The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-30
SIXTY DAYS IN JAIL.
w. H. Summers Wronged Wife Saves
Him From Prison.

In the district court this morning
William H. Sumner entered a plea Of
guilty before Judge Hazen, on the
charge of committing a misdemeanor
and was sentenced to so days in the
county Jail and to pay the costs in the
case. Mrs. Sumner paid the costs in
full, a few minutes afterwards, by
handing to the clerk of the court $146
Sumner was charged with raising a
check for s25 given him by Otto Ben
dure to S45. 1t was a felony but be-
cause of his faithful wife and his chill
dren and friends he was allowed to
plead to a smaller crime and to get off
easily. But the raising of the check
was the smallest feature of the crime
for Sumner used the money to elOpe
with Mrs Fulks, of Burlingame. Sum
ner abandoned his wife and children
and Mrs. F'ulks abandoned her husband.
Sumner was arrested in st. Louis.
In passing sentence this morning on
Sumner Judge Hazen said: Il know
something about your offense and the
circumstances and / assure you that if
1 followed my inclination I would send
you to the penitentiary for life. Send
you there to dig coal for life. 1t is not
on account of any compassion for you
that you are being dealt with leniently.
1t is because you come of a good fam
lily and because of your wife and your
children and the pleadings of them and
your parents. You deserve nothing
V. L
of what your wife has done and of her
letters to the prosecuting attorneys and
you will therefore receive a light pun
ishment, but you ought to go to the
penitentiary- I will sentence you to 80
days in the county Jail and to pay the
costs of this case"
Sumner stood before the court with
his head down. He said nothing nor
did he look particularly crestfallen- He
seemed to be well content just so he
did not have to go to the penitentiary.
A few minutes later Mrs. Sumner, who
is working in q hotel in Topeka, paid
the costs in the case. Sumner went
back to Jail to serve the so days.
It was Mrs. Summers pleadingS and
protestatiOns that kept Sumner out of
prison. While he was in jail the woman
he ran off with called to see him. So
did Mrs. Sumner. Then he had to
choose between them and he shose-
Mrs. Sumner.
Since then his wife has done all she
could do for him. She has pleaded with
County Attorney Hungate and written
him. She has protested all along that
Mr.. Sumner was not so much at fault
as the women. They tempted him and
he fell. but his wife loved him and she
told the officers so. She told that he
had always been a good husband and
that she did not wish to be separated
from him.
She said it was drink that caused the
trouble and that he had promised her
that he would never drink again and
her pIeadings won the day. She told
how hard she worked at the hotel but
that she would get money enough to-
gether to pay the costs if only her hus-
band could escape the penitentiary-
She begged the court officials to think
of her and her love for her husband and
her children and to let him go free. She
admitted that she WIS working hard
and was away from her two children
and that the family was broken up but
she wanted the chance for her husband
Il Hon.
gave it to her. not to Sumner, and he
told Sumner what he thought of him.