Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-09-18
SENTENCE ELECTS CHEERS.

nomination.
SENTENCE ELECTS CHEERS.
William Mcmillan Goes to the Peniten-
tiary for Life.
"The sentence Of this court is that you
be taken hence by the sheriff to the state
prison at Deer Lodge, there to be con-
fined for the remainder of your natural
life."
Thus Judge Benton pronounced the
doom of William Mcmillan.
There was an instant's hush and then
the crowded court room rang with ap-
plsuse, mingled with few cheers.
The announcement that the man who
had been convicted Of rape upon the per-
con Of 9.year-old Mary Augustine was to
be sentenced at $50 o'clock Tuesday
morning drew a crowd that filled the
court room, and not until that hour was
it realized that the abhorrence by the
people of the criminal and the interest
in the trial was 80 intense. Never be-
fore during the trial had there been any
manifestation on the part OF the public,
as there was while Sheriff Dwyer had
Joseph Weir, ravieher OF the crippled
mute, the little Cults girl, secretsd from
vengeful public in house on the
South side, but all were content to let
the law take its course and were eager
to approve when Mcmillan received his
sentence.
The prisoners wife was among the
first to arrive at the court house. She
stood at the first landing, gazing from
the window, up Third street, that she
might see her husband approach. She
was the cynosure OF many eyes as she
stood there, pale, haggard, her tears
slowly falling, but she was apparently
oblivious to all and for nearly half an
hour she kept her vigil
Then hack was driven to the door
and, although she knew not its inmates,
she intuitively faltered to the door, dry
ing her tears, that she might not cause
the criminal greater care. Sheriff Dwyer
stepped from the hack; Mcmillan, wear
| ing for the first time emblems Of servi-
tude, handcutfs, followed; and Deputy
| Sheriff Black came next.
| The woman shuddered at sight Of the
| handcutfs-she had not shuddered at
the sight of her husbands victim nor
when she beheld the little garments that
were stained with virgin blood-and her
black eyes filled with tears as she
grasped the gyved hands. "Will, Oh,
| Will" she exclaimed and the man who
had wronged her in her own home, but
whom she had done her all to save, be-
trayed some emotion rs he simply spoke
| her name.
| Husband and wife walked side by side
and the march to the court room was be-
gun. AT the first landing, where the
wife had watched and wept, the brace
lets we're removed and then the march
| to the court room was resumed.
The convict and his wife took seats
within the railing. Geo. II. Stanton,
who had woven for Mcmillan defense
from no material, spoke to the criminal
and then Judge Benton took his scat
upon the bench
"The State Of Montana versus William
Mcmillan said the court, and slowly
the defendant, with pallid face and
shrunken, arose to his feet
Judge Benton recited the steps in the
case, and eaid that no crime except
murder was 80 vile ss that of which the
prisoner had been convicted; in this case,
the circumstances were unusually ter
rible, as the victim was mere child;
Mcmillan bad been given fair trial and
there was no doubt in the courts mind
that the verdict was correct.
"Have you anything to say why SEN
tence should not now be passed upon
your asked the court; and, in hesitat-
ing tones, came the reply, "No, SIR"
Then sentence was pronounced, the de-
fendsnt receiving it stolidly and as if he
had expected it, but the wife again
broke into tears.
Then followed the applause and cheers,
and before they ceased, the officers
stepped forward and led the sentenced
man from the room, his wife accom-
panying him. In the hallway the hand
cutfs ware again adjusted and the pris-
oner was tsken to the hack and in it to
the county jail.
At2p. m. Sheriff Dwyer left for Deer
Lodge with the prisoner. At the station
there was an affecting parting between
the prisoner and his wife. AS the train
pulled out, the woman watched it, and
then she turned and walked through
the streets, as one in dream, to bel
hotel.
In the suit of T. M. Tyler Va. the Mon
tsna Central Railway Company, plaintiff
obtained leave to amend his complain
and the case was continued for the term
The suit of Alice F.. Yore vs. John T
Murphy, an action to recover damage
for unlawful conversion of sheep, wa
dismissed, on motion Of Leslie & Down
ing, attorneys for plaintiff, the suprem
court having decided that the statute o
Limitations precluded the action.
The appealed suit of II. Y. Wheeler We
F.. 2. Atkinson and Will Hanks, 81
action to recover 2G8.2O for work allege
to have been performed on the Slaughter
, house, Baltimore and Little Six claimt