The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-04-17
ooRDY READY TO D.a
Chief Justice Lore win Sentence Him to
Die on June u.

yicted yesterday OF murder In the ftri
degree for killing his wife, formerly Mr.
Mary Lewis. of New York.
After Chief Chile. Justice Lore , had raped T.
son and Richards, counsel for Gordy, hel
consultation. Then they conferred wit
the court and IL was announced that tn
prisoner would not be sentenced until Sal
urday. This was received with disapoini
inent by the crowd.
The lawyers for the defense made me
tion on Thursday In arrest OF Judgement
but they will Withdraw ID and allow SET
tence to be passed All hope for Cord,
seems to have been given up.
The chief justice, In passing sentenc
to-day said: james Gordy, you have hat
IN impartial trial. You have been dc
Tended by able counsel, who have eJ
hausted every resource OF trained mind
and large experience in your defense
They left nothing undone tending to you
safety. No fault can attach TO them tina
you were not acquitted. You were oon
victed and we think rightfully upon al
dence, woven by your own words ant
actions, which fastens the crime upon you
with conclusive certainty.
Your crime upon Its face 10 one Of al
most fendish atrooity. The woman you
murdered was bound TO you by one Of the
most tender and endearing ties Of oul
human life.
'on the p6th Of last February. In the
city of New York, you led her to the altar
riags, pledged your manhood to love her,
to protect her, and forsaking all others.
to cleave only unto her. On the 10th OF
March you lured her from her friends In
New York into this State Ii may be
through her wifely faith in you.
"You brought her, q stranger among
strange people, fonlly murdered her by
cruel and deadly blows inflicted by you
upon her head, and then you left her dead
body in the mud Of the Broadkiln river,
having first taken from her a diamond
ring and other articles Of value. This was
| your bride OF only fourteen days.
| 1.-THE details of that murder are known
only to you and to your God. We have
| no desire to lift the veil upon that reyolt'
ing scene Enough has already been
shown to make sick at heart every hui
man person and to create wonder that such
| crime could be committed In this land of
| Bibles
while you live that death scene Will
burn in your brain and haunt you every
hour. Thisis the penalty the Almighty
inflicts upon the perpetrator Of such a
| crime.
1--WE have recalled this much of your
crime, not 10 add to the remorse with
which you must now be racked, II you DO
human, but only to impress upon you
the solemnlty Of this hour, and to deepen
and Intensity the warning your convic-
ton gives, that murder, however, secretly
committed, will come out. Our sins Will
find us out.
1T is further designated to impress upon
you the necessity for such preparation as
you may make In the few remaining days
Of your life to inset your God, and 10 may
be to meet the spirit Of that murdered
wife, who waits for you Ia the other world
where you will be arraighed at the bar OF
God. Laid aside every hope, other than
that founded upon the infinite mercy of
our blessed Savior, who came into the
world to save even inurderers like you, II
with repentance and faith you will come
unto Him. From this hour we beseech
you that you look to Him and Him only,
FOR you have no other refuge. -
Under the stern mandate OF the law,
1t 10 now our painful duty to pronounce
the Judgment Of the law upon you, which
is that you, James NJ Gordy, the prisoner
at the bar, be now taken from the bar of
this court to the prison Of Sussex county,
whence You came, that you be there safely
and securely detained in custody until
Friday the 18th day Of June next; that on
that day between the hours Of 10 O'Clock
In the forenoon and O'Clock In the after.
noon, you BIO taken to come convenient
the prison enclosure, and that you be
hanged by the neck until you be dead.
And may God have mercy on your soul. "
After being taken to Jail last night Gordy
attempted to affect an air OF unconcern,
saying to Deputy Short that he did not
commit the murder After midnight he
was visited by his brother. Joseph Gordy,
and his bruther-ln-law, Levin Moore. As
the visitors entered the little cell, they
broke down and wept aloud.
1t was plainly visible that Gordy was
calling on all of his reserve power to pre-.
vent any display Of feeling on his part.
This failed to serve him. and for the first
time since his arrest he seemed to real
izo that his doom was sealed.
Mr. Moore said he was going home to
break the news to Gordy' S mother, who Is
seventy years old: Slowly the prisoner
raised his lead and said;
II am saved. Tell mother am saved"
Then Gordy turned his back and began
to pace the floor Of his cell, As the visitor
LETT the room he began to sing: II Am
saved by the Blood Of the Lamb" and
later he sang other hymns.
Although he had eaten nothing for
many hours, he said he was not hungry.
When Sheriff johnson went to the coll ut
8 q. IN. Gordy was walking up and down.
AT intervals he could be heard muttering
or mumbling to himself.
Levin Moore and Benton Gordy, another
Of the prisoners brothers, Visited him at
the jail to-day. In speaking Of the visit
and Of Gordy's condition, Mr. Moore said;
Jim still maintains that be is innocent
l told him there was no hope for him. He
replied: IF they want to hang me- they
can do it. have but one time to de- and
l am not afraid 1t is all right"
HE asked me-" continued Mr.. Moore,
ITO bring his two little boys to see him,
and also requested the older members Of
the family to visit him. In particular he
asked for his mother shall bring Adolf
plus and Joseph. bis sons, to the Jail next
week"
A reporter drove to-day to the home
of Mr.. Moore. where Gordys mother is
living. Mrs. Gordy was found seated In
an armchair with her gray head leaning
on her hand In reply to questions, she
SAID
"On the morning OF the day when James
was arrested knew nothing Of his trou-
Bile. While talking to me, he jumped up
and said Mother tell those men am not
here | asked him what men he referred
to, as had not seen the officers approach.
ing
Jim did not reply, but ran out of the
house looked out the window and saw
two men calling to him. He stopped and
went TO them, They took him away. One
of my boys came home that night and
told me what James was charged with do
ing"
Covering her face with her handkerchief
Mrs. Gordy continued: THE news has
broken my heart, and ] prayed to God
that might die. Jim always had but one
idea at a time, and would follow that right
or wrong, He has been a trouble to me
for the past twelve years. Until twelve
years ago, he had been q Oh ristian, and II
he had continued to be, be would not have
had the heart to kill the woman"
With tears trckling down the burrows
Of her checks, Mrs, Gordy said; II never
expect to see my boy again am too old
to ride to Georgetown unless taken on a
bed. II you see him give him this message.
Tell him TO remember that his DID, broken
hearted mother is praying for his sal.
walton, and tell him TO put his trust in the
Lord"
There is general belief in this county
that Gordy will soon tell the story of how
he committed the crime, although one of
his counsel is Of the opinion that he will
never tell.it. This lawyer gives as bis
reason that although the counsel for the
defense repeatedly, begged GOrdy to give
lhom some facts on which they could pre-.
sent evidence, he would never enlighten