Los Angeles herald., 1905-11-30
SENATOR BURTON
GIVEN SENTENCE
JUDGE ADMINISTERS A JAIL
PENALTY
Kansas Official Ordered to Pay
Fine of $4,000 and Go to
Prison for Six
Months

ST. LOUIS, Nov 29.-United States
Senator Joseph Ralph Burton of Kan
sas was today sentenced in the United
States circuit court to serve six months
in the Iron county Jail at Ironton, Mo-,
and to pay fine Of $25O0 as the penalty
for conviction on the indictment
charging that he had acted in the
capacity of paid attorney in behalf
of the Rialto Grain and Securities
company of st. Louis before the post
office department to prevent the is
suance of a fraud order.
After a trial which continued
throughout last week, Senator Burton
was found guilty early last Sunday
morning on six counts of the indct-
ments, four of which charged that he
agreed to receive compensation for his
services as an attorney before the
postoffice department in behalf of the
Rialto company and two charging
that he received such compensation.
When court convened today the at
torneys for Senator Burton secured an
additional two hours in which to COM
plete their petition for a writ of error
upon which to base the appeal to the
United States supreme court.
Court overruIes Motions
The application for new trial was
overruled by Judge VaudeVanter i'm
mediately upon the reconvening of
court A motion in arrest of judg-
ment was also overruled and District
Attorney Dyer then moved that SEN
tence be pronounced.
Judge Vandevanter ordered the de-
fendant to stand. Senator Burton
arose, but remained standing by the
side of the table occupied by his coun-
sci and did not approach directly in
front of the bar, as is customary.
Judge Vandevanter said:
You have been present during the
proceeding of this trial and have heard
the verdict rendered by the jury. Have
you anything to say?'
Senator Burton, standing pale and
motionless, with his eyes fixed unwa-
veringly upon the court, replied:
Nothing"
Judge Vandevanter then pronounced
the formal sentence He said that the
penalty of imprisonment for six
months and the fine of $250O was i'm
posed on count six, which charged him
with having agreed to receive compen-
sation and sentence Of six months i'm
prisonment alone was imposed on
count seven, charging that he re-
ceived compensation.
May Hold No Post of Honor
Judge Vandevanter imposed the adj
dtional penalty debarring Senator
burlOll lOIeNeI lTOlH HOlullS ally Oliicc
of honor, trust or profit under the
United States government.
The sentence imposed in the pre-
vious trial and conviction of Senator
Burton before Judge Adams was six
months in the Iron county Jail and
to pay a fine Of $5OO0 On appeal the
verdict was reversed by the United
States supreme court.
After Senator Burton had been COM
mitted to the care of the marshal, At
torney Lehman submitted his petition
for writ of error, which was allowed.
Mr.. Lehman then asked that the writ
of error upon the acceptance by the
court of a proper bond would operate
as stay of execution of sentence.
This was allowed by the court who
announced that the bond for $4,000 Of
fered by Senator Burton as principal
and r.. c. Kerens of st, Louis of surety
was approved.
Senator Burton Immediately left the
federal building after refusing to make
any statement for publication, saying
that it was upon the advice of his
counsel that he refused to talk.