The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-07

Z
y Burton, accompanied by his lead
ing attorney. Judge Chester II.
krUm, came into the United states dis
trict court at 1880 o'clock. \ 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 re-
viewing the motions, OverrUled them
both. The court then said 10 the de-
PENDANT:
Have you anything TO say as 10 why
sentence should not be passed upon
you2''
Trembling and evidently suppressing
his emotions with strong effort, Sem
ator Burton stood leaning with both
hands on a chairback as he said:
Your honor will please allow me to
respectfully decline to say anything
Oppressive Silence.
The court room was almost empty
with the exception Of a few persons in
terested in the previous case and had
remained out of curiosity, and the 81
Adams. in low. modulated tone, began
delivering the sentence to be imposed.
The court said;
After a fair and impartial trial by
a jury of, exceptional intelligence, you
have been found guilty of the Offenses
charged in the Indictment against you.
A motion for a new trial in your
behalf has afforded me an opportunity
To carefully review and consider the ev-
-, ~nn# reF~ hi III - =
isded that the jury reached the Just
and true result The evidence album
dainty warranted their verdict and 1
find no reason, either in the law gov
erning the case, or in the proceedings
attending the trial for disturbing It,
Punishment Is Necessary.
Your conviction necessarily results
in your punishment. Its importance
in my opinion, is not confined 10 us
effect upon You,
Your exalted station in life and the
character Of your offending gives un-
usual significance to your conviction
It demonstrates that the Jaw of the
land is equal to any emergency, ana
that il can be administered regardless
Of the personality or station of the &C
cused. It also demonstrates 10 all the
people that public Office cannot be
prostituted TO self-serving purposes,
and that public Office is not sure ana
safe passport TO private thrift
The humiliation attending your con-
viction and the statutory disqualified
lions resulting therefrOm which forever
incapacitates you from holding any
office of honor or trust under the gov
ernment is in itself a heavy punishment
for your offense and leave little in the
way of severity which could be added
Sentence Of the Court.
1T is neither my pleasure nor pur-
pose to impose any unnecessary punish
ment.
4 think the majesty Of the law viii
be sufficiently vindiCated and the well
fare sufficiently safeguarded by impos-
ing a single sentence. warranted. as il
is. on any one Of the six counts of in
dictments on which you We're convicted.
This sentence viii be that you be
confined in the Iron county jail for
a period of SIX months, and that you
pay a fine of $500
At the conclusion of the sentence
Senator Burton. who had not taken
his eyes from the court and VINO 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
Burton Oec1ned 10 lax.
Attorney Judge Krum immediately
filed a bin of exceptions in the ease
and offered a bond of 10000 which
was accepted. and court took re
cess until > O'Clock 20 resume the pre-
vious case. Senator Burton and Judge
Krum then hurriedIy departed from
the court room In the corridor Sen
ator Burton stopped long enough TO
light a cigar and then walked TO his
hotel. He declined TO discuss the SEN
tence. but said he would depart to-
night for his home in Kansas.
The case will now be appealed 10
1.-THE United States district court of APP
peals. the highest tribunal in the mat
ter.
Senator Burton. who Is senior sena-
tor from Kansas. was convicted after
an exhaustive trial, in which various
letters from him to the RialtO Grain
& Securities company, the checks
which he received IN payment for his
services in behalf of the concern be-
fore the pOstOffice department and the
testimony of numerous agents Of the
government were introduced.
Senator Burton's defense was that
he was acting merely in the capacity
of an attorney. and did not employ
his senatorial influence i'm the work.
At the Southern hotel Senator Bur
ton said to the Associated Press:
Il have nothing whatever to say re-
earding the verdict I must respect
fully 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 & Securities company, knocked
on the door and was admitted, and