The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-02-07
ENDOF FAMOUSCASE.
The Court Gives Thirty Years ImF:i!'
OameGt at Hard Labor.
PATTERSON MURDERERS SENTENCED
The Defendants Given the Full Pen
atty of the Law--A Severe Arraign.
ment By the Judge.

PATERSON. n. j.. SDecial-Waltcr c.
NcAlister. Wm. A. Death and Andrew
J. Campbell. who were found guilty Of
murder in the second degree for the
killing of Jennie Bosschieter. on Ctto-
Der Is. by the administration OF
chloral and subsequent rape, together
with George J. Kerr, who pleaded E0E
vuE contendere to a charge Of rape,
were brought into the Court OF Oyer
and Terminer here for sentence by
Judge Dixon. McAlister, Campbell
and Death were each sentenced to 80
years Imprisonment at hard labor
and Kerr to Is years imprisonment
at hard labor. The seateBee of all the
men are the full terms OF imprison-
meat which the law provides. but in
the case of Kerr a fine OF $1,000 might
have been added.
The.court house was crowded. In
the court room were the father, step
mother and sister of Jennie Boss
chieter Counsel for all the deten-
1ants pleaded for clemency. McAlister
and. Campbell looked extremely pale
and Death had the appearance OF SUI
fering greatly under the strain.
Judge Dixon, addressing the three
prisoners, said: You stand convicted
Of murder in the second degree. Had
you been found guilty of murder in the
first degree the punishment would
have been death, but the lenienCy of
the jury in the exercise Of their law
full authority saved you from the gal
lows. We NUS administer laws as
they a:e. 1t is true these sentences
will destroy your lives, obliterating
every prospect OF an honorable exist.
ence among the people. The court
cannot make any distinction, but
must sentence you for this crime. /
trust the fearful consequences from
this crime will help young men and
young women Of this community and
point out to them that they cannot
hope to seizure happiness outside OF
virtue and honor. The sentence OF the
court is thst each Of you be imprison-
I'D in the State prison at Trenton at
hard labor for a term Of 80 years.
George J. Kerr was then called to
the bar, and by his attorney entered
plea OF non vult contendere to the
charge Of assault. Counsel asked the
court to exercise clemency. He spoke
of the prisoners father, said to be
dying, and OF his sisters, wife and six
children. Judge Dixon at once passed
sentence. He said:
THE evidence in this case does moi
say that you helped in administering
the drug. but participated in the raw
ishment o. the grin In one respect
your case is worse than the others.
You were older and had more obliga-
tons for virtue. You had wife.
worthy CT the highes. affections, and
children for your concern, but you
iisregarded all and permitted your
self to drift away trom proper do
mestic life and row you stand here
wreck OF vice and crime. and such a
crime, No wonder 1t shocked the COM
nunity and startled every womanly
and manly heart. That pitiless ride,
that dastardly outrage. the poor VIC
dm laid dead by the roadside regard
less of whether she would be found by
kind frients or bS beasts. How gladly
would l spare your relatives. but in
she exercise Of my duty cannot with
aold anything which the sentence OF
The law requires. The sentence Of the
court Is that you be imprisoned In
the State p;i=cn for term o. Is years
1t hard labor"
McAlister. Campbell and Death and
Kerr made a statement to the public
II says: eve are resigned to our fate
and propose 10 face the future with
manly hearts. dark as 1t is. We have
10 criticism to make. but we waCt to
thank the newspapers o: Paterson for
their sense or fairness. We could say
many things 'he,. would tend to abstn
she public indignation. but we propose
20 bes1 oU- punishment in silence. We
prcocsa TO elrn the three days month
which tHe law RENTS for good be-
havior. We are content to suffer our
selves. but we keenly feel The awtul
sorrow brought upon our families and
friends. Wto rave stood 50 ro3ly by
us through il all"
While Jr&gs Dixon was sentencing
the r,isorers. Hugh Kerr, the father
OF George within a stones throw o.
the court haase, lay dying because o.
bis sons disgrace.