Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-04-17


the adjourned session of the District
Court held in this city last Monday,
it being the time fixed by Judge
Plat to sentence Bernard Hansen,
who had plead guilty to an indict-
ment charging him with having
been one of the trio that burglarized
the Farmers Savings Bank of Mason
Vile.
When the defendant was called to
the bar for sentence, H. F. Arnold,
ofthe firm Of Yoran, Arnold & Yoran,
in behalf OF the defendant made an
eloquent plea asking the court to be
!enient, and supported it by several
atidavits and petitions asking the
court for clemency.
E. G. Loetscher, vice president Of
the Schrieber & Conchar Mfg Co.
of Dubuque, stated that he has
known Hansen since his boyhood,
that he was in the employ Of the
company for the past five or six
years, that he "has borne good
reputation for the past 8 or 10 years,
being peaceable, honest, temperate
and law abiding"
Otto Iaeggi, foreman Of said com
pany, in his affidavit reiterated the
statements Of Mr.. Loetscher, and
. further stated that Hansen had
: worked under his supervision for
the past five or six years prior to the
: burglary, and during all Of that time
+ was an industrious, steady, faithful
employe, regularly at his work and
fully trusted and trustworthy.
The officers and stockholders OF
the burglarized bank in their petition
/. to the court for Hansen say that
t they believe Hansen had no part in
planning or carrying outthe burglary
other than being, against his will
J, prevailed upon to accompany and
a assist the principal criminal, that as
soon as apprehended he made full
. confession Of all the details of the
crime and revealed the whereabouts
If the stolen property, SO that
practically all of it was restored tc
j. its owners, which, but for his prompt
y confession and aid, would have been
!. lost and they therefore pray that
n the court may be lenient and me,ci
full to him and give him as low {
sentence as his good conscience anc
Judgment will permit" and eff pos
sible that whatever sentence is i'm
posed may be suspended during hi
:, good behavior"
The other petitions for clemenc,
presented to the court were signed
: by the Mayor of Dubuque ant
twenty three members of the polio,
: department and by eighty Of tn,
leading business men Of that city.
;, Judge Platt in pronouncing sen
tence mentioned several facts which
: he took into consideration IN fixing
the term of Imprisonment at onl,
three years and four months. Fl,
reviewed the evidence relating t,
the prisoners former conviction
and term in the penltentiary, find
II ing much in the record to warran
the belief that Hansen was not
s. hardened criminal. The numerou
= petitions and letters from bushes
j men and public officials in Dubuqu
y evidenced The fact that Hansen ha,
" 50 lived, as to regain the confdenc
y IF the people Of that city. And til
s. fact that the prisoner did all in hi
l. power to help the public officer
e, liter his capture was a big credi
ID mark in his favor. The informatio
l given by Hansen probably lead t,
. the recovery of the stolen none
md that induced the bank officer
S. and stockholders to urge the coul
to deal mercifully with the wron
doer
The court also commented upo
n the fact, which was fairly we
r shown, that Gadbois and Moor
:, were the principal offenders, an
- that they unduly influenced Hanse
: to join them in the unlawful under
'aking. And the further fact tha
~ .. Hansen's innocent wife. who wa
a a pleading for her erring husban
~ y, with the devotian Of q mother, ha
- considerable influence upon tn
q court and contributed in no SINAI
ID degree in reducing the sentence.