The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-07
SENATOR BURTON
MUST GO TO JAIL
SIX MONTHS AND $500
WAS THE SENTENCE IMPOSED BY
JUDGE ADAMS.

U,4+ed states Senator from Kansas
Inclined to Make Any Statement
as to why the Sentence OF the
Court should Not Be Passed Upon
1Iir,-His Attorney Filed n Bill of
Executions on His Behnlf-BOnd OF
$4,000 Given.
Ct Louis. April 6.-United States
Senator ]. r. Burton Of Kansas was
TODAY sentenced to six months i'm
rrieonment in Jail and a fine of $500
C,r using his influence before the Post
o4fice Department in behalf of the
Bial+o Grain and Securities Company
of ST. Louis, and for having received
,avnent from the company for his
services.
When Senator Burton, accompanied
bv 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 brief-
w reviewing tile 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 exception of few persons
who had remained out of curiosity,
and the silence was most oppressive
as Judge Adams, in a low tone, began
delivering the sentence. The court
said:
In Imposing Sentence.
Il am satisfied that the jury reached
the Just and true result. The eVl-
dence abundantly warranted their ver-
dict, and 1 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 un-
usual significance to your conviction
1t demonstrates that the law of the
land is equal to any emergency and
that it can be administered regard
less of the personality and station of
the accused. 1t also demonstrates to
all the people that public Office can
not be prostituted to self-serving pur-
poses, and that public office is not
sure or safe passport to private
thrift.
The humiliation attending your con-
n .o1 f,oa-
tons resulting therefrom which for
ever incapacitate you from holding any
office of honor, trust or profit under
the government of the United States,
are in themselves heavy punishment
for your offense, and leave but lit
tie in the way of severity which could
be added.
1T is neither my pleasure nor pur-
pose to impose any unnecessary pun
ishment. 1 think the majesty of the
law will be sufficiently vindicated and
the public welfare sufficiently safe
guarded by imposing a single sentence,
warranted as it is on any one of the
six counts of the indictment 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 a fine of $2,500."
How Burton Took 1t.
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. with his head bowed and his
eyes on the floor His attorney. Judge
Krum, Immediately filed a bill of ex-
ceptions in the case and offered a bond
for $4,000, which was accepted.
Senator Burton declined to discuss
the sentence.
The case now will be appealed to the
United States District Court of APP
peals.