The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-04-08

ST Louis. April Omitted States
Senator j. r. Burton, was today SEN
fenced to six months Imprisonment
in Jail and a fine of $2,50O for using
his influence before the post office
department in behalf OF the Rialto
Grain and Securities Company, of
st. Louis, and for having received
payment from the company for his
services,
When Senator Burton, accompaA-
led by his attorney, came into the
United States district court, Judge
Adams spoke of the motions that had
been filed for a new trial and for
arrest of judgment The court, af-
ter briefly reviewing the motions,
overruled them both. The court
then said to the defendant:
Have you anything to say as to
why sentence should not be passed
upon you?"
Evidently suppressing his emotions
with a strong effort, Senator Burton
stood leaning with both hands on a
chair back as he said:
Your Honor will please allow me
to respectfully decline to say any
thing
The court room was almost empty,
with the exceptions of a few persons
who had remained out of curiosity
and the silence was almost oppreSS-
i've as Judge Adams, in low tone,
began delivering the sentence. The
court said:
Il am satisfied that the jury reached
the Just and true result The evil
a h11n n a MT flIy fQ6 heir r
verdict and 1 find no reason, either
in the law covering the case or in the
proceedings attending the trial for
disturbing it.
Your exalted station in life, and
the character of your offence, give
ton. 1t demonstrates that the law
of the land is equal to any emergency
and that it can be administered re-
gardleSS of the personality and sta
| ton of the accused. 1t also demon
strates to all the people that public
office cannot be prostituted to self
| serving purposes, and that public
office is not a sure or safe pass port
| to -rivate theft.
The humiliation attending your
conviction and the salutary disquali-
| ficationS resulting therefrom which
! forever incapacitate you from hold
| ing any office of honor, trust or pro-
MT under the government OF the Unit
| ed States, are in themselves heavy
punishment for your effenses, and
| leave but little in the way Of severity
| which could be added.
1T is neither my pleasure nor pur-
| pose to impose any unnecessary pun
I ishment.
II think the majesty of the law
| will be sufficiently vindicated and the
| public welfare sufficiently safe guard
| ed by imposing a single sentence. war
/ ranted as it is on any one of the six
| counts of the indictments on which
| you were convicted.
This sentence will be that you be
| confind in the Iron county Jail fol
| a period of six months, and that yor
| pay a fine of two thousand and five
| hundred dollars"
| At the conclusion of the sentence
! Senator Burton who had not taker
| his eyes from the court and who haC
| scarcely moved as he supported him
| self on the chair back, turned anG
| sat down, with his head bowed and
| his eyes on the floor. His attorney
| Judge Krum Immediately field
| bill of executions in the case and of
| fered a bond for $4,000. which wa:
| accepted.
| Senator Burton declined to dis
| cuSS the sentence.
| The case now will be appealed tc
| the United States district court O.
\ appeals