The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-04-15
SENATOR BURTON
Gets JAIL Sentence
~ -
Judge Adams Gives Him Six
Months and $500
Fine.
PRISONER GIVES BONE
Court Finds Satisfaction in Supreme
Power of the Law and De-
clares Conviction
Justified.
PRISONER GIVES BONE

St. Louis, April S.-United States SEN
ator Burton of Kansas was today SEN
fenced to six months imprisonment in
the Iron county Jail and fined $3.50, hav-
ing been convicted Of using his influence
before the pcstofftce department in behalf
of the Rialto Grain company and having
received paymen from the company for
MS services.
When Judge Adams k Senator Bur-
ton Have you anything to say as to why
sentence should not be passed upon your"
the senator stood trembling, evidently
suppressiug his emotion, and then with a
strong effort he said:
Your honor win please allow me TO re-
spectfully decline to say anything
The court room was almost emptied
with the exception of 4 few persons in
terested in the previous case and there
was silence almost oppressive as Judge
Adams in a low, modulated tone began
delivery Of the sentence 10 be imposed.
Verdict Warranted.
The court said: After a fair and i'm
partial trial by a jury of exceptionally
intelligence you ave been found guilty OF
the otfense charged in the Indictment
against you. The motion for a new trial
III your behalf afforded me an opportunl-
~ To carefully review and consider the ev-
idence. AS a result of this l am satisfied
the jury reached a just and true result.
The evidence abunQantly warranted
their verdict. and | ind no reason either
IN the law governing the case or in the
proceedings attending the trial for dis
turDing It.
Your conviction necessarily results in
your punishment. Its Importance in my
opinion is not confined to its effect upon
YOU. Your exalted station in life and the
character Of your offending give unusual
Significance to your conviction. 1t demon
Syv,t 4. tbar rla n 4" ~ tta mud is ~ I Il
to any emergency and that it can be ad-
m!nistered regardless Of the personality
and station of the accused.
Public Office lnvioIatc.
It also demonstrates to all people that
public office cannot be prostituted to self
serving purposes; hat public Office is no
Il sure or safe passport to private thrift
The humiliation attending your conVlctloi
and the statutory disQualiications result
ing therefrom, Which forever incapacitatt
you from holding II office OF honor
trust or profit under the government o.
the United States, are in themselves {
heavy punishment for your offensc ant
leave but little in the way of ~severit!
which could De added.
1T Is neither my pleasure nor purpose
TO impose any unnecessary punishment
/ think the majesty of the law will b'
sufficiently indicated and the public We!
care sufficiently ~safeguarded by impos
ing a single sentence, warranted as ii is
on any one of the six counts OF the indlct
ment upon which you We're convicted
This sentence will be that you be coniinet
IN the Iron county jail for Il period o
six months and that you pay q fine o
$500"
Burton Is Affected.
At the conclusion Of the sentence, Bur
ton, who had not taken his eyes from III
court and who had scarcely moved as h