Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-09-28
THE CURTAIN FALLS.
John $. Mathews Sentenced to Serve
Four Years.

Four Years.
About p m. Thursday a sad scene
was enacted in the Circuit Court 81
this county.
| Ever since the defalcation Of John
S. Mathews had become known many
persons had hoped something might
transpire by which he should be able
to escape his threatened DOOM Even
after the indictments were found and
he had plead guilty petition to Judge
Faulkner was numerously signed
praying the judge to be lenient All
admitted his guilt but no one desired
to see him punished.
The time having arrived when the
court must pass upon the case, in re-
Spouse to the inquiry of the clerk if
he had anything to say before sem
tence was pronounced, the prisoner
in faltering accents said: 1.-The court
has known me from my youth, as /
was brought up in this community,
and only ask you to deal as lenient-
ly with me as you can"
There was pause, profound silence
reigning in the court room. Hon. ].
Nelson Wisner, counsel for Mathews
rose and in an eloquent and impress
i've manner plead for mercy for his
client. At the conclusion of his plea,
the court inquired of Prosecuting At
torney Pitzer if he had anything to
say. After briefly explaining why
the grand jury had found six indict-
ments, and expressing his intention
to ask the court to nolle those remain
ing and announcing that his reason
for SO acting was the good character
Of the prisoner, he said: This is not
one of those cases which requires
that the prisoner should be punished
for the protection of the general pub
lie, as the public is in no danger
from him.
The office of a public prosecutor
is not pleasant one Today / may
be called upon to prosecute my bitter
est enemy, but there must be no ami
mostly in my actions. Or l may, as
in this case turning toward the pris-
oner] be compelled to appear against
my best friend" His voice wavered
and ,lnbidden tears filled the eyes of
spectators as the eloquent young at
torney in most thrilling manner
pointed out the course, which in his
opinion he must pursue, in perform
ance of his duty to the public.
In closing he stated that the court
was fully cognizant of all of the facts
in the case, he had no suggestions to
offer,
Referring briefly to the we'll known
good character of the prisoner, to the
unaccountable reason for acting as he
had, and intimating that there must
have been motive for his conduct,
the court announced the sentence
four years in the penitentiary OF the
State.
1t will be remembered that Mathews
was for several years secretary of the
Valley Exchange Building Association
and that he at different times embez-
zled small sums of money, amounting
in the aggregate to about S., 200.
The discovery of the defalcation was
made some months since when an
other secretary was chosen and arrest
and indictments followed. During
all of the time intervening between
arrest and indictment he maintained
that he had not violated the law, and
not until after the grand jury had |
acted did he appear to realize the posi-
tion which he occupied.
Few men, if any, stood higher in
this community. Born here. his en-
tire life had been blameless. His
father had lived and died an honora-
Bile man and no stain rests on any
member Of the family which now has
the sincere sympathy of all And |
though doomed to occupy felon's
cell, the universal opinion is that |
John S. Mathews is an honest man.