The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-07-20

Wells, Fargo Co.'s DefauItng Officials Plead
Guilty to Crime of ENLIGHTENMENT
Attorneys Declare There Was No compromsegh Sentence
For Saving State Expense of Trial.

TOUR YEARS in the state peniten-
tiary is the penalty imposed by
Judge Hall yesterday morning
upon Alexander A. Robertson and
Harry T. Duke. the wells-Fargo bank
officials who were charged with en-
bezzIing $4,000 from the company. The
two prisoners appeared in court rather
Unexpectedly yesterday morning, and
without any attempt to carry the case
further, entered pleas of guilty, and
asked that sentence be passed at once.
Within the next five days they win be
behind the bars at the state prison
wearing the stripes Of convicts.
The penalty imposed is a light one
and means that they will serve only
two years and ten months each in the
prison. provided their conduct is good
enough to gain for them the copper
that is allowed weli-behaved prisoners.
The penalty was about what was gen
orally expected, and those who have
had any part in the case express them
selves as satisfied with the manner in
which it has been settled.
There was some surprise that the
prisoners did not make a fight, but
they and their attorneys say a contest
would only have meant an endless
-Trangle, both TO state and defendants,
and they decided that it was best to
settle the matter as quickly as possible
by pleading guilty.
Prisoners in Court.
The case was called as soon as court
was opened yesterday morning Duke
was the first of the prisoners to ap-
pear in the courtroom, and was ac-
companied by his attorney, Soren Y.
Christensen. and Mrs. Duke The pris-
oner looked pale and worried. and ex-
hlbited signs of nervousness. His fraiI
wife looked as if she were almost on
the verge of prostration, and was deep
Iy affected when the sentence Of the
court was passed. She kept her hand
kerchief to her eyes during the whole
proceedings, and remained with her
husband in the sheriff'S Office until he
was taken back TO the county jail.
Robertson appeared with a smile on
his face, but he was yisibly nervous,
and his face plainly showed the suffer-
ing that he has been going through.
AS soon as the case was called. Dis
triet Attorney Eichnor rose and stated
that he had filed an information in the
district court the day before ana was
ready to have the prisoners arrsig7ed.
Judge Powers, for the defendant,
Robertson, arose and stated that they
were ready to go ahead, and Attorney
Christensen, for Duke, signified his
readiness. The prisoners answered
guilty when the charge was read to
them. Their attorneys stated that they
would waive the time for sentence and
have it passed at once.
Plea For Light Sentence.
District Attorney Eichnor then stated
to the court that, in view OF the fact
I 49,
and saved the state the expense and
trouble of an extended trial and per
haps numerous appeals and reverses,
! the state would not ask that the sen
tence imposed be more than five years,
for he thought the ends of justice
would be subserved by that sentence.
Judge Powers then made a strong
plea in behalf of his client, asking the
| leniency of the court in his case. He
said:
1.-The statement that my client and
his co-defendant embezzled $4,000 is
| incorrect, but the purpose Of the law
| is to deter others from committing
! like offenses, and give the offender time
| to consider his misdeeds and reform.
I This is the purpose of the law The
sneak thief, the murderer and the
other criminals stand upon a different
| footing.
ertson's past life. He has been more
sinned against than SHINING. bank
clerk is placed in position where the
salary is not commensurate with the
responsibility My clients course has
/ been upright. His downfall came as a
| surprise He has been faithful cOun-
Gilman and a strong right arm of the
| people His character has been ex-
ceIent. He can and he will reform
and regain his standing in the com
munitv His crime does not call for a
heavy penalty. He and his co-defend-
ant have put no distractions in the
| way of the law.
Give Men a Chance.
Il appeal to your honor for a sen
| tence that will give this man chance
/ No man is SO strong that in the days
/ to come he may not fall from the
| straight path
| Judge Powers concluded his appeal
/ by pointing out that no widows and
I orphans had suffered by his defalca-
! lions. and asked that sentence that
would not crush his manhood be i'm
! posed.
Soren X Christensen made a plea
! for clemency in the case of his client
He said Duke and Robertson had suf-
fered sufficiently now, and he thought
the community would not suffer if they
were released even now
Judge Hall then stated that in the
/ light of the characters they had borne
and the fact that they had pleaded
guilty. they would each be sentenced
/ to serve four years in the penitentary
Where the case was over, the friends
i of the two men shook them by tbs
| hand and congratulated them upon tbs
light sentences they had received The
prisoners were then removed from the
courtroom to the county jail, where
they will remain until taken to the
penitentiary.
At the jail the two men presented E
striking contrast. Duke sat in his Gel
/. calmly reading a paper. apparentll