The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-03-12
Unless Sooner Pardoned, Henry Bornt's
Murderer Will Serve This Term at
Hard Labor at Saltwater.
JUDGE SEVERANCE MAKES SOME REMARKS.

ClarenceCroOk was Monday afternoon
sentenced to hard labor at the Still
water peBetentiary for Jwenty-four
years and six months, on his plea of
guilty to the charge of murder in the
third degree. On good behavior, this
term Will be reduced to about twenty
years.
The case was called at 2:30 o'clock
Monday afternoon, and the court asked
what was to be done with il. All Of
the parties on both sides were in the
court room. Crook sat beside bis
brother-iu-Iaw, Cnas. Tackles, and
close by were his mOther'and Miss
Gertrude Smith, his atlianced. Hiram
Bornt and his wife and Miss Fora
BOrnt were there near the states at
tOrney, and several Amboy people
were present to watch the proceedings.
Mr.. Young asked permission for the
defendant to withdraw MS plea of not
guilty to the charge Of murder in the
first degree
Crook advanced, and the court asked
him whether he wished to withdraw
the plea, and he replied in the affirm
alive.
The court: "You understand the
consequences fully, If you do this?"
Crook eyes, sir"
Court: "What now do you plead?"
Crooks attorney prompted him to
reply: Guilty Of murder in the third
degree"
Court: "This plea is accepted by
the court"
Crook was then sworn and answered
the usual questions put to prisoners
before receiving sentence. He said
that he was twenty-five years of age,
that his business has been working
on farm since he was little boy,
and that he has no trade or profess
sion.
The court: care you ready for SEN
tence to be pronounced?"
Mr.. Young: eyes, if it please the
court"
County Attorney Hughes: "Your
honor, | move that sentence be
pronounced upon the prisoner"
Court: "Crook, have you anything
to say, either yourself or by your az
torney, why sentence should not be
prOnOunced?"
Crook: 81 haven't"
The court addressed the prisoner,
saying that this was one of the duties
devolving upon courts which they
would always gladly shun. He refer
!, red to Crooks trialand the instructions
to the jury, which covered only muir
,, be in the first or second degree. ano
, said that he was fully aware that cir
cumstances might have been PROVED
= in the case which would have com
PEELED the court to have given great
: er range to the charge, to include
= murder in the third degree. The jur.
> had disagreed, and it was Impossible
= to know what credit it had given tt
, Crooks claim of self-defense, but h
received information that it was 40
E considered a sufficient defense. Act
: of homicide are considered under dit
y ferent circumstances. In one kline
o there is deep degree of moral turp
n itude shown, as where robbery is tn
motive, and in this class the cour
4 cannot be too severe. In this cas-
! the court is lead to believe that ther
is no moral turpitude. Th
prisoner was engaged to CIR
and the deceased had mad
= inquiries which Crook believed to be 6
Il an offensive nature. There probabl
was something to which he took Of
- Tense, though it was not proved, an
q he went to the place to champio
his betrothed, hot words followed
and the homicide was committed. Th
l. court will give the prisoner the benz
rs fit Of this but does not pretend to sa
r whether the deceased had done any
y thing at which the prisoner shout
% have taken offense. If the prisOne
$. had gone unarmed, there would hav
j. been no particular trouble. Whe
o. persons meet in passion and one
'e both are armed, death is likely
y follow. 1t is a serious thing to tax
o, the life of human being. The d.
70 ceased had as good right to live
the prisoner has. This offense doe