The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-24
Sentenced for Long
Terms
BY JUDGE HOPKINS.
Principals at the Grafton
Break Severely Punished.

sentenced by Judge Hopkins. Day will
have to serve from seven to ten years
in the state prison, and McGrath from
IL to Is years in state prison, the first
day of captivity to be spent by both
men in solitary confinement. Both
prisoners had previously pleaded gull
ty.
In referring to the case, District At
tcrney Hoar said the robbery was one
of the most desperately planned and
executed pieces of work ever perpe-
trated in Worcester county. A week
previous to the attack, another attempt
had been made. in which the thieves
had bored an eighth of an inch into the
safe in Getchell's combined store and
post office before they We're frightened
away.
On the evening in question, several of
the townspeople distinctly saw several
men attempting to effect an entrance
into the office in the early evening.
Constable Getchell, together with his
father. Amos Getchell, and small
posse of assistants, started Immediate
ly for the Office.
Constable Getchell testified yesterday
that group of three men were outside
the store on watch. But other evil
dence seemed to show that French
Louie" the man who was shot, was the
only individual on the outside, and that
the whole number of robbers was
three. Constable Getchell said he adj
vanced within 20 feet of French Louie
before he was seen. The desperate
then began to fire upon the group, but
was himself shot and killed in the first
exchange of shots.
After that. it was said two shots came
from the inside, one passing through
the window. Soon after Day and Nc
Grath, whose real name is said to be
Patrick Malone, a noted Montreal
house-breaker, surrendered. Philias
GerVais. the man who was Saturday
sentenced to five years Imprisonment
for daring Fitchburg robbery, was
thought for a time to be implicated in
the case. but no evidence could be adj
duced against him.
Before sentence was passed, Day
made a moving plea for leniency. He
said he was sailor thrown out of en-
ployment through the dullness in ship
ping as result of the Spanish war. He
declared he tried long to find work, but
was unsuccessful. He was arrested in
Springfield for vagrancy. He finally
fell in with McGrath and French Louie
and being at the end of his money, was
weak enough, he said, to fall in with
their project.S
Il would never have thought of rob-
bling private Individual" he said
But the great government of the
United States is so rich, while I was
SO poor, / thought the government
would no more miss the few dollars we
took from the post office than the sea
would miss a few drops of water ta-
ken away
Day also spoke feelingly of his dead
comrade who, he said, was shot down
treacherously before given a chance to
surrender or make his peace with God.
Inc plea was SO successful that the
judge Disseminated between the two
prisoners in passing the sentence, al
though the crime was too grave to ad-
NIT Of leniency.
The fast work of the two preceding
days OF the term did not mark yester.
days proceedings. The cases dragged
almost the whole time being consumed
with the trial of John Brick and Ella
Balcomb, charged with adultery. The
case was taken up before the morning
session was half over and Is still. UNI
finished. Sullivan & O'Connell repre-
sent the accused and are fighting ey-
cry point
An. unusual aspect in the case is the
fact that the woman's accusers
are all members Of her own family, the
mother being chiefly instrumental in
bringing the case to trial After all
the evidence was In, John e. Sullivan
made his argument to the jury. Such
an eXcoriation as he gave Mrs. Bal
combs mother and Brother for bringing
public shame upon member of their
family, is seldom heard in any court
Court adjourned Immediately on the
conclusion of Mr.. Sullivan's argument.
The case will be continued this morn
ing.
Edward F. Harvey, who embezzled
$1,000 from Eliza e. Morgan, pleaded
guilty and was sentenced to Is months
hard labor in the house of correction.
Mrs. Morgan is poor widow in des-
titute circumstances. Her husband left
her $1,000 of insurance, 1t was this
money that Harvey appropriated after
having obtained it fraudulently from
the Greenfield company on which the
policy was drawn.
District Attorney Hoar asked the
court to show leniency. in view of the
fact that the chief blow of the punish
ment would fall upon HaIlney's family
He presented a petition which had been
given him, and viii n was signed by
many of Harvey S neighbors Harneys
downfall, it is claimed, was caused by
drink. Previously to falling into in
temperate habits he was a good sup
port to his family. Of late Mrs. Har-
ney and her children have been taken
care of by charitable neighbors.
After gaining possession of the mo-
ney, Harvey went to Iowa. He finally
landed in Chicago, where he was sent
to a hospital with delirium tremens.
The Worcester police learned of his
whereabouts and arrested him in Chi
cago.
Richard Freeman, charged with
breaking and entering the barn of An
thony Trombeau Of Harvard and steal
ing a horse, pleaded guilty. William
White, charged with the same crime,
demanded a trial and was acquitted.
The evidence showed that White per-
sonally did not enter the barn The
question to be decided was whether or
not he knew that the horse was stolen
property White denied that he did,
and succeeded in convincing the jury
of his honesty.
Patrick Buckley, charged with LIQUOR
nuisance, filed an affidavit of innocence.
which stated that he was a tailor and
the sole support of his family The
case was placed on file.
A large number of defaults were re-
corded as follows Edward Welsh, for
liquor keeping; Sheridan Doty, for liq-
uor keeping; Joseph Lubensten, for
assault and battery; August Gotzke.
assault and battery; Edward ]. Bull
ger for disturbing peace; James Il
Donahue. for drunkenness; Charles
Sherman, for drunkenness; Thomas
Manion for drunkenness; Sven u.
Trulson, cleo; George S. Corbin, for
obstructing an officer; Onezimri Rich
ard, for embezzlement; Charles p. Fes-
sender, for adultery; Joseph M. Lar