burglars who had been brought from
The Jail for arraignment. He walked
frankly and firmly forward and faced the
Judge. He cast a glance around at the
spectators and met the return pitiless
look with neither bravado nor weakness.
While the sentence was delivered-and it
was cruelty slow in coming to the point
he showed no emotion. He would shift
his weight from one foot to the other,
but he looked the judge squarely in the
eye through the long homily against
train robbery. and never flushed nor
paled as the agonizing tortures and cries
were described of the fireman who died
slowly roasted to death pinned under the
locomotive at Roscoe. His demeanor to
those not accustomed to close observation
was that of the game" desperado who,
like savage, considers a betrayal of emo
tion in the same light as other men re-
gard crime. This was not the case with
the Kid. He is physically brave man,
bat this is largely because he has no
nerves, therefore he is free from the path
illogical symptoms that would affect a
man of sensitive temperament under
similar circumstances.
The two men gazed like men into each
others eyes; as the one spoke the words of
death to the other both probably were
oblivious of the fact that they were not
alone. 1t was evidently a solemn mo.
ment to the speaker. and to the spoken
to it was as impressive as his nature
would permit any occasion to be.
Have you any legal cause to say why
judgment should not be pronounced?"
The tones were grave, relentless, but not
devoid of emotion.
The listener moved a little awkardly
from one foot to the other. but he never
lowered his eyes as he answered:
mo. only that l was not at either of
them Iobberies. That is ALL"
The Judge did all the rest of the talking,
the prisoners mouth not again being
opened.
In one sentence. when the term
death" was used, a restless attorney in
taking seat jostled against the doomed
train robber who turned and looked
really amiable as he made way for the in
truder.
When it was all over the bailiff tapped
Kid on the shoulder. he turned and made
his way through the crowd; he smiled
and nodded at one or two acquaintances
who stood near him. and like one walk
ing into tomb passed between the doors
Of the court room which swung to after
him and he went back to jail to wait for
death to como.