The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-22
|QUEENAN
SENTENCED
TO DEATH
Wife Murderer Must Hang at
Oklahoma City.
APRIL II Is DAY SET
Judge RurweII Passes Sentence
on the Criminal
WHO SEEMS INDIFFERENT
To the AwfuIness of the Fate
in Store for Him.
WHO SEEMS INDIFFERENT

Oklahoma City o. T., Feb. A.-At the
opening Of the district court this after
noon Thomas 3. Queenan was sentenced
by Judge Burwer to be hanged April Il,
1901 at noon in the jail yard in this city.
The court room was filled with all the
people that could get within the enclos-
ure and the attention of everyone was
rivlted upon the court as he pronounced
the verdict. Queenan was brought into
court few minutes before the judge ap-
/ peared and he sat from that time until
/ he was commanded to rise and hear the
sentence, seemingly the least concerned
Of all the persons present.
Judge BurweH overruled a motion made
by the counsel for the defendant for an
arerst Of judgment and then announced
tho sentence.
In pronouncing Judgment the court
said:
You are indicted by the grand jury Of
this county for the murder Of your wife.
Ella Queenan To this Indictment Won
interposed the plea OF not guilty and IN
der this plea you sought an acquittal
upon the grounds of insanity at the time
Of the commission Of the awful act. The
jury after hearing all Of the evidence
returned a verdict Of guilty and assessed
the death penalty. Your counsel in due
time fled a motion for a new trial which
the court, after hearing counsel on both
sides and after the most careful consfd-
Grafton, overruled A motion in arrest OF
judgment has also been filed in your he
half and determined adversely to you.
You are now brought into the court for
the purpose Of judgment and sentence,
but under the law. it is made my duty
to give you an opportunity to urge any
reason you may have why Judgment and
sentence should not be pronounced upon
you; that privilege is accorded YOU at
this time. and the court win now hear
any statement you may desire to make.
To this Queenan said:
II have nothing to say
THE law-mal1ing power Of the terrific |
ry has said that under certain cfrcurn
stances one who takes the life of his fell |
low man must in satisfaction of a broken
law, give up his own; and this rule OBJ
tains regardless Of whether the person /
slain was a stranger or the bosom com
panion Of the slayer. No good reasons
have been shown why sentence should (
not be pronounced. though gladly would .
1 shrink from the task, am compelled /
to pronounce judgment upon you It is
not even claimed that your wife did not
receive death at your hands. The jury
have said by their verdict that you had
knowledge and understanding
to comprehend and know the nature Of
all consequences Of your act The YER
dict IN my judgment was justified under
the evidence You have been represented
from the first by three lawyers Of skill
and ability. You have been offered fuu
TO make your defense and I
fail to see any good reason why the YER
dict Of the Jury should not be upheld.
1T IS therefore the Judgment order and
sentence Of this court. that you. the
said Thomas B. Queenan. be and are
hereby adiudged TO suffer the penalty Of
death 10y hanging. pursuant to the YER
dict heretofore returned IN this case, and
the hour Of y o'clock noon. on the 18th
day Of April 1901 IS hereby appointed a.
the day and time on which the judgment
u this court in this case shall be execut-
ai and the sheriff Of Oklahoma county
IS hereby commanded to take the body
IF the said Thomas E Queenau and con-
ine him IN the county jail OF Oklahoma
county. Territory Of Oklahoma until the
18th day Of April. 1901. at the hour OF Z
o'clock noon CT said day at which time
le Is directed to take the said Thomas P.
0ueenan within the walls or yard Of the I
county Jail Of Oklahoma county, Okla
IONA territory, and then and there hang
aim b. the neck until he IS dead dead,
lead; and that he have then and there
he warrant OF this court for the execu-
ion Of this judgment and sentence, and
hat he make due return thereof"