The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-11-20
Feels Relieved Whe n He Learns
of His Fate.
Usual Plea for CIemency Made
BY His Attorney.
Judge Does Not Think Prisoner
Deserves Sympathy.
From Fridays Daily.

From Fridays Daily.
One years confinement at hard labo
in the state prison at Saltwater was tn
sentence imposed by Judge Cray thi
morning on Abraham F. Goertz VIII
stood convicted by his own plea of tn
crime of forgery in the second degree
Goertz received his sentence calmly anc
appeared relieved that the penalty hat
not been made heavier.
The prisoner was brought before the
court at nine o'clock this morning by
Deputy Sheriff Gerlich. Goertz appear
ed quite troubled and i'll at ease and
remained standing with his head bowed
down and his eyes fixed upon the ground
all during the pleas of the attorneys fol
the defense and prosecution and the
pronouncement of his sentence.
Il. L. Schmitt, appearing for theprison'
er, pleaded for clemency for the self.
confessed criminal. The man is clearly
repentant. He had made clean breast
of his misdeed and thrown himself or
the mercy of the court. He clearly ap.
preciated and understood his disgrace
Extenuating circumstances surround.
ed the commission of his act on Nov. 8
he was working gambling slot machine
IN the Mettler saloon and had lost
money. He became excited over the
game and passed checks that were forg.
ed for small amounts on the proprietor.
All this money the proprietor got back
again through his machine as Goertz
lost every cent of it. Mr.. Schmitt did
not ask that the prisoner be merely fined
or given a Jail sentence but he did ask
for judicial clemency in his behalf.
County Attorney Wilson spoke very
briefly. He had been acquainted with the
defendant from the time the latter set
tied in this county. He had always re-
garded the prisoner as an honest, hard
working man and was very much sur
prised when he first heard of the crime of
which Goertz stood accused. The pris-
oner seemed to regret what he had done
and appeared in fair way to reform.
He left wife and three small children
in well nigh destitute circumstances. A
short sentence, the county attorney
thought, would be ample to subserve the
ends of justice.
Judge Cray saw very little occasion to
feel much sympathy for the prisoner.
The crime of forgery was very serious
one and necessarily involved careful CAL
culation and forethought. The prison
er had already been committing one
crime when he committed another for the
purpose of continuing the first. The
money had gone back into the hands of
the party on whom the forged checks had
been passed in about as illegitimate q
way as it had been secured. The prison
er was working gambling device and by
means of forgery secured the money with
which to do it. Nevertheless the Judge
said he would give the prisoner chance
to mend and make the sentence as light
as possible. He then imposed the penal
ty of one year at Saltwater.
Goertz had decidedly relieved look
when he heard his sentence, and when
led back to the Jail was calm and well
composed, in fact, almost cheerful.
Goertz lays his crime to the saloon
company in which he was at the time
of its commission. He declared this
morning that he would never again enter
a saloon, and further that if he lived
through his term he would ever lend his
influence to keep others out of such
places.
His wife and three little girls, the old.
est of whom is only ten years of age,
live in rented house on Mulberry street.
Goertz has no money in the bank and
nothing it appears is left to support
them during his confinement. His wife,
however, has long been accustomed to
work at domestic service for her own
and her children's support.
Goertz will in all probability be taken
to the state prison early tomorrow morn
ing.