The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-04-15
SENATOR BURTON SENTENCED.
With Bowed Head He Hears Judge
Say verdict Is just.

4
AT st. Louis on Wednesday United
States Senator j. r. Burton of Kan
sas was sentenced to six months i'm.
prisonment in jail and a fine of 81, 500
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, accompanied
by his attorney, came into the United
States district court Judge Adams
spoke OF the motions that had been
filed for new trial and for arrest Of
Judgment. The court, after briefly re-
viewing the motions, overruled them
both. The court then said to the de-
fendant:
Have you anything to say as to
why sentence should not be passed
upon you?'
Evidently suppressing his emotions
with strong effort, Senator Burton
stood leaning with both hands on q
chair back as he said:
Your honor will please allow me to
respectfully decline to say anything.
The court room was almost empty,
with the exception of a few persons
who had remained out Of curiosity,
and the silence was almost opppres-
sive as Judge Adams, in low tone,
began delivering the sentence. The
court said:
am satisfied that the jury reach
ed the just and true result. The evil
dence abundantly warranted their
verdict and l find no reason, either in
the law governing the case or in the
proceedings attending the trial, for
disturbing it.
Your exalted station in life and
the character of your offense, give
unusual significance to your convic-
tion. 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
| Uion 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 sure or safe passport TO pri-
vate thrift.
The humiliation attending your
conviction and the statutory disuuali-
| iicationS resulting therefrom which
forever incapacitate you from holding
any office Of honor, trust or profit
under the government Of the United
States, are in themselves heavy pun
| ishment for your otfenses and leave
but little in the way Of severity which
could be added. Is is neither my
pleasure nor purpose to impose any
unnecessary punishment.
Il think the majesty of the law
will be sufficiently indicated and
the public welfare sufficiently safe
guarded by imposing a single SEN
tence, warranted 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
confined in the Iron county Jail for a
period of six months, and that you
pay fine of two thousand five hun
dred dollars"
! At the conclusion Of the sentence
Senator Burton, who had not taken
his eyes from the court and who had
scarcely moved as he supported him
self by the chair back, turned and sat
down, with his head bowed and his
eyes on the floor. His attorney,
Judge krum, Immediately filed bill
of exceptions in the case and offered a
b0tad of $4,000 which was accepted.
Senator Burton declined to discuss
the sentence. The case now will be
appealed to the United States district
| court appeals.