Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-07
is SENTENCED.
Senator Burton of Kansas in
St. Louis Dock.
Imprisonment for Six Months and a
Fine Of $1,000.
Charged With MaIfeasance in Office
Motion OverruIed.

fenced to six months Imprisonment in
Jail and fine of $500 for using his in
fiuence before the post office depart
ment in behalf of the Rialto Grain and
securities Co. of st. Louis. and for haV-
ing received payment from the COM
pany 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 a new trial and for arrest of judg-
ment. The court after briefly review
| ing the motions overruled them botn.
The court then said 10 the defendent:
Have you anything to say as to why
sentence should not BE- passed upon
you?"
Evidently suppressing his emotions
with Il strong effort. Senator Burton
stood leaning with both hands on Il
| chair back as he said:
Your honor will please allow me to
I Respectfully decline to say anything.
Thu courtroom was almost empty
with the exception of few persons
who had remained out of curiosity ana
| the silence was almost oppressive as
| Judge Adams in n low tone, began de-
| livery of the sentence. The court SAID:
after a fair and impartial trial by a
| jury of exceptionally intelligent men,
you have been found guilty of the Of
| feEcc charged in thu. indictment against
you.
| "A motion for a new trial in your be-
half has afforded me an opportunity
| carefully to review and consider the
| evidence AS a result of this | am
satisfied that the jury reached the just
and true result Tie evidence abund-
alHly warranted their verdict and l find
no reason either in the law governing
| the case or in the proceedings attend
ing the trial for disturbing it,
| Sentence was then pronounced.
Continuing the judge said
| Your conviction necessarily results
| in your punishment. Its Importance.
| in my opinion. is not confined to its eff
| feet upon you.
| You: exalted station in life, and the
| character of your offence, give unusual
significance to your conviction. 1t
| demonstrates that the law of the land
| IS equll to any emergency and that it
can be administered regardless of the
IF the personality and station Of the
accused. 1t also demonstrates to al
| ;hr people that public office cannot be
prostituted I" self serving purposes,
and that public office is not a sure or
! saf" passport to private thrift.
| The humiliation attending your con-
liction and the statutory Disqualified
| tons resulting therefrom which for
lever inCarICitate you from holding any
Office or honor. trust or profit under the
| government of the United States. are
in themselves heavy punishment for
your offences. and leave but little in
| the WY Of severity which could be
added.
| 1T is neither my pleasure nor pur-
pose 10 impose any unnecessary pun
| ishment ] think the majesty of the
| law will be sufficiently indicated 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 Il
period of six months, and that you
pay 4 fine Of two thousand, five hum
| dred dollars"
| At the conclusion Of the sentence. SEN
from the court. and who had scarcely
moved as he supported himself by the
chair back turned ana sat down. with his
| head bowed and his eyes on the floor
| His attorney Judge Krum, Immediately
| filed a bill of exceptions in the case and
offered bond for $lONo, which was ac-
copied.
| Senator Burton and JudgcKrum then
left the court room. Senator Burton de
| clned to discuss the sentence. but said
h. would leave. tonight, for his home in
| Kansas.
| The case will now be appealed to the
| United States district court of appeals,
the highest tribunal in the matter.
| Senator Burton. who is a senior senator
| from Kansas. was convicted after an cx-
haUStve trial. in which various letters
| from him to the Rialto Grain and Securi-
ty Co, the checks which he received in
payment for his services In behalf of the
concern before the post office department.
land the testimony Of numerous agents Of
the government, were introduced.
| Senator Rurton's defence was that he
was acting merely in the capacity of an
attorney and did not employ his senate
rial influence in the work
| At the Southern Hotel. Senator Burton
said to The Associated Press:
| Il have nothing whatever to say regard
ing the verdict. | must respectfully refer
you to my attorneys on all questions
| concerning the matter"
| Senator Burton then went directly to
his room. Five minutes later Hugh c.
Dennis. president of the Rialto Grain ana
Security Co. knocked on the door and
was admitted and the two conversed to-
gether for some time
! The bill of exceptions which was fled
today, is voluminous document compris-
ing more than 500 pages of typewriter
matter. The bill or error which contains
the grounds for the appeal sets forth in
detail all adverse rulings by Judge Elmer
b. Adams.
! Zion county Jail. to which Senator Bur
ton was sentenced for six months is To-
Gated in the county seat at Ironton Mo
81 miles southeast of St Louis
| According to the rule of the iail which