The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-03-11
THE LAST ACT.
HOW TEE ASSASSIN OF SHERIFF
WITHERS RECEIVED Els
SENTENCE.
Made Speech, Saying he Didn't
Mean to do it-Hesitated Be-
fore be Fired he Says
Judge Hanilton's Re-
marks-Other
News.

- ANES AAoAkAAsoh . NV
marks-Other
News.
Eugene March 5.-Elliott Lyons,
the murderer of Sheriff Withers
heard his doom pronounced by
Judge Hamilton in the circuit court
this morning. The court room was
crowded with spectators. and deep
hush fell over the audience as the
sheriff and deputies brought in the
prisoner. The Guard thus describes
the final act in the trial:
Thereon, already full of people,
became packed in moment. As
Lyons stood up before the Judge
there was a stiffness of death in the
room,
NMr. Lyons, come forward, "com-
manded the court. He waited the
touch Of the sheriffss hand and stood
up with his hat in his hand before
him. The light coming in at the
window opposite him caused a great
frown to come to his face but other
wise he looked as usual, the bitter,
weak, repressed desire to weep be-
ing ever present.
''Mr. Lyons" Judge Hamilton
said, shave you anything to say
why the court should not pass SEN
tence upon you in accordance with
the law and the verdict of the jury
which has found you guilty of the
crime of murder in the first de-
gree?" The guilty wretch shifted
his weight to the other foot, threw
back his head and said in a low
voice, accompanied by grimaces and
facial contortions as if speaking
with great difficulty, I don't know
why T fred the shot, I hesitated q
long time and he (Withers) ought
to have seen my gun. l think
Smith (constable) is to blame for
he was standing at the back wind
ow and could net have helped from
seeing me with the pistol-he ought
to have come in and I wouldn't
have fred. IL didn't mean to do
it,"
With the last words the murder
er's voice sank to murmur and
his eyes dropped to the floor and
then raised them again to the judge.
He was despicable specimen of
humanity as he stood there. It was
q common expression that it was
too bad Mr.. Withers had to be kill.
ed by such weak specimau Of hu-
manity.
The court commenced as soon as
the last words of the prisoner were
uttered and spoke in clear concise
tones the following words: ''Mr.
Lyons, you wantonly took the life
of good and faithful man, life
which you could not replace and
which has gone to eternity as the
result of your proven act. The life
belonged to an officer of the law,
who, at the time, was in the faith
full performance of his duty. What
has been done is past and you have
been found guilty by jury of your
peers of the crime of murder. I re-
frain from mentioning the past life
which has educated you to commit
this, the worst crime known to law.
You were a fugitive from the law
at the time of your attempted ar
rest. What has gone before does
not matter now. except as lesson
to others who are impressed with
the kind of life which leads from
one crime to another.
"The court appointed counsel to
see thatyou had your rights respect
ed, and that counsel George B.
Dorris) has acquitted himself with
credit for the profession Of the law.
It was an unpleasant duty for him.
"The verdict handed in by the
jury was totally warranted by the
evidence brought in. You are, be-
yond the shadow of a doubt, guilty |
Of this murder. It will not do for
you to say that the crime was the
fault of any other man or person.
You said "any person attempting
to get the drop on nae does not val
ue his life,' or words to that effect. |
You took life under this circum-
stance and you alone are response
BILE. You have come to the end to |
which all criminals of your kind
eventually ceme-to the commits
sion of some crime which effectual-
ly removes you from the pale of So
ciety.
ssIt Is now but short time until |