The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-06
Judge Adams Fines Him So, 500
and Six Months in Jail.
Kansas Senator Appears Bowed
Down in Court Room.
MAKES NO RESPONSE.
Asks Judge to Excuse Him from
Making Statement.
Case Is Carefully Reviewed Be-
fore Sentence Is Passed.
VERDICT A JUST ONE.
Says That Jury Was One of
Exceptional Intelligence.
The Evidence Abundantly War
ranted Conclusion Reached.
Appeal Bond Of $4,000 at
Once Filed.
Case Is Carefully Reviewed Be-
fore Sentence Is Passed.
VERDICT A JUST ONE.
Says That Jury Was One of
Exceptional Intelligence.
The Evidence Abundantly War
ranted Conclusion Reached.
Appeal Bond Of $4,000 at
Once Filed.

St Louis, April 6.-United states
Senator Joseph r Burton, OF Kansas,
recently convicted OF receiving fees IL
legally from the Rialto Grain and Sc
curities company as their attorney,
was today given a sentence OF six
months in jail and was fined $500 by
Judge Adams in the United States dis
trict court here.
Senator Burton, accompanied by his
leading attorney, Judge Chester H
Krum. came into the United States
district court at 1890 o'clock. A case
was being tried and Judge Adams
granted a recess in that case to take
up the Burton case. Judge Adams
summoned Senator Burton to stand +
up and then spoke of the motions that /
had been filed for a new trial and for
arrest Of judgment. The court, after
briefly reviewing the motions, over /
ruled them both The court then said /.
10 the defendant: Have you any
thing to say as TO why sentence should 1
not be passed upon your"
Trembling and evidently suppressing +
his emotions with a strong effort, Sen +
ator Burton stood leaning with both 4
hands on a chairback. as he said:
Your honor wiz please allow me to /
respectfully decline 10 say anything "
The court room vas almost empty.
with the exception of a few persons IN
terested in the previous case who had
remained out Of curiosity and the ST.
lence was almost oppressive as Judge
Adams, in low, modulated tone. began
delivery Of the sentence to be imposed.
Punishment Follows Guilt.
The court said:
After a fair and impartial trial by
e jury OF exceptional Intelligence, you
have been found guilty of the Offenses
charged in the Indictment gainst you.
a motion for new trial in your
behalf has afforded me an opportunity
TO carefully review and consider the
evidence. AS a result Of this. I am
satisfied that the jury reached the just
and true result The evidence abun-
dainty warranted their verdict and I
find no reason. either in the law gov
erning the case or in the proceedings
attending the trial for disturbing it.
Your conviction necessarily results
in your punishment Its Importance.
in my opinion, is not confined 10 its
effect upon you
Your exalted station in life. and the
character Of your offending. gives un-
usual significance 10 your conviction.
It demonstrates that the law of the /
land is equal to any emergency and I
that il can be administered regardless +
Of the personality or station OF the ac- I
gused. II also demonstrates TO all the I
people that public Office can not be /
pr0stituted TO self-serving purposes, !
and that public Office IS not a sure or /
safe passport TO private thrift.
The humiliation attending your /
conviction and the statutory disqualih- /
cations resulting therefrom which for
ever incap apacitates you from holding 1
Office Of honor. trust or profit under 4
the government Of the United States 4
are in themselves heavy punishment !
for your Ofeuses and leave but little I
in the way of severity which could be 4
added.
1T is neither my pleasure nor pur-
pose 10 impose any unnecessary pun /
ishmelSt-
IT +5,5,,1- ~. -,.ss=+v- -F +y,a 1a,4- min
be sufficiently vindicated and the public
welfare sufficiently safeguarded by i'm
posing a single sentence. warranted as
It is. on any one of the six counts Of the
indictments on which you were con-
victed-
This sentence viii be that you be
confined in the iron county Jail for a
period Of six months and that you pay
fine of two thousand i've hundred dol
lars"
Burton Bowed Down
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 himself
by the chair back. turned and sat down
floor
Attorney Judge Krum Immediately
NED bill of exceptions in the case and
offered bond for $4,000, which was
accepted, and court took a recess until
o CLOCK TO resume the previous case
=
hurriedly departed from the court room
IN the corridor Senator Burton stopped
long enough to light cigar and then
walked to his hotel He declined to dis
cuss the sentence but said he would
depart tonight for his home in Kansas.
me case viii now be appealed to the
United states circuit court of appeals.
the highest tribunal in the matter
senator Burton, who is senior senator
from Kansas was convicted after an
exhaustive trial in which various let
ters from him to the Rialto Grain E
Securities company. the checks which h
received in payment for his services ~
behalf of the concern before the most
office department and the testimony Of
numerous agents Of the government
were introduced Senator Burror's r4a-
fense was that he was acting merely IN
tne gapaclty oA an attorney and did not
SLIt,log MS senatorial lnnuence in the
At the Southern hotel Senator P77r-
ton said to the Associated Press.
have nothing whatever 10 say