The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-17
LEACH SEN ENCED
Murderer Accepts His Fate
Without a Tremor.
Has Nothing to Say and APP
pears Relieved.
ANYTHING is RELIEF.
Anxious to Get Out of Shawnee
County Jail.
Will Be Taken to Penitentiary
This Week.

Joseph 8. Leach was today sentenced
to imprisonment for life in the federal
prison at Fort Leavenworth by Judge
Hook for the murder of Thomas Fen
nell, of which he was convicted in the
federal court last Saturday. He receiv-
ed the sentence without a tremor-in
fact he seemed rather pleased at it.
Leach was brought into the federal
court room at exactly 10 o'clock this
morning by Captain B. NJ. Curtis. He
walked erect, carrying his gloves and
his artilleryman'S cap in his right hand.
CHANGING around the court room and
then up at the judge. he advanced to
the position by the side of the north ia
BILE which he occupied throughout the
trial. He prepared to be as disinterest-
ed in the proceedings as any man pres
ent. although there was nothing of the
downcast look about him which was
characteristic of MS appearance during
the trial.
The court room was almost deserted.
Eugene Hagan was present to represent
the prisoner, and Assistant United
States District Attorney Bone was
present for the government. There
were a few other attorneys waiting to
argue cases, but only a half dozen men
sat on the the spectators benches.
In the case of Joseph S. Leach"
said the court addressing Mr.. Hagan,
lis there any motion to be made in be-
half of the defendant?'
There is none" said Mr.. Hagan.
stand up commanded Judge Hook
turning to the prisoner.
AS Leach stood up he presented him
self at attention" He was dressed as
usual in his artilleTyman's uniform. and
as he threw his head back and his chest
out he looked every inch a soldier, ex-
cept that he is somewhat whittier than
soldiers usually are on account of his
long confinement.
"YCu have been convicted of murder
in this court said Judge Hook 1.-THE
jury attached to their verdict the
words, without capital punishment
Have you anything to say why sentence
should not be passed upon you in ac-
cordance with the Verdict?"
NO sir" replied the prisoner in a
clear voice.
The judgment of this court" contin-
ued the judge. lis that you are guilty as
found, and you are sentenced to con-
finement at hard labor in the federal
prison at Fort Leavenworth for the bal
ance of your natural life"
That was all there was of if. With
only a slight bow of the head Leach
picked up his cap and gloves and ac-
companied the bailiff out of the court
room.
On the floor below the two stopped for
a moment in the Office of United
States Marshal Sterne The prisoner
appeared to be in better spirits than he
was at any time during the trial He
laughed and chatted. expressing him
self as pleased with anything that
would get him out of the Shawnee
county jail
Leach will probably be taken over to
Fort Leavenworth to begin his prison
life there sometime this week He will
be taken by Deputy United States Mar
shall Prescott. He believes that the
change will be relief to him, as he
VIII have an opportunity to get out into
the sunlight occasionally and will get
plenty of exercise. For over two years
he has been closely confined in the
shawnee county Jail awaiting his trial
and during that time he has been kept
locked in the inside cage of the Jail
away from the windows TJp to the
time his trial began he had been
out of the jail but two or three times
since he was put into it. He was ia ken
to LeaVenworth last spring when his
trial was set for hearing in the federal
court there, and he has also made one
or two trips from the Jail to the federal
building here on similar occasions
Otherwise he has scarcely seen the sun
in his two years Incarceration.
There is no work done in coal mines
IN the United States prison at Fort
IeaVenWorth. All the work is done
above ground. Most of the prisoners
are at present working on the new Dris-
on building. and their work is out in the
open air. They also take their dinners
without going back to the prison dining
room. While he has been in the Shaw
nee county Jail Leach has had no way
to pass the time except in such amuse-
ments as the prisoners invent for them
selves, and he is looking eagerly for
ward for a chance to work once more
He is much thinner than he was when
he came to Topeka two years ago. or
than he was upon the occasion of his
first visit to Topeka, when he took part
in the parade at the fall festival of 1897
riding on one of the artillery pieces.