The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1905-10-28
|F|NE and PRISON
FOR LAND FRAUD.
Ten Months In Jail Is Penalty
Inflicted on Member Of
Congress.
COMPASSION FOR AN AGED MAN
Court Permits Feebleness Of Doctor to
Sway Him to Cut Term In Two, but
Doubles Cash Penalty-Judse Al.
lows Appeal.

Portland, Ore. Oct. l6.-"The sen.
tence OF the court is that you shall be
imprisoned for period OF ten months
and pay a fine OF $500"
Congressman Jonn n. Williamson
listened with set features as this SEN
tence was pronounced upon him by
Judge Hunt. A last futile effort had
been made by his counsel to avert the
Impending judgment by the plea that
sentence would interfere with the de-
PENDANTS performance OF his duties as
n member OF congress. The objec-
ton was overruled. Squaring his
shoulders, as II to gather himself 10
meet the impending blow, Williamson
turned TO hear the penalty OF his vio-
lation OF the law.
The words were soon spoken and
DIR. Van Gesner and Marion Il. Biggs,
former United States commissioner,
successfully rose to their feet TO hear
the sentence imposed on each OF them
Listen 70 Their Doom.
Ont of compassion for the age and
feebleness Of Or. Gesner his term OF
imprisonment was fixed az only five
months. half the time which Congress
man Williamson must serve. but his
fine was doubled. being made $1,000.
Biggs received the same sentence i'm.
posed upon Williamson, ten months
imprisonment and a $500 fine.
The third trial OF Williamson. Ges-
ner and Blggs on the charge OF con.
spring 20 suborn perjury in connection
with timber land entries in Crook
county, ended on the night Of Sept. q.
with a verdict OF guilty IN passing
sentence the court said:
Mr. Williamson, an indictment was
brought by the grand jury. charging
you with conspiracy 10 suborn perjury.
Your plea OF not guilty was entered
and upon trial you were found guilty.
The time has now arrived 10 impose
penalty. Have you anything to say be.
fore sentence IS pronounced upon
your"
Ready for Sentence.
With his hands in his pockets. his
face like a mask. Williamson replied
Il guess Il has all been said, judge"
Judge Hunt then said: THE time is
now at hand when must do my duty,
painful TO me as II is. Nothing that
might say az this time could remind
you more forclbly than the occasion
itself must OF your situation. Your in
tellgence, your honorable public posi-.
ton and your own self-rospect com
bine. | am sure, 10 impress upon you
your gricvous error. The circum.
stances OF your case afford a striking
warning 20 careers free from that faint
which should always and does some
times follow the too-preyalcnt belief
that what Is wrong as against an in.
dividual may be countenanced as
against the government Itself
Protects Public Ownership.
But the law demands that this dan.
gerous doctrine be suppressed and that
public as we'll as private ownership OF
lands be protected. The same good
faith, honesty and fair dealing should
pervade every dealing in the matter Of
public lands and every purchase OF
private property between man and
man. This, and this only--no more,
but no less.
THE sentence OF the court is that
you shall be imprisoned for period OF
ten months and pay fine OF $500. At
the request OF your counsel. made by
formal motion, the execution OF this
sentence is suspended pending an APP
peal and such other matters as the law
authorizes may be had in your behalf
In the full preservation OF your rights"