Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1907-01-18
SHOP LIFTERS
GET ONE YEAR


shop lifting about month ago were
sentenced by Judge Evans Monday,
each to one years Imprisonment in
the county Jail and are already be-
hind the bars. The case, which came
up for the last thing, Monday, was
nothing short of sensational and it in
jected into the prosaic proceedings oi
the afternoon vast deal of spice and
color of pathos.
The women pleaded guilty and on
what ground they could hope to es.
cape, if Justice were done, is not clear.
Yet the sentence fell like thunder
bolt not only ON the women, but also
on the attorneys interested, those for
the prosecution as we'll as for the de-
fense. All plans were laid to bring
about the utmost clemency and no one
seemed to have any doubt but that the
plans would succeed.
1t was nearly five O'Clock when the
courts attention was called to the fact
that the two lady defendants were on
hand and Judge Evans was begged t.
take the matter up to the end that
the case might be disposed of without
any further inconvenience. II was ex-
planned that the two women had plead
ed guilty and all that remained was
to hear a plea for clemency.
Judge Evans. however, refused to
dispose of the case without hearing
evidence aud demanded that the pros
ecutors be brought into court to tes-
| tfy.
The case of Commonwealth VS..
| Richard Mccormick was resumed un-
til the merchants from whose stores
goods had been stolen by the women
appeared when the court ordered the
hearing of testimony suspended and
: took up the shoplitters case.
! S. Lowenstein, Abram Rosenstein
and Fred Howe. as prosecutors, were
in succession called to the stand, each
identifying the women, describing the
articles purloiued, and relating the
circumstances attending the theft.
There were three in iictments Form
er district attorney Ralph Kisner then
made touching and eloquent plea for
the women. He did not deny the mere
theft, but said it was a remarkable
Uase, w'tro'f vnor0 nooruou W 20" NO
criminal intent. as the women merely
took the articles from one store and
Iapl -, or fNhav ado
no effort to get away with the goods
and besides full restitution had been
made 1t was a case, he said. that call
ed for mercy. He believed that the
ends of Justice would be subserved if
sentence were suspended upon payment
of costs.
When he concluded speaking Will
! liam Kase West, who represented the
prosecution, arose and said that he had
no objections to urge against the eX-
ercse of clemency, even to the extent
of suspending sentence. He even ad-
| duced some reasons why mercy should
be shown, one of them being that Mrs.
Krebs is married woman and is need
ed in her home, her husband being a
trusted employe of the Pennsylvania
railroad company. District Attorney
10. p. Gearhart then explained his
position, which was not autagonistic
to clemency.
Meanwhile Mrs. Krebs and Mrs.
Harr occupied seats inside the bar.
They were both tastefully dressed and
looked well. 1t is true they bore a
nervous and anxious look, although it
was pretty clear that they were satisfi-
ed with the drift affairs were taking.
When the district attorney ceased
speaking Judge Evans called the two
defendants before him.
1t seemed terrible ordeal for the
women. Judge Evans reminded them
that they had pleaded guilty to larceny
and informed them that on the three
indictments he could send each to the
penitentiary for nine years. He asked
Mrs. Krebs how old she was and in
reply she said she was "a years. Mrs
Harr in-reply to a similar question
said she was 81 years of age. Judge
Evans told them that he had no desire
to be unduly severe, but t hat he could
not suspend sentence. Merchants must
be protected and people who enter
stores and steal goods must expect to
pay the penalty.
At this iuncture it became pretty
evident that clemency would not oh
tain to any extent aud significant
glances were exchanged between the
attorneys interested, while Mrs. Krebs
set up a bitter wall, which revealed
that she saw in part what was coming.
In moment all doubt was removed,
when Judge Evans sadi:
: Laura Harr, the sentence of the
court is that you pay the costs of pros
: ecution, fine of S25, restore. the goods
that you stole and undergo an impris
} onment in the county Jail for a periot
of one year.
. Mrs. Harr ever since heI humiliatinl
3 arrest in all her trying ordeals ha
malutalueu HeT composuio, poe 'h'
' sentence was too much for her and a
S she realized its dreadful import sh
began to weep quietly to herself
There were few who did not feel
= paug of pity for the misguided woman
Then addressing Mrs. Krebs Judg
:, Evans pronounced the same sentence
When the dreadful words Zone year il
i. the county Jail" fell from his lips, tn
:. woman being sentenced fairly shrek
ed in her dismay and grief.
= The women were then delivered owe
!, into the hands of the sheriff, but a
he had Richard Mccormick already o
;. ;. his hands, the police officers came
II his assistance Mrs. Krebs in her agon
q of grief became almost ungovernablt