Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-21
DAILY KENNEPEC JOURNAL WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2l 1898
for Communication cf sentence was con.
tina,ed from July.

Tor communication OF sentence was con-
tinaed from July.
George H. Campbell. one Of the me II
whp was convicted at the December,
1889, term of the Kennebec superior
court, OF robbery, asks that his sentence.
be COMMITTED. He was convicted with
one Charles A. Sawyer Of brutaaly as
gaucttng and r0bbirg Moses c. Frost
of Winthrop. which at the time caused
suca1 horror in the State. On tn,
third day OF January. 1883. he was sem
fenced to be punished by insprison-
mcnt and confinement at hard labor In
the state prison, for the term Of his
natural life.
/ He states that as a child he lacked
The care, symT itely ard guidance Of a
neither. his mother having died when
he was two years Of age: that he was
Influenced By Sawyer, an older peexcn
to aid in the crime; that he believes
the punishment is excessively d.spro-
portiona'te TO the offcrce. and greater
than the presiding Judge would have
imposed under the present llws.
He promises to do better. ard prays
that the sentence be commuted to 10
years from January 3. 1889. the date Of
his cid sentence.
One Of the strong poirts prs scented by
| Mr. N for fs.r.s
WhIehsuse. who imposed the sentence,
who says had the law been as it now is,
| giving the judge discretionary power
20 impose sentence of any length he
sees fit. he certainly would not have
given the sentence as he did He hal
nc other course to pursue. The jury
found the man guilty. and the only law
on the statute books Imposed lif.,
punishment.
Mr.. Lewis had vast amount OF evil
dence en- the matter. including many
letters telling Of the past hfe of the
prisoner 1t appears that the true
name Of the man is William Garnet
and his home is in Marion, Me. He
was always rather bad boy, though
truthful. He served sentence in the
reform school. and later yaar's SEN
tenee in the State prison, both being
for larceny, though in one case he
claims he was justified in his act.
Hon. L. T. Carleton, who was at the
time of the crime the County attorney
for kennebec. was present and spoke in
favor Of granting the communication
saying he thought 1t was the general
opirion, even of Mr. Frost. the assault
ed mar. that the prisoner had suffered
enough.
The Council then went into executive
session. During this session the reeig-
ration of Fritz H. Twitcheal. councillor
from the 4th District. was read and ac-
cepted. ~
Adjournment was taken to $50 in the
evening.
Governor Powers, AdtutaEt General
Richards and members of the Execu-
tive department were entertained at
tea at O'Clock. at the residence of Col.
ard Mrs. =. c. Stevens at Chelsea.
Cary's Orchestra Of Hallowell. furnish
cd music.
The party did not return from Chel-
sea until . o'clock, and it was nearly
$50 when the evening meeting began.
They then went into executive session.
and remained behind closed doors for
the whole session that closed at about
IL.
T.. X. O'Brien appeared before the
Council in the evening and addressed
them for 10 minutes or more. No ac-
ton was taken however, they having
confirmed the nomination of Mr.. Chad
bourne in tlle afternoon.
The communication OF the sentence of
Campbell was granted.
Many CT the councillors returned to
their homes en- the night Pullman
trains. wl1lle the others will leave. to-
day.