Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-12-23
WILL Be HANGED.
Sentence of Death is Passed on ]. w.
Cole by Judge Winchester in
District Court.
Prisoner Has Nothing to Say and Main
tains the Same Silence and Stol-
idity as Heretofore.
Brief Testimony is Taken to Establish
the Manner and Circumstances
of the Crime.
Date for the Execution is Fixed at
March "a, 1899, on the Court
House Grounds.
y is a k to Establish
Sentenced to be Hanged.
From Thursdays Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
James w. Cole, the murderer of
Sophronia Ford, was this morning SEN
fenced to he hanged as Il penalty for his
crime. The date for thc.eXecution was
set for March 24th, 1899, and immcdi-
atcly after the passing of sentence the
prisoner was rcmanded to>thc cell from
which he had been brought to receive
his sentence. Outwardly, Cole appeared
little affected by the sentence, although
as he was taken back to his cell, his
knees gave away, his form relaxed and
he was forced to sit down for a time as
though overcome by the ordeal of SEN
tence.
The intense interest that has been
manifested in the case as the most cold
bloqded and brutal deliberate murder
that has occurred in the state, was ap-
parent in the immense crowd of specta-
tors in the court room this morning, at
the time set for the passing of sentence.
The room was crowded long before the
time set for sentence and at ten o'clock,
the halls and aisles were packed beyond
passage in or out. A large number of
ladies was present.
The prisoner was brought into the
court room at the time set for passing of
sentence and took Il seat just inside the
rail, facing the court. He manifested
little interest in the proceedings, seem
ing rather to be occupied with his own
thoughts than interested in what oc-
Cured about him, and upon which de-
pended the matter of his life or death.
He sat with his chin resting upon his
chest, his eyes fixed on the floor and his
attitude one of either stupor or stolid-
ity. Occasionally he covered his face
with a handkerchief as though to shut
out still further what was passing about
him. If there was grief mixed with. his
feelings and sensations, there was no cx
ternal Indication Of it in tears. Physi-
cally the murderer was weak and appar-
emily helpless. Whether this was a re-
suit of his mental perturbation Or of the
results of his attempt at suicide, is Il
question.
At the time set for the passing of SEN
tence, the prisoner was asked by Judge
Winchester if he had anything to say Or
any legal cause to offer why sentence
should not be passed upon him. He re-
piled, almost inaudibly, that he had not.
The statute covering the sentencing OF
prisoners in such cases was then read,
and the court stated that the evidence
of witnesses would be taken briefly to
establish the manner of the murder and
the circumstances surrounding it, for
the guidan &c of the court and for the
establishing Of a complete legal record
of all the proceedings.
Only two witnesses were sworn. F.E
Moorhouse was the first and his testi-
mony was a repetition of that which had
been before given at the %coroner's in
quest. James Holland was sworn and
testified to having seen Cole and the vic
tim walking along the street, to having
heard the shots, and to seeing the victim
fall to the sidewalk. He saw Coles arm
drop to his side after the shooting, and
saw the smoke arising from the revolver.
He also saw the murderer stoop, as
though to place over or remove from the
face of the victim the collar of her coat.
The papers that were found beneath
the body of the victim were placed in
evidence and made a part of the records
in the case.
State Attorney Allen stated that there
were other witnesses, but the state would
not place them upon the stand, except