The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1904-02-26
REPORT or
NOWATA COURT
Burroughs Sentenced to Life
Imprisonment.
REPORTED ACQUITTAL
Absence Of Malice the Chief
Feature In his Favor
Several Other Sen
tences Were
Passed.
REPORTED ACQUITTAL
Absence Of Malice the Chief

The criminal term Of the Nowata
court was concluded yesterday and
Judge Gill and other court officials re-
turned to Vinita last night. The term
will be resumed Monday next
Contrary to expectations, VIM. Bur
roughs, the Iron Mountain brakeman,
was convicted of murder and his pun
ishment( fixed at life imprisonment
lie was defended by Col. Chew, Of
Van Buren,, Ark, Burroughs home,
and his wife, child and sister were in
the courtroom during the progress Of
tile trial. There was little defense
offered, except the absence Of motive,
but Burroughs expected when he left
here to be acquitted. The Jail officials
say that he looks as though he had
lost 25 pounds in weight since he was
taken to Nowata Sunday night.
The story Of this case, as developed
at the trial, was about this: AS the
freight train on which Burroughs was
employed was passing sageeah one
evening a few months since, after
dark, two or three boys were standing
by the track Burroughs claimed they
were throwing rocks and that one Of
them struck him and another hit the
side Of the car. This was denied by
the prosecution. Burroughs, at any
rate, fired at the boys, towards house
and shot one of them through the
head, the pistol swapping twice before
il vent Of. To a fellow brakeman
he asked which one he hit, and being
informed, said he meant it for the
other one.
At the first station above, Oolagah, |
some men who had been telephoned |
to, came to the train 10 make the ar
rest. but the shooting was denied. At
the next station, where there was also
a posse, Burroughs surrendered. As
known. he gave bond for $500 for as
sault, but a week later the boy died |
and he was taken in custody for muir |
der and has ever since been in jail.
Probably the worst feature Of the
case was the fact that the pistol was
snapped more than once. Another
circumstance was that
the train was going 25 miles an hour, |
and hence Burroughs must have had /
his pistol mighty handy and did not |
reach and get it after being struck |
with a rock, as claimed
a motion for a new trial was over
ruled and appeal granted. On taking
leave Of the prisoner Col. Chew assured i
him he would do everything he could .
in his behalf The sympathy Of the
railroad people is Of course with Bur
roughs; they have paid his attorneys /
fee and the order Of tralnmen win
continue its efforts in his behalf.
The general feeling is that the pen
atty is excessive but it is surmised
the jury, influenced possibly to some
extent by environment, thought ten
years, the maximum for manslaughter,
was too little.
During the progress Of the trial the
train crews, when possible, went to
The court room to express their sym
pathy and most of the men gave Bur-
rOughs from one TO five dollars.
OTHER COURT NOTES.
Geo. L. Richardson plead guilty to
forging a check on the Nowata nation
Al bank for s29.40. Sentenced to two
years imprisonment at Ft. Leayen-
worth. Richardson is a young man
and formerly lived in Miller county,
Mo.
Al Keene, highway robbery, fifteen
months. lie threw boy down and
-obbed him Of five or six dollars.
II. Pickett, adultery; one year and a
lay.
Joe Dunham and Tom Lewis, adul-
cry: fined SO and costs. There were
.wo other defendants i'm this case,
which is a peculiar one. Several young
men and one or more young women
we're swimming in Silver Lake, having
,afhiny SuifS of same dpSrrinfian