Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-21
GIVEN FOURTEEN YEARS
Henry Clark Sentenced Today to West
Virginia Psnitentiary.
The Crime of Which He Was Con-
victed Was HOusebreakfng and
Larceny-TwO Indictments.

Henry Clark, whose arrest several weeks
ago in the grounds adjoining st. Patrick 8
Church was attended by sensational fea-
lures was today sentenced to imprlson-
ment in the West Virginia penitentlary at
Moundsville for total of fourteen years.
Sentence was imposed by Justice Clabaugh
in Criminal Court No. ]. Clark was tried
last week and convicted under two indlct-
ments one alleging housebreakinS and the
other charging HOUSEKEEPING and larceny.
The parties whose residences were entered
are Mrs Mary Crane and Mr.. Frank +.
May. When the detective who pursued
Clark finally overlook him near st. Pat
rick's Church, it will be remembered the
housebreaker drew pistol and threatened
to kill the officer. Clark's accomplice made
good his escape.
Before sentence was imposed Justice Cla-
baugh at the suggestion of Assistant Dis
trct Attorney Shlllington, gave the con-
victed man an opportunity to disclose the
identity of his colleague in crime, and also
to tel something of his own past life, with
a view of bringing to light whether or not
he had previously borne criminal or an
honest record. 1t was intimated that the
sentence about to be imposed might be
fghtened as the result of such disclosures,
but Clark remained silent.
After the assistant district attorney had
moved for sentence Justice Clabaugh re-
marked that the offense was very ugly
one and that the penalty might be imprison-
ment for twenty-one years The defendant,
so said the court, had saved himself from
undergoing the extreme penalty by reason
of the fact that he had failed to take the
witness stand. and therefore possibly had
not added perjury to his other crimes.
Appeals for Leniency.
Attorney Campbell Darlington made an
earnest plea for leniency, and the defend
ant addressing the court, declared that he
had always led an honest, upright life and
had never been in trouble up to the time of
his arrest in the case at ISSUE
IF the defendant will name his accom-
pice or will tell US something of his own
past life or place of previous residence we
will be able to very quickly investigate his
sta tement, and if what he says is correct
it will result in his favor" suggested the
prosecuting officer.
The court announced that sentence would
be deferred if the defendant cared to give
the information suggested.
LAS far as the other man is concerned"
said Clark, Il can't locate him and couldn't
give his name"
"Wny not?" inquired Attorney Caring
ton.
Because I don't know It," the prisoner
made answer. LAS to myself, my mother
and family are in ignorance of this trou-
BILE. and l don't want them to know any
thing about it,
THAT is very old excuse" commented
Justice Clabaugh. IF you could give a
good account of yourself it seems reason
able. under the circumstances, that you
would not hesitate on account of family
reasons. That the verdict of the jury was
correct, in the opinion Of the court, Is be-
yond question. That the crime you COM
mitted was serious is lot doubted. 1t was
only by accident that you were not brought
before tie court on a charge of murder.
The crime was ut of the ordinary, and the
only thing that saved you from undergoing
imprisonment to the limit of the law is the
fact tfat you old not take the stand and
commit perjury"
The court thererpon imposed sentence
making the term seven years under the in
dictment for housebreaking and seven
years additional under the indictment for
and larceny.