The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-15
.FRIPP GOT 8 YEARS
PLEADED GUILTY TO CHARGE OF
LARCENY AFTER TRUST.
A PLEA FOR CLEMENCY
WAS MADE IN VIEW OF PRISONERS
UNFORTUNATE INVESTMENTS.

Severity of Sentence VisibIy Affected
the PrisOner-He Had Asked That
His Crime BE Reduced to Misde-
demeanOr and He Be Permitted TO
Serve on the County Chaingang.
Judge ScabrOOk Has known Fripp
for Years and Expressed Regret
mt the Requirements which Neces-
STATED His Passing Sentence on
Him.
Three years in the state penitentiary
was the sentence imposed on William
c. Fripp, who pleaded guilty in the
Superior Court yesterday to one of the
ten charges against him of larceny
after trust.
There is little doubt that the SEN
tence was more severe than had been
anticipated by Fripp, and he was no
ticeably affected when Judge Sea-
brook, who has been his almost life
long friend pronounced the final exec
utive utterance, sentencing him to
three years of hard labor and disgrace
in the penitentiary.
The court was visibly affected in pro-
nouncing the sentence, and intense 81
lence reigned in the court room as he
ordered the prisoner at the bar to
stand up.
On the recommendation of Solicitor
General Osborne nine of the charges
against Fripp were transferred to the
dead docket, and he was only arraign-
ed on one charge to which he plead
guilty, his attorney, Jacob Gazan,
Esq, making an earnest plea to the
court for minimum sentence, stating
that although his client was guilty, ac-
cording to the statute, there were
many extenuating circumstances. He
suggested that there was no criminal
intent on the part of his client. He
contended that when Mr.. Fripp origi-
nally diverted the money which was IN
his hands he did no wrong, as there
were no statutes against investing the
money if he saw fit, but it was the ma
| ture of the investments which failed
| to fulfill expectations that placed him
| in the position of being unable to pro-
| duce the funds when they were de-
manded. 1t was cited that Mr. Fripp's
resignation y
| he had suffered much through four
months incarceration in Jail.
Sought a Chaingang Sentence.
Mr.. Gazan asked that, if subservient
with the judicial conception of the
courts high prerogative, a misdemea-
| nor charge be entered and the prisoner
| at the bar be given a changing SEN
| tence, and hereafter be given a chance
| to start life again without the dis
| honor of a penitentiary sentence hang
| ing over him.
| In his remarks Judge Seabrook re-
ferred touchingly to the prisoners I'M
| sullied record up to the time he suf-
| fered misfortunes which led to crimi-
nal liability in appropriating funds
which he could not replace. In view
| of the number of indictments against
the prisoner he did not think he could
| impose a minimum sentence, which is
| two years. The maximum penalty for
| the crime is seven years. He approved
| the recommendations of the solicitor
| to place the remaining cases on the
| dead docket, and read the form of SEN
tence prescribed by the code, limiting
| the sentence to three years.
Mrs. Fripp in Court.
Mrs. Fripp was in the court room
for a short while, but the nervous strain
was toe great for her and she retired.
There is no appeal from the courts
decree after a plea of guilty has been
entered and sentence accepted, and Mr..
Fripp will have no other recourse to
law, though a pardon may be sought at
an early day, and the extenuating cir
cumstances in the case fully set before
| the pardon board.
1t was while serving as the bonded
administrator of the county that Fripp
appropriated funds belonging to es-
tates which he represented as county
administrator and guardian. He was
| indicted on each separate charge. The
report of Fripp, showing a balance of
| 81. 360.05 due. with a sworn acknowl
edgment of his inability to pay, were
submitted to the consideration of the
| jury. Six of the indictments charged
Fripp with the conversion of funds as
administrator. while the other five
charge misrepresentation as guardian.