The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-15
NO MERCY FOR ROBBERS,
Judge Wallace Sends Thomas
Hutchinson to Prison
for Life.
Years Backbone of Them
Tries to Escape.

SIT is all because the police have it in for
me-" said Charles Hennessey yesterday
morning in Judge Wallace's court when
| he was asked if he had anything to say
why he should not be sent to the State
prison for having, in company with
Thomas Hutchinson, held up and robbed
a sailor named Michael Mattison on Sec
| ond street.
81 was arrested and taken to the station,
and was there an hour and half before
knew what was arrested for. was con-
victed through the lies told by the police. 4"
"That is the same old story" said Judge
! Wallace, "told by all who come here. l
know that you have been convicted of a
| heinous crime. The sentence of the court
is that you serve twenty years in Folsom
| Prison
Then Hutchinson's case was called. He
| had prior conviction of petty larceny
against HIM. A motion had been made
! for q new trial by Hutchinson's attorney
1t was charged that juror named Robert
| Watson had answered on examination
that he had never seen Hutchinson before
whereas he had been on the jury which
formerly tried him for petty larceny.
Judge Wallace did not think there was
ground for new trial on the submitted
asked the prisoner if he wanted to say
anything. He proved to be even more
laxative than Hennessey and also scored
the police, saying that they were ejudiced
against him and intended to railroad him
to the State Prison. He waxed eloquent
in the assertion of his innocence of the
robbery charge.
His attorney, Mr.. Woodbury., also made
a strong plea for clemency on behalf of the
young man.
''Therc is grave doubt of his guilt in this
case, and surely this is an opportunity for
mercy to be shown" he said. 1.-The boys
parents are respectable people, living in
New Zealand. The father has just arrived
here, and is SO Frustrated with grief that a
severe sentence on his son will kill him.
The mother is on her way. l appeal to
your Honor that sentence of life impris-
onment would be a monstrous injustice
here. 1t would he horrible, Infamous. l
pray your Honor to show some mercy"
Judge Wallace said he regretted that the
law gave him no choice in the matter of
punishment. The lowest sentence was, in
his opinion, i'm prisonment for life.
Robbery" said the Judge, ''is crime
that ought to be put down with an iron
hand, and as the law fixed no maximum
for the punishment to be inflicted, | have
decided that for first offense a sentence
of twenty years Imprisonment should be
imposed. But where there is a prior con-
viction l have no power to interfere. The
law prescribes rule and | must follow it. "
And Hutchinson was sentenced for life.
Five boys of tender age were arraigned
on charges OF burglary in having stolen
things from a store at 1915 Hyde street.
The lads were: Eddie McQuade, John
McEwen, William Pierce, John O'Keefer
and Simon Schneider, and were attended
by their mothers, who were fearful in their
appeals to have the boys released on their
own recogniZance.
Judge Wallace would not accede to their
requests though, and set next Thursday as
day for trial for the youngsters.
In the case of Andrew Beck convicted
of robbery, motion for new trial was
denied and Andrew was sentenced to serve
twenty years in San Quentin.
Michael Thomas, who had pleaded guilty
of grand larceny, was sentenced to five
years imprisonment.
Thomas created quite a sensation later
in the day on Broadway, in front Of the
County Jail. After the prisoners had been
jail in the Sheriff's van to await their re-
moval to the prisons to which they had been
respectively sentenced. AS Thomas was
getting out of the van he suddenly slipped
the handouts from his wrists and made
wild break down Broadway, toward Kearny
street. The Deputy Sheriff in charge
dashed after him, and was joined in the
chase by Chief Jailer Sattler.
Thomas was overhauled at last, two
blocks away, and returned to the jail
Later in the day he and the others were
removed to their future quarters.