The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-08
Editor O'Sullivan Was.
Convicted of Libel.
Sentence Imposed on Him Was
for a Year and a Half.
Surprise Is Expressed In Some
Quarters al It's Brevity.

Salem, Mass. June S.--Jeremiah II.
O'Sullivan, editor OF the Lawrence Sem
tinel friend Of William Jennings Bryan
and the original silver man OF Massa-
chusetts. was yesterday sentenced 10
1S months imprisonment for libel. He
Is now in Salem jail.
O'Sullivan was arraigned for sentence
late yesterday afternoon. with Judge
Bishop. who has heard the long and COM
plicated case for the last three or four
days, on the bench. Arguments of both
counsel for the defendant and the com
monwealth occupied the courts time
until about $3.50 o'clock. and when sem
uence was finally imposed IL was inn
prlsonment in one of the houses Of cor
rection i'm this county OF Essex for the
term OF rs months at hard labor. O'Sul-
livan was surprised, there was no deny
ing that fact, although he expected
something more than a fine. II was the
length Of the time given him that caused
the surprise. and O'Sullivan was not
the only astonished man in the court
room.
O'Sullivan was convicted OF criminal
libel on John J. Donovan, license COM
missioner Of Lawrence; William It.
Kimball city clerk and Frank p.
Remick. police inspector An infinite
variety Of exceptions have been saved
by the counsel. John p. Moran. and these
will be presented 10 the court and heard
before the full bench of the supreme
.court in due ame. During the argu-
ments OF the lawyers O'Sullivan sat un-
moved in the court, nor did he show any
efr %. l,o,, I'm
posed. He became seated Immediately
after receiving his sentence. and was at
once removed 10 the Salem Jail, where
he was assigned cell.
District Attorney White moved for
sentence on jeremiah T. O'Sullivan.
Lawyer Moran, for the defendant. stated
chat there were two reasons at least
why sentence should not be imposed at
this time. Exceptions had been taken
by the defendant. and the two DAYS al
lowed for filing the same had not ex-
pired. and Il was manifestly the right Of
the defendant 20 demur against i'm
position OF sentence at this stage OF the
case. There was also a motion for
new trial on the ground that the defen-
dant did not have a full opportunity at
the recent trial. and that the verdict was
against the evidence; that the defendant
had discovered new evidence since the
trial, and that some persons unknown
had conveyed TO the jury the idea that
they were required to agree on verdict
before 10 o'clock Friday evening. and
they therefore found him guilty.
Mr Moran read affidavits 10 establish
the claim of new evidence.
The court overruled the motion for
new trial on the ground that the alleged
newly discovered evidence was not OF
a nature 20 affect the result The court
thought the defendant had had ample
opportunity TO introduce evidence in re-
buttal TO the governments evidence as
to malice.
The district attorney, for the govern
ment. maintained that the attack on ].
J. Donovan was the worst attack he had
ever seen I'm black and white. The at.
torney said he could have filled the court
room with witnesses 10 show that Dono-
van was a noble high minded man. He
knew Remick personally. and would like
20 testify TO the discretion and DISPOSE
tion to uphold the arm Of the law. OF
Klmball he had no personal knowledge.
He said that the court was not dealing
with an honest paper or an honest editor.
Mr. White closed and Judge Bishop
imposed the sentence, as stated.