The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-03
LAWS HEAVY HAND
DESCENDED UPON THE HEAD OF
GROVES, LEADER OF THUGS.
FULL PENALTY IMPOSED.
JUDGE HARROW, REGARDING REC
oMMENDATION, COULD DO NO MORE

JUDGE HARROW, REGARDING REC
OMMENDATION, COULD DO NO MORE
Groves Sentenced to Pay a Fine of
$1,000 and Costs, to Serve Six
Months ia Jail and Twelve Months,
at Hard Labor, on the ChainGang
of the Countrywide Highest Pun
ishment for Misdemeanor, for
which Grade of Crime the Jury
Had Recommended Groves BE Sem
tenced-Defendant's Rudy Color
Fled From His Fnce-MotiOn for
New Trial to BE Made Mt Once.
The extreme penalty of the law, con-
sistent with the recommendation of the
jury that found him guilty of an at
tempt to commit robbery by force, was
imposed upon w. c. Groves in the Su-
perior Court yesterday. Judge Barrow
sentenced him to pay a fine of $1,000
and costs, to serve six months in Jail
and twelve months at hard labor, on
the county chain gang.
Sentence was pronounced when court
convened. Groves was brought from
the Jail to the Court House and as he
was led before the judge to hear the
sentence of the law his wife, faithful
to the last, was with him. She stood
when the defendant was directed to
stand and only at the suggestion of
bailiff took her seat.
The case has excited great interest
and number of spectators were pres
ent when Groves stood up to hear his
sentence pronounced. The prisoner
was composed, but as Judge Barrow
began to speak his usual rudy color
left his face, and when he knew that
long term of Imprisonment was to be
his portion he became as white as a
sheet.
In passing sentence upon the ac-
cused Judge Barrow said:
The jury that tried your case, in
finding a verdict of guilty, have recon-
mended that you be punished as Tor
a misdemeanor.
1T is true that the judge is not
compelled to respect the recommenda-
ton of a jury in this regard, but in
this case 1 see proper to respect it;
besides, l have received letters from
persons in this community who are
entitled to my respect. requesting that
/ be lenient in dealing with you.
At want to say, not by way of a lee
ture to you because for a judge to
lecture a prisoner in passing sentence
is, in my opinion, in wretchedly bad
taste, to say the least of it. but partly
in explanation of the sentence, that
a crime like that of which you have
been found guilty is one which involves
elaboration and cold calculation for
days and weeks, and the life, as well
as the property, of a citizen is endan-
gered 1t is worse than the class of
offenses which are committed under
the sudden impulse of passion.
1.-THE sentence of the court is that
you pay a fine of $1,000; that you be
confined in the common Jail of this
county for six months, and that you
work on the chaingang of this county
for twelve months
Wife SteeIed to Endure.
Mrs. Groves had seemingly steeled
herself for the ordeal, for she showed
little of the agitation that marked her
conduct when the verdict of guilty
against her husband was returned by
the trial jury. Groves himself, soon
regained his composure and, in the
charge of the court bailiffs, walked
quietly from the court room to the
sheriff's office. Soon afterwards he
was transferred to his cell in the Jail
A motion for a new trial will be
made by Groves counsel at once and
in the event of it's being overruled by
Judge Barrow an appeal will be taken
to the Supreme Court. A general de-
murrer to the Indictment was filed by
defendants counsel and argued some
weeks ago and upon being overruled
by the court was taken to the Sup
RENE Court. where it is now pending
Should the Supreme Court sustain this
demurrer and declare the indictment
void Groves will probably go FIRE.
The Limit of Punishment
The sentence imposed by Judge Bar
row is the heaviest that ne could nave
imposed, and still. regarded the jury's
recommendation that the defendant be
punished for a misdemeanor. The
law fixes the punishment for crimes
of this grade at a fine of 81 900 and
costs, Imprisonment for six months
in Jail, and for twelve months on the
county chaingang, either or all, or any
part of either or all in the discretion
of the court. Groves got all.
If the Supreme Court fails to inter-
fere the Jail and chaingang sentence
will be served, but there is little prob
ability of the defendant paying the
fine Judge Barrow included in the SEN
tence. A fine can only be collected
by execution, like any other judgment,
and if Groves has that much money,
which is doubtful, it is reasonably GER
tain the court officers will never be
able to find it.